American Academy in Berlin

The American Academy in Berlin was established in 1994. Its primary goal is to foster greater understanding and dialogue between the people of the United States and the people of Germany. It also strives to preserve and renew America's unique cultural, social, political, and historical ties to the city of Berlin.

The Academy offers residential fellowships at its Hans Arnhold Center to US-based scholars, policymakers, and artists. Fellows are encouraged to pursue their work in a manner that engages the vibrant life of Berlin and Germany. The Academy also brings leading Americans to Berlin for briefer visits to facilitate a robust exchange of ideas.

The American Academy offers residential fellowships to emerging as well as established scholars, writers, and professionals who wish to engage in independent study in Berlin. Around two dozen Berlin Prizes are conferred annually. Past Berlin Prize recipients have included historians, economists, poets, art historians, journalists, legal scholars, anthropologists, musicologists, public policy experts, and writers, among others. The Academy does not accept project proposals in mathematics and the hard sciences.

In addition to placing a high priority on the independent work of its fellows, the Academy is in a unique position to aid fellows in establishing professional and general networks both in Berlin and beyond. The Academy’s public outreach, which facilitates the introduction of a fellow's work to a wider audience, serves its mission of fostering transatlantic ties through cultural exchange.

Fellowships are typically awarded for an academic semester or, in some cases, for an entire academic year. Only the Bosch Fellowships in Public Policy may be for shorter stays of six to eight weeks. Fellowship benefits include round-trip airfare, Academy accommodations, partial board, and a stipend of $5,000 per month. The Academy’s furnished apartments at the Hans Arnhold Center are suitable for individuals and couples; accommodations are available for families with children at the Hans Arnhold Center or at nearby apartments. Fellows are expected to reside at the Hans Arnhold Center during the entire term of the award.

Fellowships are restricted to candidates based permanently in the US. US citizenship is not required, and American expatriates are not eligible. Candidates in academic disciplines are expected to have completed a doctorate at the time of application. Applicants working in most other fields – such as journalism, law, filmmaking, or public policy – must have equivalent professional degrees. Writers must have published at least one book at the time of application. Candidates should explain how their projects will benefit from a residency in Berlin, but they do not need to be working on German topics.