Fund Details
Summer Research Fellowships Common Application
Competition Type
Yale

Brief Description:

The Summer Research Fellowships, funded in part from the endowments of Jonathan Edwards College, are open to all Yale College first years, sophomores and juniors to support summer research and other academic work abroad that is related to academic papers, senior essays and senior projects in the humanities, arts, and social sciences.

NOTE: Students who graduate in December are eligible to apply for most summer research fellowships in the summer before their graduation.

Research must be carried out under the guidance of a Yale Faculty member

  • Guidance on planning a project can be found here.
  • Guidance on creating fellowship application materials can be found here.


  • The Summer Research Fellowships are funded by:  
    • The Jeffrey Lewis Summer Research and Travel Fellowship
    • The John Boit Morse Memorial Fellowship 
    • The Lewis P. Curtis Fellowship
    • The Robert C. Bates Summer Research Fellowship
    • The Robert S. Kilborne Memorial Traveling Scholarship
    • The Charles H. Siegel Traveling Fellowship
    • Yale College Dean's Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences
    • Friedman Family Research Fellowship
    • Jehiel R. Elyachar Foundation Fellowship
    • Robert Lyons Danly 1969 Memorial Fellowship
    • Yale College Public Service Research Grant - Research for a Better World
    • Shana Alexander Research Fellowship in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies
    • Solomon Research Fellowship in LGBT Studies
    • Dockterman Family Humanities Fellowship
    • Fort Family Research Fellowship



    Description:

    This is the common application for the Summer Research Fellowships.

  • Guidance on planning a project can be found here.
  • Guidance on creating fellowship application materials can be found here.
  • Guidance on planning research can be found here.
  • Guidance on establishing a relationship with a Yale Faculty member can be found here

  • We recognize that research can take many forms. If you are carrying out research involving a creative discipline (visual, performing, literary, or media arts) your project may include the development of creative material or the exploration of creative techniques which may feed into a senior project or ongoing creative practice. An established commitment to a creative practice is necessary in order to pursue funded research within a creative discipline.

    The Summer Research Fellowships, funded in part from the endowments of Jonathan Edwards College, include: 
    • The Jeffrey Lewis Summer Research and Travel Fellowship
    • The John Boit Morse Memorial Fellowship 
    • The Lewis P. Curtis Fellowship
    • The Robert C. Bates Summer Research Fellowship
    • The Robert S. Kilborne Memorial Traveling Scholarship
    • The Charles H. Siegel Traveling Fellowship
    • Yale College Dean's Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences 
    • Friedman Family Research Fellowship
    • Jehiel R. Elyachar Foundation Fellowship
    • Robert Lyons Danly 1969 Memorial Fellowship
    • Yale College Public Service Research Grant - Research for a Better World
    • Shana Alexander Research Fellowship in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies
    • Solomon Research Fellowship in LGBT Studies
    • Dockterman Family Humanities Fellowship
    • Fort Family Research Fellowship

    SPECIAL NOTE: If you are proposing to conduct a project in Israel, you may wish to also apply for the Alec Ellison '84 and Tamar Sadeh '85 Israel Travel Fund. Application for this opportunity is via a separate application in the Student Grants Database which you may find here.

    The Summer Research Fellowships are open to all Yale College first years, sophomores and juniors who give evidence that their educational experience would be significantly enhanced by an independent academic project and/or research outside of the United States. Students who graduate in December are also eligible to apply for most research fellowships in the summer before their graduation.  

    These fellowships do not support structured programs of any kind, including, but not limited to, study abroad, internships and coursework


    These fellowships only support research projects in the humanities, arts, and social sciences. Students conducting research in the natural or applied sciences should apply for the Alan S. Tetelman 1958 Fellowships for International Research in the Science.

    These fellowships are most often awarded to students who are proposing work related to an academic paper, their senior projects or senior essays. Supervision of the research by a Yale faculty member, or other expert in the field, must be mentioned in the proposal. Many students who have successfully received these fellowships to complete archival research have consulted in advance with a Yale librarian or curator of a library collection.

    Minimum project duration: Projects shorter than 4 weeks will not be considered. Some fellowships on this common application require an 8 week minimum duration. The proposed project must be a full-time commitment and be the primary activity for the duration of the fellowship.  Please note that fellowship funds are meant to cover the costs of the proposed activity only.  Budgets should not include compensation for lost income or funding towards the Student Income Contribution.


    Application Information:

    An application for the Summer Research Fellowships will be considered for all relevant fellowships listed below. Applicants do not need to indicate which specific fellowships best fit their proposed project.

