UCAR

Review the application questions and tips on how to respond here.

Click a question to jump to the answer below:

 

  • I’m not sure who I would like to work with at UCAR during my fellowship. Should I apply? 
    • For Science Track fellows, we strongly encourage you to reach out to any science mentors you would like to work with before submitting your application, although it’s not a requirement. NSF NCAR and UCP have hundreds of scientists and research groups that might be of interest to you. It is important that you do your due diligence to identify where in the NSF NCAR, UCAR and UCP ecosystem your research interests lie. While it is not required that you contact the research groups in advance of your application, it may be beneficial to do so as their availability to collaborate will have an impact on the success of your application. I.e. If you select a research group that does not have the capacity to collaborate with you, your application will then be deemed unsuccessful. Two alternatives to consider are a) communicating with potential collaborators at NSF NCAR, UCAR and UCP about their interest in collaborating or b) identify more than one potential collaborator in your application. 
    • DEI and Public Policy Fellows are not required to contact potential mentors in advance, as they will automatically be assigned to UCAR's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion or UCAR's Government Relations office. 
  • What kind of information are you looking for in my essay questions? 
    • We are looking to bring motivated, innovative students into this fellowship program. Please use the essay questions as an opportunity to set yourself apart from your peers. What specific aspects of the fellowship are you interested in? For more tips on what to include in your application, review the application questions and tips on how to respond here.
  • Do I have to work with the same mentors each summer of my Fellowship?
    • No,  you’re not required to work with the same mentors for each of your fellowship years. You can change the topic of your research each year if you desire, or even request to collaborate with multiple groups within one year. However, it is important that you have a clear objective in collaborating with multiple groups simultaneously and how you plan to bring your work together. 
  • How do I find the science teams at NSF NCAR, UCAR and UCP?
  • If I want to apply for multiple tracks, do I need to submit multiple applications? 
    • Yes, each track is evaluated separately. If you wish to be considered for multiple tracks, please submit a separate application for each. 
  • Do I need to include a CV and/or transcripts
    • No, you do not need to submit a CV or transcripts with your application. 
  • Do I need to submit the letters of recommendation, or can my recommender submit them?
    • Letters of recommendation do not need to be submitted with your application. If your application progresses through the first round of review, we will contact your references directly in June/July. You do not need to send letters of reference or your resume as part of your application. Award notifications will be sent out via email in August. 
  • If I am submitting applications for multiple tracks, can I use the same recommendation letters?
    • If your recommenders are able to speak to your interest in multiple tracks, it is possible to reuse the same letters. However, it may be prudent to ask your letter writers to adapt their letters for each of the two tracks, as each fellowship track is looking for distinctly different interests in successful applicants and each track's applications are reviewed by different groups of people. 
  • Do I need to have a mentor identified for the application, or can I figure that our afterward (for the science track)
    • You can figure out your mentor after you submit, but it is a good idea to do some research into who at NSF NCAR is interested in your area of study and include them as possible mentors. See this question for more info. 
  • Will this interfere with any other NSF or other types of awards
    • Accepting this award should not impact any existing NSF support you are in receipt of. However, if you are receiving NSF funds, it’s important to communicate this to the program coordinator for administrative and record keeping purposes. You are responsible for understanding any impact this may have on your personal taxes, existing funding, fellowships, institutional assistantships, or other financial support.
  • Will I need to pay taxes?
    • You are responsible for understanding any impact this may have on your personal taxes, existing funding, fellowships, institutional assistantships, or other financial support you may be receiving or eligible for. We strongly recommend that you consult with a tax professional to assess your personal situation. We recommend reviewing the IRS guidance on scholarships and fellowships. 
  • What if I graduate a semester early?
    • In order to continue to be eligible for the Next Generation Fellowship, you must be registered as a graduate student. If you graduate early, you may forfeit any remaining award funds you would otherwise have been eligible to receive. An exception to this may be if you have not yet completed your fellowship visit to UCAR. This will be reviewed on a case by case basis, but you may still be eligible to complete your fellowship visit within 6 months after graduation. 
  • What if I have to take a semester off or drop out after I receive my award - do I need to refund the award?
    • This will be considered on a case by case basis but the program will be as flexible as possible in accommodating your needs. 
    • If you opt to take a semester off before the semester begins, you will also be taking a break from the Next Gen program since  you need to be currently registered in a graduate program to qualify. However, you will become eligible to retake your place once you re-register for school. Any postponed semester awards may be eligible for deferral. 
  • Is the award just for tuition?
    • The award can be deposited into the fellows bank account and used for living expenses, or it can be paid directly to your school to cover tuition (with any excess being refunded to the fellow) following the IRS scholarship guidelines. 
  • What if I am enrolled part time?
    • You are still eligible to apply for the Next Generation Fellowship if you are enrolled part time. However, the timeline for the fellowship will remain 2 years, with 20 weeks of fellowship travel available to all participants in that time, regardless of their full or part time status. 
  • Can I apply if I applied last year and was not selected?
    • Yes, we encourage you to apply again if you were not successful. If you’d like to discuss your application with the program coordinator, you can email nextgenfellows@ucar.edu to request a discussion.  
  • Do I need to be a US citizen?
    • Policy track fellows are required to be US Citizens, but science and DEI track fellows do not. All applicants are required to be currently enrolled as a graduate student in a North American (Canada, USA or Mexico) college or university. 
  • Can I apply if I am enrolled in a college outside the US?
    • Yes, students outside of the US are eligible, but you must be enrolled in a North American (Canada, USA or Mexico) college or university. 
  • When does the fellowship visit need to begin and end?
    • This will be determined by the fellow and their track mentors depending on everyone's schedule requirements. Generally, fellowship visits occur during summer months, but this is not required and can occur any time during the two year fellowship period.  
  • Can the visit time be adjusted if I am going on a field campaign for school over the summer?
    • Yes, the fellowship visits are flexible and can be discussed with your track mentor to determine the best time for a visit. Your fellowship visits can be broken into multiple short trips, or can be one extended trip covering all 20 weeks if preferred. There is full flexibility in scheduling (within the limits of the fellow and mentors’ schedules). 
  • Can my fellowship visit fund my participation in a field campaign? 
    • Your fellowship visit is flexible and can be adapted to best suit your needs. If there is a field campaign that meets the goals you have set for your fellowship, and your track mentor is in agreement, you can request to use your fellowship visit time and funds to participate in a field campaign. Your request will be reviewed by the fellowship leadership. 
  • What if I have a family and need to bring them to Boulder/Washington DC for the duration of my fellowship visit? 
    • In exceptional circumstances, a housing allowance based on the GSA daily lodging rates may be made available to you instead of UCAR paying for your lodging directly. Any additional costs beyond the housing allowance will be the responsibility of the fellows.
  • What if I am unable to participate in the fellowship visits in person? 
    • Throughout the pandemic, we’ve had much experience in providing flexible mentorship to fellows in a remote setting. If you are unable to travel to participate in an in-person fellowship visit, we can work with you to provide a valuable mentoring experience in a remote setting. Please include details in your application.
  • I am a part time graduate student. Can I still apply? 
    • Yes! You can participate in this program as a full time or part time student. However, the program duration or funding resources will not be changed for part time students. It will still be a 2 year program and you will still receive the standard award amount ($10,000) twice per year for the duration of your fellowship (provided you continue to be eligable)
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