dancedramamusic

Playwrights Program Application Requirements

On this page:

All information available is for reference only, from 2012.  Application and Audition requirements for fall 2013 will be updated by September 1, 2012.

Application & Play Submission Deadline

Application & Play Submission Deadline Application Fee
November 1, 2011 $60


Playwrights who are interested in submitting a late application may contact dramaadmissions@juilliard.edu.  We do not anticipate that we will accept late applications after December 1, 2011.

Back to top

Program Eligibility

  1. The Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program offers one-year, tuition-free, graduate-level fellowships to four or five writers.
  2. Selected playwrights may be invited to continue their studies through a second academic year, thereby completing a total of 52 credits for the two-year fellowship period and earning an Artist Diploma in Playwriting.
  3. All applicants must submit an application and one full-length play by the November 1 deadline.  Late applications may be accepted at the discretion of the Drama Division and Office of Admissions.
  4. It is preferred that applicants hold an undergraduate degree; however, applicants with advanced training equivalent to a bachelor’s degree or exceptional artistic accomplishment will also be considered.
  5. Proof of English language proficiency will be required for students for whom English is not the native language.  Please note, play submissions must be in English.
  6. There is a limit of three consecutive applications to this program, and a maximum of six total applications. For example, if you applied in 2008, 2009, and 2010, you would not be able to apply in 2011, but could again apply up to three additional times in the years after 2011.

Back to top

Application Checklist

Must Be Submitted Online And/Or Received By November 1:

  1. Completed and signed application (submit online).
  2. $60 application fee.
  3. One full-length play (or up to two shorter one-act plays).  A full-length play is strongly preferred over one-act plays.  We do not accept musicals, screenplays, or television scripts.  If you have applied to this program in the past, please submit a new play that is representative of your best work to date.  For guidance regarding formatting, we recommend these guidelines from the Dramatists Guild of America.  Please note, this is a formatting recommendation only (not a requirement).
    1. AFTER you submit your online application, please e-mail a PDF or Word document with your play to dramaadmissions@juilliard.edu.  This copy of your play should be "blind" - the cover page should contain ONLY the title of your play.  This copy of your play will be sent to our first-round readers, who read each applicant play without knowledge of the playwright's identity.
    2. You must also upload a copy of your play submission as part of your online application.  Because the uploaded copy of your play is attached to your online application, it will not be "blind."
    3. There is no need to mail a hard copy of your play, unless you receive a request for a hard copy at a later date.
  4. A one-page statement describing your artistic vision and personal background.  Please upload your statement to your online application.   
  5. A professional resume, uploaded to your online application. 
Must Be Submitted By February 15:
  • Three letters of recommendation.  These can be submitted online via the application system, or mailed hard-copy to the address below.  If you have applied to this program in the past, we advise you to submit new letters of recommendation if at all possible. 

Finalists Only Must Submit:

Finalists will be notified no later than May 1 of their status, at which time they will be required to submit the above materials.  Otherwise, transcripts and proof of English language proficiency are not required.

Back to top

Mailing Instructions

Please mail any hard-copy materials (letters of recommendation, transcripts, TOEFL scores) to:

The Juilliard School – Office of Admission
Attn: PLAYWRITING application
60 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, NY 10023

Back to top

Proof of English Language Proficiency 

The ability to speak, read, and understand English fluently is an important factor in admissions decisions. A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) will be required of applicants for whom English is not the native language, regardless of citizenship.

 Minimum score requirements for Artist Diploma applicants:

IBT Total

IBT Writing

CBT Total

CBT Essay

PBT Total

73

11

200

3.0

533

  1. Applicants for whom English is not a native language must submit an official copy of their TOEFL scores upon notification of finalist status. Photocopies, faxes, and student copies are not acceptable.
  2. Applicants will not be admitted without an official score on file which meets the minimum guidelines for admission (see above grid).
    • If you submitted a TOEFL score report to your undergraduate institution that meets our minimum requirements, you may ask that institution's Registrar to send to us directly an official photocopy of the score report in a sealed school envelope. It is important to note that not all schools will release this information and applicants who wish to pursue this option should research it well in advance so as to leave themselves time to take another TOEFL, if necessary. 
  3. Juilliard does not grant exemptions to the English Language Proficiency requirement based on an applicant’s citizenship status in the U.S. However, applicants who will have studied full-time for at least six years at English-speaking institutions (prior to enrolling at Juilliard) may be considered for a waiver of the TOEFL score, with approval from the Office of Admissions. To apply for a waiver of the TOEFL:
    • Submit a letter explaining your academic background and enclose official transcripts totaling six years of study in English* (include all college and high school transcripts as needed). *It is acceptable for the applicant to be in the sixth year of study if currently enrolled in an English-speaking institution. Transcripts should show strong grades in academic classes.
    • The letter and all transcripts must be included in the same envelope; transcripts that are received separately from the letter will not be reviewed and the waiver request will be considered incomplete.
    • Applicants who are not granted a waiver will be required to submit an official TOEFL score, as noted above.
  4. The Juilliard School’s CEEB code is 002340.
  5. Visit the TOEFL Web site for more information.
  6. Current and Former Juilliard College Students do not need to submit another TOEFL.

 Back to top

Currently Enrolled Juilliard Students

  1. Currently enrolled Juilliard students seeking to enter a new program of study must apply formally by the appropriate application deadline.
  2. The application fee of $60 will be waived for all current students who submit their applications on or before the deadline.
  3. Requests for approval of a late application must go to the Associate Dean for Admissions, and the full fee of $60 will be charged for approved late applications. 
  4. The Admissions Office reserves the right to review a student’s enrollment record to assist with admissions decisions.

Back to top

Formerly Enrolled Juilliard Students

  1. Former Juilliard college students who have not been in attendance during the previous academic year and who plan to apply for readmission must submit an application, play, and fee to the Office of Admissions by the appropriate deadline.
  2. The Admissions Office reserves the right to review a student’s enrollment record to assist with admissions decisions.
  3. The Juilliard School statute of limitations policy limits the amount of time allowed to elapse between a student’s original enrollment in a program of study and completion of that program.

Back to top

Applicants With Disabilities

The Juilliard School seeks to facilitate the full participation of disabled applicants, and makes reasonable accommodations or adjustments for qualified individuals with known disabilities in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (A.D.A.). Juilliard will not make pre-admissions inquiries as to whether or not a student has a disability; however, applicants with documented disabilities who require reasonable accommodations in order to participate in the admissions process must notify the Office of Academic Support Services (OASS) in writing by December 15. Applicants will be required to submit documentation of their disability to OASS, and to complete an Applicant Release of Disability Related Information Form. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

Back to top