Q: Who should apply for an SRCD Policy Fellowship?
Q: What is the duration of the SRCD Policy Fellowships?
Q: Where are the Fellowships located?
Q: What is the application deadline for the SRCD Policy Fellowships?
Q: Do I have to have a Ph.D. to apply for an SRCD Policy Fellowship?
Q: May I apply if I am not a U.S. citizen?
Q: What does a complete online application include?
Q: I am having trouble submitting my online application. What should I do?
Q: When do the interviews take place?
Q: Which Fellowship should I apply to?
Q: Can I apply to both the Congressional and Executive Branch Fellowships?
Q: What makes an ideal SRCD Fellow?
Q: Can I reapply for an SRCD Policy Fellowship?
Q: I received my Doctorate more than ten years ago. Am I eligible to apply?
Q: Do mid-career individuals pursue SRCD Policy Fellowships?
Q: Are SRCD Fellowships designed for early career Fellows?
Q: How is the salary of a Fellow decided?
Q: Who should apply for an SRCD Policy Fellowship?
Both SRCD Fellowships are designed for scholars from a variety of backgrounds and scientific disciplines. Applicants must demonstrate exceptional competence in an area of child development research and have a doctorate level degree (e.g., Ph.D., Ed.D., M.D.) no later than June preceding the Fellowship. However, the Fellowship Programs are a training opportunity suited for individuals throughout their career development. Both early- and mid-career applicants are encouraged to apply.
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Q: What is the duration of the SRCD Policy Fellowships?
The Fellowships are 12-month immersion experiences beginning on September 1st and ending on August 31st. Individuals accepting a Fellowship must sign an agreement acknowledging this year-long commitment. Some Executive Branch Fellowships may renew for a second year at the mutual agreement of the host office, the Fellow, and SRCD. Under rare circumstances, Congressional Fellowships may be extended an additional four months (for a total of up to 16 months), through the remainder of a legislative session. This must be applied for by March 1 of the Fellowship year.
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Q: I have a special circumstance that will make it impossible for me to begin the Fellowship on September 1st, but I could easily extend beyond August 31st for the 12-month requirement. Are the dates of the Fellowship flexible?
The dates of the SRCD Policy Fellowships are not flexible. They are designed to coincide fully with the Science and Technology Fellowship Programs of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). This calendar begins with extensive orientation programs and is structured with professional development events across the year so as to build the Fellowship experience sequentially. Any experience outside this calendar would not hold the same career development value, or sense of inclusion in the Fellowship group, of the AAAS and SRCD Fellowship Programs. Applicants are advised to apply for a Fellowship at a time in their careers when this term will work for them.
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Q: Where are the Fellowships located?
All SRCD Policy Fellowships are based full-time in the Washington, DC area.
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Q: What is the application deadline for the SRCD Policy Fellowships?
Applications must be submitted by December 15th or earlier. Applications are not usually accepted past the December 15th deadline. Applicants with extreme extenuating circumstances should contact the SRCD Office for Policy & Communications.
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Q: Do I have to have a doctorate to apply for an SRCD Policy Fellowship?
Applicants must have a doctorate level degree. This includes a Ph.D., Ed.D., or M.D. A candidate with a J.D. alone is not eligible without any of the aforementioned degrees.
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Q: I am completing my doctorate after the application deadline but before the Fellowship year starts. Can I still apply?
Yes, as long as the candidate’s dissertation defense will take place by June 20 and the degree will be awarded by August 31. A letter from the dissertation committee chair will be requested to confirm this timeline if a candidate is selected for interview. There are no exceptions.
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Q: What if I have completed all of my requirements for my Ph.D., but my degree will not be conferred until after May 30, 2013?
If you have successfully defended your dissertation by June 20, 2013 and your degree will be conferred before August 31, 2013, you are eligible for the Fellowship. This is true even if your degree will not be awarded until August 2013.
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Q: May I apply if I am not a U.S. citizen?
No. Fellows are required to be U.S. citizens. This is due to citizenship restrictions for placement in Congress and federal agencies.
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Q: What does a complete online application include?
• Completed candidate data including education and demographics, and certification of accuracy • Statement of interest (1,000-word maximum; no exceptions) that describes the basis for the applicant's interest in the Fellowship and what is hoped to be gained from the Fellowship experience. For Congressional Fellowships, applicants should include a brief statement about the contributions the applicant believes that research can make to the legislative process. For Executive Branch Fellowships, applicants should indicate which agencies appear to be the best matches to their interests on a candidate data question, rather than in their statement of interest. • Current C.V. • Three letters of recommendation
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Q: I am having trouble submitting my online application. What should I do?
Contact the SRCD Office for Policy and Communications immediately at 202-289-7903 or policyfellowships@srcd.org. We honor all application and recommendation letter submission efforts made before the deadline.
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Q: When will applicants be notified about the status of their application and candidacy for an interview?
Applicants will typically be notified in February whether or not they have been selected for an interview. Applicants are contacted within the month after their interview to let them know if they have been selected as an SRCD Congressional Fellow or if they have been selected as an Executive Branch Fellow pending finding an appropriate placement.
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Q: When do the interviews take place?
Interviews take place in the spring in Washington, DC. Candidates will be reimbursed for their travel, meals, and other accommodations.
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Q: Which Fellowship should I apply to?
