The Henry Handel Richardson Fellowship for Short Story Writing
Offered in partnership with the Henry Handel Richardson Society, this fully-funded two-week fellowship promotes the life and legacy of Henry Handel Richardson and encourages excellence in Australian short story writing.
Applications will open in March 2026.
Dates: The fellowship can be taken between January - August 2027.
Places: One writer is selected every second year as part of the Varuna Residential Fellowships program.
Who should apply: Any writer who submits a short story application for the Varuna Residential Fellowship is eligible.
Fees: Application fees are $70 per application, unless you are a financially current alumni member using your annual fee waiver. If you have a Healthcare card, the application fee is $40. If you are experiencing financial hardship, you can have your application fee waived via the Varuna Equity Fund.
Application fees are used to pay a team of professional assessors to read your work.
FAQ: Please read the FAQ before you apply.
The Henry Handel Richardson Fellowship for Short Story Writing is part of the Varuna Residential Fellowships.
This fellowship is offered every second year to an outstanding short story submission.
The recipient receives:
A two-week residency at Varuna, with full board and accommodation including a prepared evening meal, uninterrupted time to write in your own private studio, and the companionship of your fellow writers.
A one-hour consultation with a Varuna mentor, Carol Major, Mary Anne Butler or Tegan Bennett-Daylight.
A travel subsidy of $350 for writers living more than 300 km away from Varuna.
ABOUT HENRY HANDEL RICHARDSON
Henry Handel Richardson is the pseudonym of the celebrated Australian-born writer, Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson (1870-1946). Her early novels, Maurice Guest (1908) and The Getting of Wisdom (1910) were acclaimed by prominent writers and critics in England, America and Europe, and in Australia in the mid-1920s when Nettie Palmer began to champion her works. In 2008, the Henry Handel Richardson Society of Australia (HHRSA) was formed to provide ongoing promotion, enjoyment and engagement with her works and life.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications for this fellowship can be submitted via the Varuna Residential Fellowships application process.
UPCOMING COURSES, FELLOWSHIPS AND EVENTS
