The South Asia Speaks Fellowship

The South Asia Speaks Fellowship is a free, year-long program that pairs promising writers across South Asia with SAS mentors to support the creation of meaningful work. Fellows receive six one-on-one mentorship sessions, along with craft-focused workshops, masterclasses with renowned writers, and access to a vibrant community of fellows and alumni. The program is entirely free, with no hidden costs—just a commitment to storytelling, mentorship, and the power of literary community.

Applicants may choose to apply in one of the following areas: Fiction, Non-fiction, Translation (any language), Poetry, Oral History, or the Beyond Ability mentorship for disabled writers.

This opportunity is open to citizens of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Nepal living in their home countries for the duration of the mentorship as well as Tibetan refugees based in South Asia. Afghan writers are exempt from the residence clause and may be based anywhere in the world. Application fee waivers are available on request. To request a waiver, please email programassistant@gmail.com before completing the form.

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Enquiries about submissions should be directed to South Asia Speaks. Please always refer to their website for complete details and information. 

Please note, this call is run by South Asia Speaks, not the Commonwealth Foundation.