Apply for a Residency Scholarship

Residencies and scholarships offer meaningful opportunities for immigrant writers establishing themselves in Canada.

Over the years, PEN has filled more than 35 writer-in-exile placements. These placements may take the form of writers-in-residence, fellowships or lectureships and vary in length of time usually from three months to a full academic year. They may or may not have a financial component.

Today, PEN maintains three scholarships and residencies at universities and other institutions. These opportunities open for applications in the spring each year. Only PEN Canada Writers in Exile members can apply for these opportunities.

PEN Writer-in-Residence at George Brown College

George Brown College, Department of English and Communications, Centre for Preparatory and Liberal Studies

For over twenty years, George Brown has partnered with PEN Canada to invite exiled writers into the College to discuss freedom of expression, human rights, and the importance of democracy.

The Writer-in-Residence devotes approximately half of their time to students and staff, as a guest speaker in classes and at other College events and initiatives. The remaining time will be designated for the writer to advance their own work.

Past recipients include Kaziwa Salih, Mahdi Ganjavi and Shams Erfan.

This is a paid position. Applications are currently closed, and will reopen in Spring 2026.

Humber College Writers-in-Exile Scholarship

Humber School for Writers

Meant for a writer who is working on a book-length project, this scholarship covers the full cost of Humber’s Creative Writing – Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction, Poetry graduate certificate, a 28-week online mentorship program.

Recipients of the scholarship usually work on the book that they later go on to publish, including:

Aaron Berhane, author of The Burden of Exile
Luis Horacio Nájera, author of The Wolfpack

Applications are currently closed, and will reopen in Spring 2026.

The Aaron Berhane Educational Pilot Project

George Brown College

George Brown College sponsors enrollment in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses for some members of PEN Canada’s Writers-in-Exile group.

Refugee writers will receive extensive ESL training at levels beyond existing government-funded programs. The goal of the Aaron Berhane Educational Pilot Project is to reduce the language barrier, opening the way to more professional work in Canada. Participants will be able to progress from their current fluency through to the eighth level of the certificate ESL program.

Applications are received on a rolling basis. To inquire, please email queries[at]pencanada[dot]ca.

About Aaron Berhane
This initiative honors the remarkable life of Aaron Berhane, award-winning journalist, tireless advocate for freedom of expression, and member of George Brown College faculty. He was deeply involved in the Writers in Exile program, including serving as Chair from 2020 to 2021. Aaron passed away in 2021.