APPLY

Are you ready to embark on an incredible literary journey?

Please use the form below to begin your application. After you click “Submit,” you will be redirected to a page on Submittable, where you can upload a writing sample of 10 pages (for fiction), or 3 poems (for poetry), and pay your application fee. Space is limited to 26 participants, and acceptances are made based solely on the quality of writing samples.

Applications for 2024 are currently open, until all spots are filled.
A $150 deposit is required upon acceptance to the program, to hold your spot. Due dates for additional payments will be set soon.
If you require assistance with the payments, a custom installment plan may be arranged by contacting us.

Deposits made for 2024 will be non-refundable, except in case of program cancellation.

Make sure you’ve read the program details on our website, before you apply.

Previous attendees of any of our SLS or ILS conferences will automatically receive a 20% off tuition discount. Again, as program space is limited, we recommend applying early.

A small number of needs-based fellowships might be available. Please send us a brief email outlining your financial circumstances, if you would like to be considered for one.

ILS 2024 Application (July 7 - 22, 2024)

Please use the form below to begin your application. After you click “Submit,” you will be redirected to a page on Submittable, where you can upload your writing sample and pay your $150 tuition deposit, to hold your spot in the workshop of your choice. Workshops are filling up quickly so please complete this step at your earliest convenience.

(*If you have received a fellowship offer, you have already been accepted into the program — please fill out this form so we can have your necessary contact information on file. Please note your fellowship discount amount in the field below.)

Name

First Name

Last Name

Phone (please be sure to include your country code)

(###)

###

####

Type of manuscript?

Date of birth

mm/dd/yyyy

Pronouns (optional)

How did you hear about us?

Have you attended SLS/ILS previously?

Have you attended any of our parent organization Summer Literary Seminars SLS or ILS programs in the past? If yes which year? If you have received a fellowship offer, please note it here.

Biography

(Optional: Provide a short bio if you like)

Website URL

(Optional: If you have a website you'd like us to visit, drop the URL here)

Social Media Links

(Optional: If you want us to know where to find you on social media or elsewhere, type in your social media links here)

Write a few sentences about why you're interested in attending International Literary Seminars in Nairobi and Lamu, Kenya.

Occupation

(Optional: What do you do for a living?)

Emergency contact name

Emergency contact relationship to you

Emergency contact address

Emergency contact phone number

(Be sure to include the country code)

Emergency contact email address

Manuscript workshop preference

(All accepted participants will take craft workshops with Polina Barskova and Josip Novakovich, and can participate in all other live lectures and zoom calls. For manuscript review workshops, participants will be divided into two groups to work with Dawn Raffel (Fiction), or Mildred Barya (Poetry). Please specify your preferred instructor for the manuscript workshops. We will try our best to place everyone with their preferred instructor, as space allows.

Dawn Raffel (Fiction)

Mildred Barya (Poetry)

Accomodations

(We have hotel rooms available for participants to purchase at discounted prices in both Nairobi and Lamu. These rooms will offer the most convenience for attending all ILS events and workshops. Given the size of Nairobi, we strongly advise you to stay in the same accommodations as the group while in the city. Please indicate whether you would like us to reserve accommodations for you.)

Yes hold a room for me both in Nairobi and in Lamu

Hold a room for me only in Nairobi, I will book my own accommodations in Lamu