Miles Morland Foundation 2025 Writing Scholarships for African Writers

Miles Morland set up the foundation which bears his name in 2013, after a career investing in Africa via two companies he created, Blakeney Management and DPI (Development Partners International). 

It can be difficult for writers, before they become established, to write while simultaneously earning a living. To help meet this need the MMF annually awards a small number of Morland Writing Scholarships, with the aim being to allow each Scholar the time to produce the first draft of a completed book. The Scholarships are open to anyone writing in the English language who was born in Africa, or both of whose parents were born in Africa.

• Table of Content
• About Miles Morland Foundation
• Writing Scholarships
• Aim and Benefits of Writing Scholarships
• Requirements for Writing Scholarships Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for Writing Scholarships
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Miles Morland Foundation

Miles Morland set up the foundation which bears his name in 2013, after a career investing in Africa via two companies he created, Blakeney Management and DPI (Development Partners International). Based in London, the Miles Morland Foundation (MMF) is a UK registered charity which makes grants in areas reflecting its founder’s interests. The Foundation’s main aim is to support entities in Africa which allow Africans to get their voices better heard. It is particularly interested in supporting African writing and African literature.... continue reading

Writing Scholarships

Application Deadline	19 Sep 2025
Type	Entrepreneurs
Sponsor	Miles Morland Foundation
Gender	Men and Women

Aim and Benefits of Writing Scholarships

Scholars will receive a grant of £18,000, paid monthly over the course of twelve months. At the discretion of the Foundation, Scholars writing non-fiction, who require additional research time, could receive an additional grant, paid over a period of up to eighteen months.

Requirements for Writing Scholarships Qualification

• The only condition imposed on the Scholars during the year of their Scholarship is that they must write.
• They will be asked to submit by email at least 10,000 new words every month until they have finished their book, or their Scholarship term has ended. If the first draft of the book is completed before the year is up, payments will continue while the Scholar edits and refines their work.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Writing Scholarships

• To qualify for the Scholarship a candidate must submit an excerpt from a piece of work of between 2,000 – 5,000 words, written in English that has been published and offered for sale, you must send clear evidence that the piece you upload as part of your application has been both published AND offered for sale. Your submission will be evaluated by a panel of readers and judges set up by the MMF.
• The work submitted will be judged purely on literary merit. It is not the purpose of the Scholarships to support academic or scientific research, or works of special interest such as religious or political writings.
• Submissions or proposals of this nature do not qualify.

Application Deadline

September 19, 2025

How to Apply

Please tell us how you heard about the Morland Writing Scholarships.

• A submission of between 2,000 to 5,000 words as a Word document of work that has been published and offered for sale. 
• Proof of publication and proof of sale.
• A description of between 400 – 1,000 words about the new book you intend to write. 
• A scan of an official document showing that you, or both of your parents, were born in Africa.
• A brief bio of between 200 – 300 words.

For more details, visit Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarships webpage