Mycoskie–UC Berkeley Psychedelic Documentary Fellowship – Grants up to $20,000

The Mycoskie–UC Berkeley Psychedelic Documentary Fellowship supports filmmakers developing documentary stories about psychedelics. The programme offers grants of up to $20,000 for feature-length documentaries and up to $10,000 for short-form projects. Filmmakers worldwide may apply, regardless of nationality or citizenship status. The current application deadline is October 5, 2026.

Quick Overview

Programme: Mycoskie–UC Berkeley Psychedelic Documentary Fellowship
Opportunity Type: Documentary Fellowship / Grant
Organization: UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics
Eligible Applicants: Filmmakers worldwide
Feature-Length Grant: Up to $20,000
Short-Form Grant: Up to $10,000
Application Fee: No application fee
Deadline: October 5, 2026

About the Mycoskie–UC Berkeley Psychedelic Documentary Fellowship

The fellowship aims to support a new generation of filmmakers exploring the field of psychedelics through documentary storytelling.

Projects may examine areas including:

• Science
• Policy
• Business
• Culture

The programme is looking for documentary narratives that explore stories connected to the changing field of psychedelics.

The fellowship is a project of the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics.

Also read: U.S. Treasury International Affairs Junior Fellowship 2027–2029

Feature-Length Documentary Grant

The Feature-Length Documentary Grant supports filmmakers working on longer documentary projects.

Confirmed grant details include:

✓ Three documentary filmmakers will receive awards

✓ Each selected filmmaker may receive up to $20,000

✓ Funding supports production or post-production

Eligible feature-length documentaries must run for more than 40 minutes.

Current students are not eligible to apply for the Feature-Length Documentary Grant.

Short-Form Documentary Grant

The Short-Form Documentary Grant supports shorter documentary projects.

Confirmed support includes:

✓ Up to five documentary filmmakers may receive grants

✓ Each selected filmmaker may receive up to $10,000

✓ Funding supports production of a short-form documentary

Short-form projects must run for 40 minutes or less.

Graduate students may apply for this grant. Student filmmakers must have a faculty advisor supervising completion of the film as part of their graduate programme.

Who Can Apply?

The fellowship is open to filmmakers worldwide regardless of nationality or citizenship status.

Applicants should note several programme conditions:

• The project must be a documentary or nonfiction film.

• Fiction films are not supported.

• Films commissioned by NGOs or brands are not eligible.

• Applications must be submitted by an individual filmmaker rather than an organisation.

• One primary applicant should submit the application when a project involves multiple collaborators.

• Applicants may submit only one story pitch.

• Applicants cannot apply to both the Feature-Length Documentary Grant and the Short-Form Documentary Grant during the same application cycle.

• UC Berkeley employees are not eligible.

• Current or former Ferriss Fellows and BCSP Society and Culture Grantees are not eligible to apply.

• Projects previously distributed publicly through theatrical screenings, festivals, educational screenings, community screenings, or similar public forums are not eligible.

Films may be produced in languages other than English, but they must include English subtitles. Applications themselves must be written in English.

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Application Fee

There is no application fee for the Mycoskie–UC Berkeley Psychedelic Documentary Fellowship.

Applicants can submit their proposals without paying an application charge.

Fellowship Requirements for Selected Filmmakers

Selected filmmakers are expected to complete several fellowship activities.

These include:

• Attend three to four virtual cohort meetings.

• Provide a written report within six months of receiving the initial grant payment.

• Explain in the report how the grant has been used and what progress has been made.

• Share the completed film with the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics.

• Credit the Mycoskie–UC Berkeley Psychedelic Documentary Fellowship in the completed film.

Student filmmakers are expected to complete their films as part of their graduate-level coursework with a faculty advisor.

Grant Payments

Payment arrangements differ according to the selected grant category.

For the Feature-Length Documentary Grant, awardees receive half of the grant initially. The remaining half is provided six months later after completion of a project-update memo.

Short-Form Documentary Grant recipients receive the full grant amount upfront.

Awardees are not required to submit expenses for reimbursement. However, the required six-month report must explain how the award was spent and describe progress on the project.

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Application and Selection Process

Applications must be submitted through the programme’s Submittable application system. Proposals are not accepted by email.

The fellowship uses the Non-Fiction Core standards as a foundation for its funding application process.

Fellowship funding is approved by a Selection Committee composed of three industry professionals.

Applicants are expected to receive award decisions by December 2026.

Application Deadline

The current application deadline is:

October 5, 2026

Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PST on the stated deadline.

Official Link

Review the official fellowship details and follow the application instructions provided on the official page.

View the Official Mycoskie–UC Berkeley Psychedelic Documentary Fellowship Page