St John's College invites applications for the Harper-Wood Studentship for English Poetry and Literature. The purpose of the Studentship is to encourage a project of creative writing by making it possible for the holder to engage in relevant, project-related travel and study. The Studentship is designed to encourage creative writers in the earlier stage of their careers, although both beginners and somewhat more experienced authors will be considered.
During the period of tenure, the Student is expected to engage in a course of study or research, not necessarily attached to a university or other institution, leading up to the production of original creative writing. All or part of the period of tenure must be spent in a foreign country of the Student's choice. In their application, candidates should give a detailed outline of their projected course of study/research and travel plan, and they should make a strong case for their relevance to the creative writing project. Topics that do not fall within the scope of creative writing, or topics undertaken for the purposes of an undergraduate, postgraduate, or other degree, will not be considered.
The Studentship is tenable for one year and is not renewable. It is a condition of election that at the time of the election the candidate be a graduate of any university of Great Britain, Ireland, the Commonwealth, or the United States of America, and be not over thirty years of age. The Student will normally be expected to enter upon the Studentship on 1 October 2008.
The emoluments of the Studentship will be determined by the College Council in light of the Student's qualifications and financial circumstances (including emoluments from other sources), up to a maximum of £12,100. Additional financial assistance is also available to enable the Student to spend all or part of the period of study abroad.
Letters of application should reach the Master's Secretary, St John's College, Cambridge, CB2 1TP, no later than 19 May 2008. The letter of application should be accompanied by: (a) the candidate's curriculum vitae or resumé; (b) a plan of the proposed study or research and of the proposed travel, with a preliminary budget; (c) an explanation of how this plan directly relates to the creative writing project; (d) the names and addresses of not more than two referees.
Possible referees may include, although are not restricted to, academic supervisors, editors, literary writers, and teachers of creative writing.
Short-listed candidates will be invited to submit examples of their work, up to a limit of 5,000 words. These may be drawn from a longer piece of work, or they may be a selection of poems and/or prose pieces (not necessarily from the same collection). Details of any other research plans or applications that might relate to the tenure of the Harper-Wood Studentship should also be supplied.