Both Fellowships provide scholars with a unique opportunity to work in the junction between developmental science and public policy. Fellows in both the Congressional and Executive Branch Fellowships have opportunities to learn about the policy-making process. Both branches are involved with legislation, regulatory policy, and Federal programs that affect children and families. However, different skills are enhanced by each fellowship. For a better understanding of how the two Fellowship programs differ, click here to read brief articles written by current and former Fellows about their experiences. (link to: Spotlight on the SRCD Fellow)
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Q: Can I apply to both the Congressional and Executive Branch Fellowships?
It is recommended that you apply for the Fellowship best suited to your interests and goals. However, some applicants may choose to apply for both Fellowships. In that situation, applicants should submit a separate Statement of Interest, articulating their differing goals in applying for each Fellowship.
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Q: Who funds the Fellowships?
The funding mechanisms for SRCD Executive Branch Fellowships differ depending on the agency. Many placements are funded through Federal grants and contracts with SRCD. Some host agencies temporarily hire SRCD Fellows as Federal employees for the duration the Fellowship. Some Fellows are funded strictly by SRCD.
Q: What makes an ideal SRCD Fellow?
SRCD Fellows serve as ambassadors for developmental science. Therefore, scholarship is the most important qualification for the Fellowship. Additionally, the Fellow's interests, career goals, interpersonal and communication skills are important considerations.
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Q: Can I reapply for an SRCD Policy Fellowship?
Yes. SRCD does not impose limits on the number of times a candidate may apply.
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Q: I received my Doctorate more than ten years ago. Am I eligible to apply?
Yes. SRCD encourages individuals at any point in their career to apply for a Fellowship.
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Q: Do mid-career individuals pursue SRCD Policy Fellowships?
Yes. Both early and mid-career professionals have completed SRCD Policy Fellowships. Several mid-career Fellows coming from academia have pursued the Fellowship during a sabbatical.
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Q: Are SRCD Fellowships designed for early career Fellows?
No. The Fellowships are a training opportunity suited for individuals throughout their career trajectory.
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Q: My work cycle at the university would make it difficult for me to remain in Washington until August 31st. Is there any flexibility with the dates of the Fellowship?
The Fellowships begin with the orientation through AAAS on September 1st and continue for 12 months. However, a Fellow might be able to arrange with his/her placement to accumulate leave so as to return to the university earlier in August.
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Q: I have research projects and grants underway. Will it be possible for me to continue work on them during the Fellowship?
Similar to programs like the Fullbright, both the Congressional and Executive Branch Fellowships are immersion experiences, and the vast majority of Fellows do not find time during the workday for their own projects. They sometimes find they are able to work on their own writing projects in the evenings and on weekends. However, Fellows need to adhere to Ethics rules in Congress and the Executive Branch and request permission from their host office or agency to continue active work on grants, contracts, or consulting so as to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. Congressional Fellows are not permitted to apply for new grants while in a Congressional placement.
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Q: I am interested in taking one year of leave from my university to do an SRCD Policy Fellowship. How do I arrange this with my university, and how do I convince my university that this can of value to them?
You may be eligible for cost-sharing between the university and the Fellowship Program for a year of leave (such as an Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility Program, or IPA.) We believe that it is important to educate your department chair and Dean about the additional knowledge and skills you will bring back to the university following your Fellowship. In general, assets that a Fellow can bring back to the university include: enhanced grantsmanship skills; enhanced communication skills for non-academic audiences; an enriched capacity for policy-relevant research; a broader network of collaborators, both inside and outside academia; a broader ability to teach about developmental science and public policy; broader experience for committee service to the university; and enhanced capacity for working with state and local policymakers. We recommend that you review the reflections of former Fellows for what they have gained from the Fellowship (link to: Spotlight on the SRCD Fellow). Please contact us for additional assistance.
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Q: How is the salary of a Fellow decided?
Stipends for Fellows fall into a three-tier system using the federal government pay-scale, taking into consideration previous experience and salary. Stipend (and benefit) levels reflect the fact that the fellowships offer substantial educational value over employment, so may or may not be competitive with those for employment. Please note that Fellows may not negotiate stipends and benefits directly with agencies or placements. The following are the stipend levels for the 2012-13 fellowship year:
Level 1: Fellows with 0-7 years of post-doctorate, full-time employment receive a stipend based on an equivalent of the federal general schedule GS Grade 12, Step 1. For example, in January 2012 this was $74,872. Second-year Executive Branch Fellows will receive an appropriate stipend increase above GS Grade 12, Step 1.
Level 2: Fellows with more than seven years of post-doctorate, full-time employment or whose prior salary (exclusive of benefits) was at least 25 percent higher than the Level 1 stipend, receive a Level 2 stipend equivalent to GS Grade 12, Step 5. For example, in January 2012 this was $84,855.
Level 3: Fellows with 15 or more years of post-doctorate, full-time employment or whose prior salary (exclusive of benefits) was at least 50 percent higher than the Level 1 stipend, receive a Level 3 stipend equivalent to GS Grade 12, Step 10. For example, in January 2012 this was $97,333.
Also, for the 2012-13 fellowship year, SRCD will provide Fellows with an allowance of up to $1,000 for moving expenses if the move 50 or greater miles, a professional development fund of $2,800, as well as an allowance of up to $15,530 for health-related insurance benefits (family coverage).
Please note that Fellows hired as temporary employees of their placement agency will receive their salary and benefits directly from such agency. SRCD Fellows who are temporary federal employees do not receive a separate allowance for professional development; this will be at the discretion of the host office. Temporary federal employees are not eligible for a relocation allowance. However, many expenses for employment-related relocation are tax deductible for moves more than 50 miles from your previous work location (see the IRS guidelines at: http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc455.html). Information on employee benefits can be found on the website of the Office of Personnel Management (http://www.opm.gov/insure).
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