Advancing excellence through faculty diversity

How to Apply FAQ's

Eligibility

Finding a mentor

Application

Review and selection

2024 Fellowships Terms of Award

2024 Fellowships at UC-Affiliated National Laboratories

ELIGIBILITY

Q:  Do I have to be an underrepresented minority to apply for this fellowship?
A:  No.  The Program is open to all persons who meet the eligibility criteria without regard to race, gender, or ethnicity. 

Q:  Can I still be considered if I do not have U.S. citizenship or permanent residency?
A:  Yes.  Successful applicants must present documents demonstrating that they are legally authorized to work in the United States.  Visa sponsorship and work authorization is possible for successful applicants through a process which would be managed by the International Students and Scholars Office with the support of the UC faculty mentor on their home campus.  Please review the UC selection guidelines at http://ppfp.ucop.edu/info/how-to-apply/evaluation-and-selection.html, the University of Michigan selection guidelines at http://presidentspostdoc.umich.edu, the University of Colorado Boulder selection guidelines at http://www.colorado.edu/postdoctoralaffairs/current-postdocs/chancellors-postdoctoral-fellowship-program, the University of Maryland selection guidelines at https://faculty.umd.edu/presidentspostdoc/evaluation-selection, the Carnegie Mellon University selection guidelines at https://www.cmu.edu/faculty-office/ppfp/applicants/evaluation.html, the University of Minnesota selection guidelines at http://ppfp.umn.edu/evaluation-and-selection, the University of North Carolina, Charlotte selection guidelines at https://diversitypostdoc.uncc.edu/eligibility, Georgia Tech selection guidelines at https://ppfp.coe.gatech.edu/about/, Penn State selection guidelines at https://www.ppfp.psu.edu/candidate-evaluation-and-selection.aspx, University of Arizona selection guidelines at https://presidentspostdoc.arizona.edu/evaluation and/or Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center selection guidelines at: https://www.fredhutch.org/en/about/about-the-hutch/faculty-affairs-and-diversity/presidents-postdoctoral-fellowship-program/applicant-information.html Information regarding citizenship, gender, race, ethnicity, veteran or disability status is requested for statistical purposes only and will not be provided to the Selection Committee.

Q:  I currently hold F-1/J-1/H-1B (or other) immigration status.  Am I eligible for the program?
A:  Yes, if you meet all of the eligibility criteria and if you are selected, visa sponsorship is possible. The UC campus International Students and Scholars Office on your faculty mentor’s home campus would evaluate your current status to determine if a transfer or extension of your current status or a change of status is possible.

Q:  Can I apply if I have a JD, MD, MFA or EdD instead of a PhD?
A:  Yes, applicants with terminal degrees in their field may apply as long as they are preparing for a career in university teaching and research.

Q:  I’m an assistant professor, can I still apply?
A:  The fellowship is designed to give recent graduates an opportunity to become more competitive candidates for UC tenure-track appointments.  It is not a general fellowship program for individuals already on the tenure-track to take time out for research with the intention of staying at their current institution.  Candidates with tenure-track appointments at other universities are not favored in the selection process, unless there is a clear explanation of how an award to the candidate would further the goals of the program.  

Q:  I received my PhD over 5 years ago.  Am I still eligible for to apply for this fellowship?
A:  Yes.  You are still eligible to apply if you are preparing for a career in university teaching and research.  Please note that if you have served in postdoctoral fellowship appointments at any university for over five years, you will not be eligible for appointment in this program due to University of California policy that limits total time of service in academic postdoctoral appointments to five years.

Q:  I will finish my doctorate after July 1, next year.  Am I still eligible to apply this fall?
A:  You should expect to complete your doctorate on or before July 1 of the year following your application. 

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FINDING A MENTOR

Q: How do I find a tenured ladder-rank (associate or full professor) faculty mentor?
A:  In the past, awardees have identified potential faculty mentors through professional contacts in their field.  You may also look for an appropriate mentor by reviewing the literature and searching UC department websites for faculty who are working in your area of interest.

