General
What is offered if I win a Rome Prize fellowship?
Prize recipients are invited to Rome to immerse themselves in the Academy community where they will enjoy a once in a lifetime opportunity to expand their own professional, artistic, or scholarly pursuits, drawing on their colleagues’ erudition and experience and on the inestimable resources that Italy, Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Academy have to offer.
Each Rome Prize winner is provided with a stipend, meals, a bedroom with private bath, and a private workspace. Those with children under eighteen live in partially subsidized apartments nearby. Winners of half-term and full-term fellowships receive stipends of $16,000 and $30,000, respectively.
Is the fellowship open to all?
No. Applicants for Rome Prize fellowships must be United States citizens at the time of application, except for those applying for the NEH postdoctoral fellowship in the humanities (ancient studies, medieval studies, Renaissance and early modern studies, and/or modern Italian studies). US citizens and those foreign nationals who have lived in the US for the three years immediately preceding the application deadline may apply for the NEH postdoctoral fellowships. Additionally, undergraduate students are not eligible for Rome Prize Fellowships and previous winners of the Rome Prize are not eligible to reapply.
Is there a fee for applying?
Yes. Applications submitted and/or postmarked on or before November 1 require a $40 application fee. Applications submitted and/or postmarked between November 2 and 15 require a $70 application fee. Applicants applying in more than one field, whose application is postmarked on or before November 1, must submit a $50 application fee. Applicants applying in more than one field, whose application is postmarked from November 2 through 15, must submit a $80 application fee.
May I submit more than one application?
Applicants may submit applications to multiple categories for an additional fee (see below). The applicant must complete separate application forms for each category. Applicants may not submit more than one application in any one category (i.e., do not submit separate applications for sculpture and painting, only one visual arts application will be accepted).
Applicants applying in more than one field, whose application is postmarked on or before November 1, must submit a $50 application fee. Applicants applying in more than one field, whose application is postmarked from November 2 through 15, must submit a $80 application fee.
Is the fellowship open to applicants who work collaboratively?
Yes. Collaborating artists and/or scholars may submit joint applications provided that the work is genuinely collaborative in nature as demonstrated by the materials submitted. In the case of joint applications, each individual must meet all eligibility requirements. Joint applications must be submitted in one package with one of the collaborators serving as the primary applicant. Joint applicants selected as winners will share one prize (i.e., room and board, the stipend and work space).
How much is the stipend?
Winners of full-term fellowships receive a stipend of $30,000, and winners of half-term fellowships receive $16,000.
May I bring my family with me to Rome?
Yes. The American Academy in Rome warmly welcomes spouses/companions and children of Rome Prize winners. The Academy is one of few institutions of its kind with special facilities and support for families. Families are an important part of the social fabric of AAR. As a city, Rome is a particularly welcoming place for small children.
All Rome Prize winners should bear in mind that fellowships are funded to support the single individual who is the winner of the Rome Prize. Those who come with families will incur additional costs, including:
- discounted rent for family lodging
- discounted rate for meals for children and family members taken at AAR (meals for Rome Prize winners are included with their fellowship at no cost)
Arranging for local schools and childcare is the responsibility of the Rome Prize winner. However, AAR maintains an active list of childcare services and is able to provide information and contact for schools. AAR also provides a special orientation for families when they arrive.
What type of accommodations are provided?
Single Rome Prize winners are assigned a room with a private bathroom and a separate study or studio, all at no cost.
Rome Prize winners with a spouse or partner (known as “Fellow Travelers”) are assigned a double room with a private bathroom and a separate study or studio. A monthly fee of approximately $150 is charged to the Rome Prize winner for the double room. Additionally, a one-time supplement fee of will be charged ($700 for a full-term fellowship or $350 half-term fellowship).
Rome Prize winners with children will be housed in a building adjacent to the Academy with multi-bedroom apartments, for which the Rome Prize winner must pay discounted rent. The current rates are $665/month for a two bedroom apartment, $825/month for a three bedroom apartment, and $1,065/month for a four bedroom apartment.
The rates listed above for supplement fees and apartment rents are subject to change for the 2023–24 academic year.
Are meals provided?
Rome Prize winners are provided with lunch and dinner Monday through Friday. Meals for spouses, companions, and/or children will be offered at a subsidized rate.
Is travel to Rome provided?
Rome Prize winners are required to pay for their own travel to Rome. The Rome Prize winner will receive his or her first stipend payment four to six weeks before the Academy opens. This payment is substantially larger than subsequent payments to help with the costs of travel.
Is health insurance included?
No. The Academy requires each Rome Prize winner and accompanying persons to have health insurance coverage and hospitalization insurance, including major medical. Proof of insurance must be provided before the residency begins.
May I bring my pet?
No. Pets are NOT allowed at the American Academy in Rome. Anyone arriving with a pet will be asked to find outside kennel accommodations.
Are the Academy buildings accessible?
While not all of the Academy’s facilities are accessible to wheelchair users and others who need to avoid stairs, much of the McKim, Mead & White Building is accessible including some of the living spaces.
May I work while in Rome?
Rome Prize winners may not hold full-time jobs while at the Academy. The Academy recognizes in some instances a winner may find it necessary to supplement his or her income with other awards, or that he or she may be commissioned to complete scholarly or artistic work while in Rome. Winners of the Rome Prize may hold other fellowships concurrently, as long as the requirements do not conflict with the winner’s full participation in the Academy community. Applicants are required to disclose all fellowships and awards they expect to hold during their proposed residency in Rome, including sabbatical pay.
Is speaking Italian a requirement?
No. Speaking Italian is not required for application to the Rome Prize. However, if you receive the Rome Prize, life in Rome will be much simpler if you come to Italy with at least the basics of the language. The Academy provides a subsidized intensive Italian course to Rome Prize winners shortly after their arrival.
When is the Rome Prize application deadline?
The deadline for applying is November 1. We do offer an extended deadline of November 15 for an additional fee. No applications will be accepted after November 15.
Do you accept late applications?
We offer an extended deadline until November 15 for an additional fee. No applications will be accepted after November 15.
What is the schedule of the fellowship residency?
Full-term fellowships generally run from early or mid-September to July of the following year. Winners of half-term fellowships may request to begin in September or February.
Should the project proposal be related to Rome?
In the case of scholars, preference will be given to applicants for whom research time in Italy, and especially in the city of Rome, is essential. For artists, a demonstration of a need to be in Rome, or Italy, is NOT necessary. However jurors tend to respond positively to proposals of projects that would clearly benefit from time in Rome, Italy, and/or Europe.
Should the material submitted for review be related to Rome?
Material submitted for review does not need to be related to Rome. The primary criterion for the Rome Prize is excellence. Applicants should send examples of their strongest recent work.
When do you notify the applicants?
All applicants will be notified by mid-March.
If not selected, may I apply again?
Yes. We encourage applicants to apply again if not selected. Academy juries change every year, and a previous application in no way compromises an applicant’s chances of winning a future fellowship. Many Rome Prize Fellows have applied more than once before being selected.