The Academy of American Poets Fellowship is a $25,000 prize awarded to one poet each year to recognize distinguished poetic achievement. Established in 1936 and given in memory of James Ingram Merrill, with generous support from the T. S. Eliot Foundation, the Academy of American Poets Fellowship was the first award of its kind in the United States. Fellows are selected by majority vote of the Academy’s Board of Chancellors. Fellows also receive a residency at the T. S. Eliot House in Gloucester, Massachusetts. No applications are accepted.
Any poet who meets one of the below criteria is eligible:
- U.S. Citizen
- resident of the United States for the ten-year period prior to January 1 of the prize year, or
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Legal Permanent Status (LPS), or any subsequent categories designated by the U.S. authorities as conferring similar enhanced status upon non-citizens living in the United States.
Please note: By law the Academy of American Poets must report cash prizes awarded to individuals to the Internal Revenue Service. If individuals have a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), the individual will receive a 1099. If the individual does not have an SSN or ITIN, the individual will receive a 1042 and could be subject to a withholding of a percentage of the cash prize.
Please also note: It’s the mission of the Academy of American Poets to support American poets at all stages of their careers and to foster the appreciation of contemporary poetry. In furtherance of our mission, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and integrity in our publications and programs, and expect and require the same from the poets with whom we collaborate.
All applicants and selected award recipients agree that, as part of their eligibility to receive the Academy of American Poets Fellowship, they will maintain the highest standards of fairness, decency and personal integrity, in the Academy’s sole discretion, including with adherence to all applicable laws and community values. The decisions of the Academy of American Poets regarding eligibility, both initial and throughout the award period, are final.
