Online Application
Complete the online application form and upload all required documents:

• Professional CV
• Narrative statement
• Writing portfolio

Application Materials

(i) Professional CV
Upload a detailed CV outlining your education, training, professional experience, and relevant creative practice.
Your CV should demonstrate your experience and readiness for advanced study in dramatic writing.

(ii) Narrative Statement
In a maximum of 1,000 words, tell us your own unique story.

You may wish to reflect on:

• Who you are, where you come from, and where you are heading to?
• Your sense of personality. What has shaped your perspective?
• What you want to explore or express through your writing?
• What do you want to say about the world?

Your statement should give a clear sense of your perspective, voice, and motivations as a writer.

(iii) Writing Portfolio (Core Task)
Prepare a portfolio that demonstrates your creative practice and potential for advanced study in dramatic writing for stage and screen.
Your portfolio must include:

Dramatic Writing Samples
• Three pieces of dramatic writing (plays or screenplays only — not prose or sketches)

1. At least one complete work (maximum 15 pages)
2. Two additional pieces may be extracts (maximum 10 pages each)
3. All work must be professionally formatted
4. We strongly recommend that the extracts of larger works should be the first 10 pages.
5. Please note that any text over the permitted length, will not be read.

New Work Proposals
• Three one-page outlines for new works (e.g. plays, films, television, or interactive projects)
• These should demonstrate your ability to develop ideas appropriate to different forms
• Concepts should be for full-length works (not short-form pieces)

Download the One-page Outline Template to structure your proposals.

Your portfolio should demonstrate your voice, storytelling ability, and range as a writer.

Your scripts must be your own work. They cannot be co-written with another human or using Artificial Intelligence. Research and feedback is permissible but not generating ideas or words used in the finished script.

Refer to the Portfolio Preparation Guide for support.

Original Work Requirement
All submissions must comply with NIDA’s Original Work Requirement. This includes that all work must be your own and must not be generated or substantially developed using Artificial Intelligence. Refer to the Admissions Criteria for full details.

Submission
Upload your CV, narrative statement, and writing portfolio in the Associated File Attachments section of your online application.

• Select Course Specific Requirements in the File Category
• Upload each file separately

You will also need to upload:

• Photo ID (select Photo ID)
• Most Recent Qualification (select Most Recent Qualification Evidence)

Refer to the FAQs for more information.

File Naming Requirements
All files must follow the standard naming convention: lastname_firstname_MFADRW_2027_documenttype

Refer to the File Naming Guide for full details.

Examples:
• CV: lastname_firstname_MFADRW_2027_cv
• Narrative Statement: lastname_firstname_MFADRW_2027_statement
• Writing Portfolio: lastname_firstname_MFADRW_2027_portfolio
• Proof of Identity: lastname_firstname_MFADRW_2027_photoid
• Most Recent Qualification: lastname_firstname_MFADRW_2027_qualification

Outcome
All applications are reviewed after the closing date.
You will be notified of the outcome by email. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview in Round Two.

Interview
Shortlisted applicants will participate in a 30-40 minute online interview via Microsoft Teams conducted by a panel of NIDA staff.

During the interview, we will discuss:

• Your writing portfolio and creative process
• Your ideas about theatre, film, and television
• Your perspective, interests, and areas of exploration as a writer
• Your motivation for undertaking advanced study in dramatic writing

You will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the course or selection process.

Refer to the Interview/Callback Preparation Guide for full details on what to expect and how to prepare.

Outcome
You will be notified of the outcome by email following completion of the interview process (early December).