Watch the recording of our information session
To inspire your application for the 2023 New Zealand Churchill Fellowship round, the New Zealand Churchill Trust, in partnership with our Churchill Fellows, delivered a live virtual information session.
In this session, we were joined by two Churchill Fellows as they shared their Fellowship experiences, imparted insights on their fascinating projects to motivate you with what they have achieved since returning to New Zealand. We answered your questions, including tips on how to apply.
You can watch this recording on Youtube here.
Applying for a Churchill Fellowship
If you are thinking about applying to become a Churchill Fellow, here are a few ideas to help you prepare:
- Gain helpful advice, and get inspired by rewatching the recording of our live virtual information session held on Wednesday, 28 June 2023.Watch this recording on Youtube here.
- Think about what your ‘pitch’ will be. Think carefully about the topic you would like to explore, why you need to travel overseas and what benefit your Fellowship would bring to Aotearoa New Zealand society. You should keep your writing as succinct as possible.
- Think about who you will ask to be your referees. Make contact with them and let them know when they will be expected to provide their references. If they’re unavailable to help, don’t let that stop you, have a backup referee ready.
- You will be required to upload a 90 second ‘video pitch’ with your application making a clear case for why your proposed project is important, why you need to travel overseas, the benefit to the community that could come from your Fellowship and why you are the right person to do it. This will be used to assist selectors in assessing your application.
- Read our frequently asked questions, to see if any of your questions are answered here.Your question isn’t here? Contact us here. We’re here to help!
- Applications will only be accepted via CommunityMatters. You will need a ‘Real Me’ login to be able to access the Fellowship application form.
The link below will take you to a page that asks for your ‘Real Me’ login or enables you to apply for a ‘Real Me’ login. Please follow the instructions on the page to make a request for funding.For more information and / or assistance with ‘Real Me’ telephone 0800 824 824.
- For more information, visit the DIA Community Matters page.
2025 Winston Churchill McNeish Writers’ Fellowship
This partnered fellowship is for promising writers and journalists to travel and live overseas. The intention is for the recipient’s horizons to broaden and shift so that their writing is enhanced. Priority is given to applicants who:
- are an emerging writer or journalist aged between 25 and 40 years
- have a track record of publications (one or more publications)
- propose travel to non-English speaking and / or developing countries.
Fellowship requests must be for:
- immersion within another culture by living and / or working for the benefit of the recipient’s writing
- overseas travel between 1 January and 31 December of the calendar year following request
- travel outside New Zealand, for up to six months.
In addition to the supporting documents required for any fellowship, requests for a Winston Churchill McNeish Writers’ Fellowship must include a writing sample and evidence of one or more publications or writing success achieved to date.
A Winston Churchill McNeish Writers’ Fellowship is usually offered every second year and will be offered in the 2025 application round.