    The Summer Research Fellowships include:
    All materials must be uploaded prior to the deadline.

    Application materials will not be accepted via email or in person, and late applications will not be accepted under any circumstances.

    A complete application consists of:

    1. Short-answer question:
    A 200-250 word reflection "What have you done, or will you do, to understand and prepare for what will be expected of you by the individuals and communities with which you will work during this research project? Consider the expectations of various stakeholders within the organization or community you will be working with, and within the related academic discipline, regarding the impact and possible outcomes (positive and negative) of your proposed research project."

    2. Research Proposal:
    A written proposal (1000 words, maximum, double spaced) describing in detail the research or project, its objectives and challenges, your preparation, and how it will enhance and diversify your personal and academic goals. A well-planned itinerary should be included, if appropriate. Your Research Proposal must be uploaded as a Word or PDF document. Please see the Fellowships website for advice on writing a proposal. 

    3. Language Evaluation:
    (if required). Language Evaluations are not required for English speaking countries. Your language evaluation should be submitted electronically by your evaluator through the Student Grants Database. Once you have started your fellowship application you will be able to enter the e-mail address of your evaluator and solicit your language evaluation. This will then automatically send the evaluation form to your evaluator.

    4. Letter of Reference: One letter of recommendation. This will be requested and submitted electronically through the Student Grants Database. You will be able to solicit this letter once you have started your application for the Yale College Summer Fellowships. Additional letters of recommendation will not be accepted. Letters of invitation or affiliation will not be accepted as letters of reference. Letters are expected to be received by the application deadline. The letter of recommendation should include indication that the faculty member is prepared to supervise your research throughout the summer. Applications without a letter of recommendation will not be reviewed.

    5. Resume/List of Activities and Awards: A current résumé, including significant extracurricular activities, work experience, awards and honors (one-page maximum, additional pages will be discarded). Your Resume/List of Activities and Awards must be uploaded as a Word or PDF document.

    6. Unofficial Yale Transcript and Transcripts from Other Institutions:
    You will be required to upload your Unofficial Yale transcript and, if applicable, unofficial transcripts from any institution attended for post-secondary studies. Your transcript(s) must be scanned, uploaded and submitted electronically. Only submit the pages of your transcript showing grades, we do not require the codes on the back.

    7. Budget:
    You will be required to submit a carefully researched budget outlining the expected costs involved in undertaking the activity you propose. Please see the Fellowships website for guidance on creating a feasible budget. You may also wish to consult the International Study Award's regional travel stipends for guidance.

    Special Eligibility Requirements:

    It is not possible to submit more than one application to the Summer Research Fellowships.

    Interested applicants may schedule an appointment with a Fellowship Adviser; however, meeting with an adviser is not mandatory.


    Restrictions to Use of Award:

    To satisfy the minimum duration requirements of the fellowship to which you are applying, your project must your sole activity, conducted without interruption, for the duration of the experience.

    Please note that fellowship funds are meant to cover the costs of the proposed activity only. Budgets should not include compensation for lost income or funding towards the Student Income Contribution. These fellowships are not intended to support a research program which has a participation/program fee.

    All interested applicants must review the Yale University International Travel Policy. Projects in specific countries or regions may not be eligible for funding based on current ISOS risk ratings, State Department Warnings, the Yale University International Travel Policy, and the country or region's own entry restrictions.

    Yale University policy requires that certain types of research projects involving human subjects be reviewed by an institutional review board (IRB) prior to the start of the study to ensure that the project meets University requirements and any applicable regulations. Click here to see if your project needs to be reviewed, for advice on working with human subjects, and for more information about the process and requirements.

    Students applying to fellowships to support activities in or near their home towns may not be eligible to receive funding for certain budget items (e.g. housing). Please see our FAQs or ask a fellowships adviser for more information.

    International student applicants should inform the Office of International Students and Scholars of their plans to ensure they will be in compliance with the terms of their visa.

    For other funding possibilities, please consider the Summer Experience Award and these other resources.



    Links to Additional Information:

    1. Fellowship Policies
    2. Fellowship Programs
    3. Yale University International Travel Policy
    4. Project planning pages
    5. Guidelines for planning research
    6. Guidelines for planning public service
    7. Fellowships and Funding FAQs




    Contact Information:

    For questions about this application, please contact Alison Bumke at alison.bumke@yale.edu

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            Citizenship Status
            • U.S. citizens are eligible
            • Non-U.S. citizens are eligible
              Begin Accepting Applications Date:
              12/01/2023
              Deadline Date (EST Time Zone) :
              2/21/2024 1:00 PM