Q: Are assistant professors allowed to be faculty mentors?
A:  No. Faculty mentors must be tenured ladder-rank UC faculty in the associate or full professor title.

Q:  What are the expectations of the faculty mentors during the fellowship?
A:  Please see the Guidelines for Mentors and Host Departments.

Q:  May I select a faculty mentor from my current department or campus?
A:  The program encourages applicants to look for a mentor outside their current department and their home campus unless they can articulate a strong reason for remaining in the same academic location in their research proposal or education background statement.

Q:  Can I select a retired faculty member to be my faculty mentor?
A:  The program encourages applicants to select an active faculty member as their mentor.  However, in some cases retired faculty who are still fully involved in their department and their research program are excellent prospective mentors.

Q:  Can a faculty member serve as a mentor for more than one applicant?
A:  Yes, faculty may serve as a mentor for more than one applicant for the President's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program.  In the past, the program has offered fellowships to two candidates mentored by the same faculty member.

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APPLICATION

Q:  Is there a Frequently Asked Questions webpage for the University of Michigan program?
A:  Yes. Frequently Asked Questions for the University of Michigan program are available on the UM President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program’s webpage.

Q:  Is there a Frequently Asked Questions webpage for the University of Colorado program?
A:  Yes. Frequently Asked Questions for the University of Colorado program are available on the University of Colorado Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program’s webpage.

Q:  Is there a Frequently Asked Questions webpage for the University of Maryland program?
A:  Yes. Frequently Asked Questions for the University of Maryland program are available on the University of Maryland President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program’s webpage.

Q:  Is there a Frequently Asked Questions webpage for the Carnegie Mellon University program?
A:  Yes. Frequently Asked Questions for the Carnegie Mellon University program are available on the Carnegie Mellon University President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program’s webpage.

Q:  Is there a Frequently Asked Questions webpage for the University of Minnesota program?
A:  Yes. Frequently Asked Questions for the University of Minnesota program are available on the University of Minnesota President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program’s webpage.

Q: How do I apply for the Penn State program?
A: Please visit the Penn State fellowship application and instructions for submission.

Q:  How do I apply for the New York University program?
A:  Please visit the New York University fellowship application and instructions for submission.

Q: How do I apply for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill program?
A: Please visit the UNC at Chapel Hill fellowship application and instructions for submission.

Q:  Are there sample applications available for review?
A:  No.  There are many variations on successful applications.  Applicants are encouraged to consult with their academic advisors about how to submit a competitive application.  See the Application Requirements (pdf) for more information.

Q:  Should I send my graduate transcripts along with my online application?
A:  No.  The program no longer requires transcripts to be sent with the application.  However, the program will request official graduate transcripts if you are selected as a finalist and will not offer you a fellowship until official graduate transcripts are received.  Please see the Application Requirements (pdf) for more information on the required application contents.

Q:  May I upload the letters from a dossier service instead of having my references upload the letters themselves?
A:  Yes, you may have the dossier service upload the letters for your application.  You must enter a unique URL for each letter.

Q:  Does the word limit in the research proposal apply to text in footnotes or data legends?
A:  References, citations, formulas, and graphics in the footnotes or legends do not count toward the page limit.

Q:  How will I know when my faculty mentor and reference letters have been uploaded to my online application?
A:  You will receive e-mail confirmations from the online application system each time a letter is uploaded to your application.  You can check on the status of your application including the arrival of your mentor and reference letters by using the username and password you created and returning to the application information page. 

Q:  What do I do if I cannot get a letter from my thesis advisor?
A:  Please include an explanation of this in your application so that the selection committee will understand why there is no dissertation/thesis advisor letter. You may ask another member of your dissertation committee to write on your behalf.

Q:  What is the application deadline?
A:  The deadline for submitting the online application is November 1st each year. The deadline for faculty mentor and reference letters is December 1st each year. 

