Centre National du Livre (France) - Travel bursary for foreign translators

Travel bursary for foreign translators (CNL)

You will receive 2,000 EUR per month for a stay in France for 1 to 3 months, totalling between 2,000 EUR and 6,000 EUR. The money will be paid in a single instalment as soon as you provide proof of your stay. It is provided by the Centre national du livre (CNL) in Paris. The aim is to give you time in France to work on a translation project: you can meet the author, carry out research in libraries or speak to the people you need to for this. The grant is valid for 12 months from the date of your notification of award. If you can provide a valid reason, you may apply for an extension of up to one further year.

Who can apply

• What you do: You translate books from French (or a regional language of France) into a foreign language.
• Track record: You have already translated at least one French book that has been published by a professional publisher abroad.
• Where you live: You do not live in France.
• Nationality: Open to all nationalities.
• Your project: You have signed a contract with a foreign publisher for the translation of a book written in French. The translation has not yet been completed, and the CNL has not yet reviewed this project.
• Field: The book must be of a literary nature. Most genres are acceptable, but the following are excluded: self-help guides, textbooks, academic treatises, technical or legal manuals, catalogues, dictionaries, self-help books, and religious or esoteric works.
• Text share: At least 50% of the book must consist of text rather than images. This does not apply to comics and children’s books.
• Waiting period: If you have previously received certain CNL grants, you must wait between 1 and 5 years (depending on the type) before you can apply again.

How to apply

You apply online via the CNL funding portal. Please create your account at least 3 working days before the deadline. There are three funding rounds per year, with application deadlines on 30 October, 19 February and 11 June respectively. A committee then assesses each application on the basis of an expert report and recommends a stay of between 1 and 3 months.

How realistic are your chances?

This scholarship is very narrowly defined. You must already have published translations of French literature and have a signed contract abroad, meaning that the pool of eligible applicants is small and highly professional. If you clearly meet these criteria and submit a compelling, relevant project accompanied by a good sample translation, your chances are good. The jury assesses the quality of the original work, the sample translation and your reasons for why you absolutely must be in France; therefore, a well-reasoned justification is of the utmost importance.