Fellows

Candidates are eligible to apply as fellows if they are employed as regular full-time faculty or if they have more than six years of related experience following the terminal degree.  Fellowships are typically one-year long, though shorter residencies (e.g. one term) are possible in special circumstances. An applicant should typically hold the terminal degree in her or his field. The work pursued must support the mission of the ISM and fellows are expected to work primarily on this project during their year in residence. 

Fellows are expected to live within a five-mile radius of campus. They may apply for research funds and the ISM will reimburse reasonable moving expenses. Fellows meet weekly in colloquium as well as with their cohort at weekly fellows’ lunches. They are asked to share their work in at least one public presentation per semester. 

The deadline for all materials is October 15, 2024.

All materials must be written and submitted in English. The application requires:

• Personal data (including education and professional work).
• Curriculum vitae, not to exceed ten pages in length.
• A statement of not more than 1400 words describing the proposed scholarly or creative project intended for the year. The body of the proposal should describe the project, explain the significance of the topic, and place the work within the context of relevant disciplines. This project must relate to the mission of the ISM. The proposal should describe in detail the relationship to the mission, and explain how a year’s residence would enhance this work. A brief bibliography should be included when appropriate.
• A 150-word abstract of the proposal.
• A sample of scholarly or artistic work. Scholars should submit no more than thirty pages of published writings. Religious leaders and artists should submit a roughly equivalent example of their creative work (for example, sermons, liturgies, artwork, plays, compositions, etc.).
• Fellow applicants who wish to teach, as well as all postdoctoral associate applicants (who are expected to teach) should include a brief description of one to three courses, and the departments or schools in which these courses might be taught, as well as a  course title, weekly lecture topics, and short reading list. Additional information may be required later.
• Three letters of reference from qualified leaders in the applicant’s field. Letters should include an evaluation of the applicant’s research proposal and his or her capacity to fulfill it. The online application requires a list of the names, positions, and contact information of recommenders who will be asked to submit their letters online. If a recommender has no access to email, the applicant should notify us at ismfellows@yale.edu

Fellowships may be offered in either fall or spring, though applicants who are available for the entire year are strongly favored. Funding support is pro-rated accordingly, and applicants may indicate this desire on the application form.

Clustered Applications. The Institute also welcomes applications from a cluster of qualified individuals who wish to work on a common project in addition to individual candidates. Each person must complete a separate application and note that the application is part of a cluster. The same guidelines apply in every other way.

Stipends for fellowships are typically half of the fellow’s regular annual salary up to $65,000 per year. For fellows from American universities or colleges, Yale will typically pay the stipend directly to the institution. Yale does not provide health benefits except in the case of independent or international scholars.  Fellows receive additional compensation for teaching a course.

Though fellows are not required to teach, applicants who can offer one course during the fellowship year will be strongly favored in the review process. Courses are proposed as part of the application process and are reviewed by the relevant department. Courses need not be newly created for Yale but may be one previously taught at other academic institutions.  Fellows may also be invited to lecture in classes taught by Yale faculty throughout the year.

Candidates are eligible to apply as postdoctoral associates if they have fewer than six years of related experience following the terminal degree and are not yet employed as full-time regular faculty. These fellowships are typically one-year long, though in rare circumstances, fellowships may be granted for two or even three years. Teaching one course is required for post-doctoral associates. Fellows are expected to live within a five mile radius of campus.

Fellows commit themselves to meet weekly in the Colloquium, with their cohort at weekly Fellows lunches, and are asked to share their work in at least one public presentation per semester. One presentation during the year will be a public lecture, while the other may be work-in-progress shared in the smaller, less formal gathering of fellows. 

The fellowship period for Postdoctoral Associates normally lasts twelve months and begins on July 1. All fellows are expected to be free of commitments that would prevent them from devoting themselves full-time to the work outlined in their proposal and to live in residence within five miles of the Yale campus. 

The deadline for all materials is October 15, 2024.

All materials must be written and submitted in English. The application requires:

• Personal data (including education and professional work).
• Curriculum vitae, not to exceed ten pages in length.
• A statement of not more than 1400 words describing the proposed scholarly or creative project intended for the year. The body of the proposal should describe the project, explain the significance of the topic, and place the work within the context of relevant disciplines. This project must relate to the mission of the ISM. The proposal should describe in detail the relationship to the mission, and explain how a year’s residence would enhance this work. A brief bibliography should be included when appropriate.
• A 150-word abstract of the proposal.
• A sample of scholarly or artistic work. Scholars should submit no more than thirty pages of published writings. Religious leaders and artists should submit a roughly equivalent example of their creative work (for example, sermons, liturgies, artwork, plays, compositions, etc.).
• Postdoctoral associate applicants are expected to teach and should include a brief description of one to three courses and the departments or schools in which these courses might be taught, as well as a  course title, weekly lecture topics, and short reading list. Additional information may be required later. 
• Three letters of reference from qualified leaders in the applicant’s field. Letters should include an evaluation of the applicant’s research proposal and his or her capacity to fulfill it. The online application requires a list of the names, positions, and contact information of recommenders who will be asked to submit their letters online. If a recommender has no access to email, the applicant should notify us at ismfellows@yale.edu

Clustered Applications. The Institute also welcomes applications from a cluster of qualified individuals who wish to work on a common project in addition to individual candidates. Each person must complete a separate application and note that the application is part of a cluster. The same guidelines apply in every other way.

Stipends for postdoctoral associates range between $68,000 and $79,000 (depending on teaching duties) plus health benefits (if needed). Fellows may apply for research funds, and the Institute will reimburse reasonable moving expenses.

Postdoctoral associates are expected to teach one course per term. These are proposed as part of the application process and are reviewed by the relevant department. These may be newly created for Yale or they may have been previously taught at other academic institutions. Fellows may also be invited to lecture in classes taught by Yale faculty throughout the year.