Fellowship Policies
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CIPE Fellowship Programs administers many Yale-specific Fellowships as well as the campus application and university endorsement process for a number of external awards. The following policies apply to all applicants and recipients of these CIPE-administered Fellowships.
A full list of CIPE-administered Fellowships can be accessed through the Yale Student Grants Database by searching for “CIPE Fellowship Programs” as the Sponsoring Organization.
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Eligibility
In order to be eligible for undergraduate (as opposed to postgraduate) CIPE-administered Fellowships, Yale College students must be enrolled (that is, not withdrawn) both at the time of submitting the fellowship application and at the time of receiving an award. Yale College students who are on a leave of absence are eligible to apply.
Application Deadlines
Both the time and day of campus deadlines for submission of fellowship applications must be strictly observed. In fairness to the many applicants who work hard to turn in applications on time, it is our policy not to accept late applications without prior written permission, to be granted only in exceptional circumstances by the Director of the Office of Fellowship Programs.
Honesty in Fellowship Applications and Essays
In keeping with the Yale College policy on academic honesty, CIPE Fellowship Programs expects that all essays, budgets, résumés, transcripts, and other supporting materials submitted as part of a fellowship application are accurate and are the student's own work. It is a breach of academic honesty to misrepresent one's needs or accomplishments, to borrow from other writers without proper acknowledgment, or to submit as one's own material that which has been written or re-written by other hands. Please note that certain national fellowships, such as Rhodes and Mitchell, do not permit any editorial review of personal statements or essays. Any student with a question about the extent of permissible editorial help should consult with a CIPE Fellowship Programs adviser. Students are urged to use particular caution in consulting commercial editing services or others who offer to "correct" or "make changes" to their essays. Violations of this policy may be referred to the Yale College Executive Committee.
Failure to Fulfill Fellowship Requirements
If a student who receives a CIPE-administered Fellowship fails to comply with the terms of that fellowship award (including, but not limited to, completing reporting requirements, honoring duration of the proposal, informing CIPE Fellowship Programs of proposal or program changes, and completing an academic program in good standing), CIPE Fellowship Programs will determine, on a case by case basis, the amount of funding to be returned to Yale University. This could result in total forfeiture of the award. Further, the student's dean and head of college will be informed of the violation, and a letter of censure may be placed in the student's residential college file. CIPE Fellowship Programs also reserves the right to bar the student from consideration for other fellowships, including national fellowships that require University endorsement.
Multiple Awards
Experiences may be funded by multiple fellowships but the total amount may not exceed the proposed fellowship budget. If a student is offered multiple awards for the same experience, the student must notify CIPE Fellowship Programs and any other appropriate offices so that an equitable arrangement can be made.
Letters of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation submitted for a particular fellowship competition are not considered transferable to other competitions or to other offices or agencies.
Writers of letters of reference may request copies of their letters submitted in support of fellowship applicants during the current or two preceding academic years by contacting CIPE Fellowship Programs. All recommendation letters are considered confidential.
Research requiring review by the Human Subjects Committee (HSC) of Yale's Institutional Review Board (IRB)
If your research will require IRB approval or exemption, as determined by the Human Subjects Committee guidelines, you will need to submit an IRB application to the Human Subjects Committee for review. Your Fellowships award check will not be released to you until you have been granted either IRB approval or exemption. You may not start the Human Subjects component of your research until approval or exemption has been granted. Guidelines on how to determine whether you need to apply for IRB review, and how and when to apply for IRB review are provided through the fellowship application process. Please also see the "Student Projects" section of the IRB website for further details.
Yale University International Travel Policy for Yale College Students
Projects in some regions or countries may not be eligible for Yale-specific Fellowships funding based on the Yale University International Travel Policy.
Pre-departure Requirements
Yale College students receiving a fellowship to support an international activity are required to complete the online travel registration. On this website, students can fill out required pre-departure forms and access online pre-departure orientation materials.
Fellowships and the IRS
Under the Tax Reform Act of 1986, most fellowship monies are considered taxable income. Certain fellowships are "qualified," in which case specific portions of the funds awarded may be deductible. Fellowship recipients are advised to consult an accountant regarding the declaration of fellowship funds and to review carefully Chapter I of the IRS Publication 970 - Tax Benefits for Education. While CIPE cannot offer tax advice, the IRS Tax Office on Court Street offers free tax advice.
Leave of Absence and Class Year Specific National Awards
Students may apply only once for any given fellowship for which eligibility is restricted to members of a single class year. Students considering a leave of absence are strongly encouraged to consult with a CIPE Fellowships Program adviser about when would be the best time to apply for any of the class-specific competitions.
December Graduates applying for Yale College Postgraduate Fellowships
Students who graduate in December may apply for Yale-specific Fellowships through CIPE Fellowship Programs in the spring competition cycle following their graduation in December. Applications are typically due in late January/early February. The earliest that projects can commence is mid-May and projects must begin BEFORE September 1 of the award year. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with the Postgraduate Fellowships adviser for guidance regarding their particular case.
Academic Standing
Student recipients of Yale-specific Fellowships must remain in good academic standing at the end of the semester in which the fellowship is awarded. If a student withdraws from Yale College for any reason, any Yale-specific Fellowship awarded to such student is subject to cancellation.
Archives
All fellowship application materials submitted to Fellowship Programs will be retained on file for one academic year after the academic year of submission. Materials for fellowship recipients and nominees to external competitions will be kept on file in the Fellowship Programs office for two additional years and thereafter in perpetuity through the Yale University Library Archives. All materials for unsuccessful candidates will be destroyed after one year. Fellowship Programs urges all applicants to keep copies of their application materials.