Application

Dobie Paisano Ranch Writing Fellowships

We are currently accepting applications for the Ralph A. Johnston Memorial Fellowship (four-month residency September-December 2027), and the Dobie Paisano Ranch Spring Writing Fellowship (three-month residency February-April 2028). Note: the length and dates of the residency may change as needed for maintenance or program needs. 

Sponsored by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at The University of Texas at Austin, the Dobie-Paisano Fellowship Program provides writers solitude, time, and a comfortable place to work. The retreat is on a 254-acre ranch about twenty minutes west of Austin. Here J. Frank Dobie's ranch house sits above beautiful Barton Creek. The house is fully furnished with modern conveniences. Utilities, the internet, and phone service are provided, though the fellow must provide their own cellular phone service. 

Eligibility

The fellowships are available to writers in any genre, especially poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. Non-fiction should be written for a general audience. In addition to residency at the ranch, the fellowships include a monthly stipend of $6,000 (a total of $24,000 for the four-month Johnston Memorial Fellowship in the fall, and a total of $18,000 for the three-month spring fellowship).

The Dobie Paisano Ranch Spring Writing Fellowship is aimed at writers who have already demonstrated some level of publishing and critical success. This may or may not be writers a little later along in their literary careers. The definition of "publishing and critical success" will be determined by the judges each year, but in general, we would expect at least one well-received book or an impressive list of published essays, articles, poems, stories, etc. The decision of the judges will be based on the quality of the writer's work and their potential for future excellence. The writer's suitability for ranch life is also taken into account.  

In addition, the applicant will describe how being a Paisano Fellow and living in the J Frank Dobie house on the ranch in the Texas Hill Country will benefit the proposed writing project.  

Deadline

Applications open on Submittable: Please scroll to the bottom of the Submittable page to start your submission.

Application Fee

The application fee is $20 for first-time applicants. There is no fee for returning applicants. Application fees are non-refundable.

Application Process

Applications will be accepted online through Submittable. Application forms are currently available until January 15, 2027. Entries for the fellowship must be submitted by January 15, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. CST.  

Important:

• You will need to create a free Submittable account in order to submit these forms. Here is a quick guide on how to get started: https://submittable.help/submitters/making-new-submissions/how-do-i-submit
• The Submittable password requires 8 or more characters and must contain two of the following: upper case letter, a symbol, or a number.
• You can save a draft if you would like to finish filling out the application at a later date.
• We will follow-up with you about your submission by email. Please be sure the email address you used to sign up for your Submittable account is one you check regularly.
• Please reach out to Submittable's Customer Support team with any technical questions at support@submittable.com

Work Submitted

The application process asks for the following things: 1) A writing sample that best helps us evaluate the quality and content of your writing. 2) A clear and concise description of what you plan to work on during your residency. Please include a rough idea of where you are on this project—just the thinking stage? a completed first draft?, etc. 3) A brief statement on your suitability for ranch life. Please limit writing samples to no more than 50 manuscript pages. Supporting work, including published work, is permitted but is included in the 50-page limit. The writing sample should reflect your best work and be indicative of the type of writing you would pursue at Paisano. Judges will read only the first 50 pages submitted. 

Judges

Judges for the competition are former fellows. We do not release the names of the judges.

Recommendations

Personal recommendations are not requested and are not included in applicant files.

Announcement of Winners

Awardees for each fellowship will be notified in early May 2027.  All applicants will be notified of the results via email as soon as possible. Applicants do not receive any critique of their entries.

Austin and Austin-area Applicants

The purpose of a Dobie Paisano fellowship is to provide solitude and financial support for a committed writer. The fellowship requires full-time residency at the ranch. It cannot be used as a part-time work site or as a temporary retreat. If you live in Austin or the Austin area, it would be useful to the judges to read of your commitment to this requirement. You can address this commitment on the application form under: "Why do you feel that you would be a suitable Paisano fellow?"