Q:  When will the final decisions be announced?
A: Finalists will be notified and awards announced no sooner than March 31st each year. Notifications will begin in mid-January for Mathematics. Please consider restraint when contacting the program office about the selection results. Successful candidates are notified first. Alternates are notified if awardees do not accept or if current fellows do not renew their terms. Additional fellowships may be awarded to candidates on the alternate list as late as June, if resources become available. The program makes every effort to notify all candidates as soon as possible.  A public announcement will be posted on the PPFP website when all awards are finalized and accepted no later than June 1st.

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REVIEW AND SELECTION

Q:  Who will review my application?
A:  Applications will be reviewed by at least two faculty who may be from your field or from a range of fields in related disciplines. Final selections may be made by faculty review panels or senior academic administrators (provost, vice provost, vice chancellor). All files may be read by faculty from any university participating in the Partnership for Faculty Diversity.

Q:  What criteria are considered by the selection committees when reviewing applications?
A:  Faculty reviewers evaluate applicants in all fields according to their potential for success in an academic career with special consideration given to potential for contributions to the diversity and equal opportunity as described in Evaluation and Selection.

Q:  Should the research proposal focus on turning the dissertation into a book, expanding on the dissertation, or beginning a new research project?
A:  In general, faculty reviewers prefer to see a proposal that includes a significant piece of new work.  However, in some fields or for some individuals, a proposal to complete or expand upon previous might be favorably reviewed.  In such cases, this should be combined with a plan for making a significant start on a new project.

Q:  I’m unable to relocate to a UC campus because of family reasons.  Can I still apply?
A:  The fellowship requires that you are in residence and establish a presence at your mentor’s campus, school or department.  If you wish to propose continuing work where you completed your Ph.D., we recommend that you consider working with different faculty members or a different department if possible.  If you wish to stay with your current department or faculty advisors, please explain your situation in your education background statement. 

Q:  What are the faculty mentors and faculty references asked to address in their letters?
A:  For a detailed list of prompts for faculty letter writers, please review the Application Requirements (pdf).

Q:  What is the salary for this award?
A:  The award includes a salary beginning at approximately $64,480 depending on the field and level of experience with a benefits package including health insurance and paid vacation/sick leave, and up to $5,000 for research-related and program travel expenses.

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2023 FELLOWSHIP TERMS OF APPOINTMENT

Q:  What is the salary and how is it determined?
A: Salaries for the 2024 fellowships begin at approximately $64,480. Additional salary may be considered for candidates with previous experience in postdoctoral fellowship appointments and/or candidates in science and engineering fields with higher postdoctoral fellowship salaries.

Q:  What benefits are provided?
A: The award includes health, vision and dental benefits, paid sick leave, maternity leave, and 4 weeks of paid time off during the fellowship term.

Q:  Do fellows need to be in residence at a UC campus during the fellowship?
A: Yes, award recipients are expected to have a presence in a UC department with the exception of time away for research, conferences and other scholarly activities.

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2023 FELLOWSHIPS AT UC-AFFILIATED NATIONAL LABORATORIES

Q:  Where can I get more information about UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellowships at the UC-Affiliated National Laboratories?
A: If you are interested in fellowship opportunities at the three UC-Affiliated National Laboratories, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Lab or Los Alamos National Lab, you must submit an online application through the University of California President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program application system. For questions about fellowships at the Labs, please contact them via email at:  ppf_nationallabs@lanl.gov  

Q:  Where do I apply for UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellowships at the three UC-Affiliated National Laboratories?
A: Applicants for President’s Postdoctoral Fellowships at one of the UC-Affiliated National Laboratories must submit an online application through the University of California President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program application system.  For more information, please contact: ppf_nationallabs@lanl.gov

Q: How does the tenured faculty mentor requirement differ for the UC-affiliated National Labs?
A: UC PPFP applicants who want to work at the labs should enter the sponsoring technical adviser's information as the Primary mentor. If the fellowship is awarded, the applicant and technical adviser will be asked to identify a tenured UC faculty co-mentor who will be added to the application post-selection.

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