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Only 1% of All Scripts Submitted to The Black List Will Make It to Nicholl Readers
As we covered, The Black List and Nicholl are teaming up as a place to handle entries, aligning with some handpicked colleges. At the time we wrote the article, we didn't have the submission guidelines or any of the facts you wanted. But now we do. So, today, we're going to cover the extent of the collaboration and what your odds are of making it into the next round. You can get an entire breakdown on The Black List website as well. Let's dive in. The Black List + the Nicholl Fellowship The way writers apply to the Nicholl Fellowship has recently changed. The program now operates through a dual approach: Partner Organizations: The Academy now exclusively partners with a network of global university programs, screenwriting labs, and filmmaker programs. These partners vet scripts from their constituents and submit them directly for consideration. Scripts submitted by partners are read and reviewed by Academy members. Public Submissions via The Black List: For writers not affiliated with a partner organization, The Black List now serves as the official portal for public submissions.What Do Nicholl Fellows Get? Winning the Nicholl is the dream of many an aspiring screenwriter. It's still seen as a valuable contest that gets the eyeballs of agents, managers, and producers in Hollywood. The fellowship also provides a substantial package designed to support writers during a crucial developmental year: Financial Support: Up to five fellows are selected each year, historically receiving a significant stipend of $35,000. Mentorship: Each fellow is paired with an Academy member for guidance and support. Networking & Development: Fellows participate in virtual seminars, meet-and-greets with the Nicholl Committee, and in-person networking events. Ongoing Support: Access to the Academy's Gold Alumni Program provides continued opportunities, professional development, and education beyond the fellowship year. The Goal: Fellows are expected to complete at least one original feature-length screenplay during their fellowship year. Importantly, the Academy acquires no rights to the work produced.Who Is Eligible? Historically, eligibility centered on being an "amateur" writer, meaning you hadn't earned over a certain threshold (often cited as $25,000) for film and TV writing. Key requirements typically included: Being 18 or older. Submitting an original feature film screenplay (usually 70-160 pages), written originally in English. Adaptations (unless of your own original work), translations, and scripts using AI-generated content were generally ineligible. However, with the new submission process via partners and The Black List, it is ESSENTIAL to check the most current and specific eligibility requirements directly on the official Academy Nicholl Fellowships page and The Black List portal when submissions are open. Requirements might have specific nuances depending on the submission path.What does it cost? You need to pay for hosting on the Black List website as well as at least one evaluation to be considered for the Nicholl. Hosting is $30 a month per project, and evaluations are $100 each. Together, that costs $130 per project you submit. How Many Scripts Will The Black List Send Into The Nicholl? The Black List will take 2,500 submissions and forward up to 25 to the Nicholl, so that's around 1% of all entries that will move forward, if they take the max scripts and send the max in. It can always be less. Of course, those 25 scripts will also then compete against the scripts sent into the Nicholl by the other aggregate programs. Then the Nicholl will winnow those down to the top five, who will be awarded as Nicholl fellows. These numbers aren't meant to discourage, just to inspire you. These are the odds, this is what it takes to win. So, make sure you have the best spec possible. Summing It All Up All screenwriting contests are kind of crapshoots. You have to hope you get a good reader who understands you and your material. I've reviewed The Black List before — I think they have their hearts in the right place and want the best people to break into the industry. But we'll certainly keep an eye on the Nicholl this year and be ready to report on how it runs. Let me know what you think in the comments.
As we covered, The Black List and Nicholl are teaming up as a place to handle entries, aligning with some handpicked colleges.
At the time we wrote the article, we didn't have the submission guidelines or any of the facts you wanted. But now we do.
So, today, we're going to cover the extent of the collaboration and what your odds are of making it into the next round.
You can get an entire breakdown on The Black List website as well.
Let's dive in.
The Black List + the Nicholl Fellowship
The way writers apply to the Nicholl Fellowship has recently changed. The program now operates through a dual approach:
- Partner Organizations: The Academy now exclusively partners with a network of global university programs, screenwriting labs, and filmmaker programs. These partners vet scripts from their constituents and submit them directly for consideration. Scripts submitted by partners are read and reviewed by Academy members.
- Public Submissions via The Black List: For writers not affiliated with a partner organization, The Black List now serves as the official portal for public submissions.
What Do Nicholl Fellows Get?
Winning the Nicholl is the dream of many an aspiring screenwriter. It's still seen as a valuable contest that gets the eyeballs of agents, managers, and producers in Hollywood.
The fellowship also provides a substantial package designed to support writers during a crucial developmental year:
- Financial Support: Up to five fellows are selected each year, historically receiving a significant stipend of $35,000.
- Mentorship: Each fellow is paired with an Academy member for guidance and support.
- Networking & Development: Fellows participate in virtual seminars, meet-and-greets with the Nicholl Committee, and in-person networking events.
- Ongoing Support: Access to the Academy's Gold Alumni Program provides continued opportunities, professional development, and education beyond the fellowship year.
- The Goal: Fellows are expected to complete at least one original feature-length screenplay during their fellowship year. Importantly, the Academy acquires no rights to the work produced.
Who Is Eligible?
Historically, eligibility centered on being an "amateur" writer, meaning you hadn't earned over a certain threshold (often cited as $25,000) for film and TV writing. Key requirements typically included:
- Being 18 or older.
- Submitting an original feature film screenplay (usually 70-160 pages), written originally in English.
- Adaptations (unless of your own original work), translations, and scripts using AI-generated content were generally ineligible.
However, with the new submission process via partners and The Black List, it is ESSENTIAL to check the most current and specific eligibility requirements directly on the official Academy Nicholl Fellowships page and The Black List portal when submissions are open.
Requirements might have specific nuances depending on the submission path.
What does it cost?
You need to pay for hosting on the Black List website as well as at least one evaluation to be considered for the Nicholl.
Hosting is $30 a month per project, and evaluations are $100 each.
Together, that costs $130 per project you submit.
How Many Scripts Will The Black List Send Into The Nicholl?
The Black List will take 2,500 submissions and forward up to 25 to the Nicholl, so that's around 1% of all entries that will move forward, if they take the max scripts and send the max in. It can always be less.
Of course, those 25 scripts will also then compete against the scripts sent into the Nicholl by the other aggregate programs. Then the Nicholl will winnow those down to the top five, who will be awarded as Nicholl fellows.
These numbers aren't meant to discourage, just to inspire you. These are the odds, this is what it takes to win.
So, make sure you have the best spec possible.
Summing It All Up
All screenwriting contests are kind of crapshoots. You have to hope you get a good reader who understands you and your material. I've reviewed The Black List before — I think they have their hearts in the right place and want the best people to break into the industry.
But we'll certainly keep an eye on the Nicholl this year and be ready to report on how it runs.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
