Begin an application.
A four-step process for Field and Distance tracks alike. Applications for the September 2026 founding cohort are open now; we read them in rolling rounds. Rolling review is in progress; final decisions issued by mid-July 2026.
Four steps. Honest at each one.
Choose your track
Decide between Field (residential in Kangra) and Distance (engaged remotely from your own context), then choose duration. The track determines fee, stipend, and cohort calendar — see Tracks for the full architecture. We are happy to advise if you are uncertain; write to us before you submit.
Identify one or two practice areas
The six practice areas are where the field engagement happens. Most fellows commit primarily to one and draw on a second. Indicate your preference in the application; we make the final field placement based on cohort composition and host-programme capacity.
Submit the application
The application has four components, sent through a single online form:
- Curriculum vitae (academic and professional)
- Statement of purpose (500 words: why this method, this place, this time in your life)
- Two referee contacts (one academic, one professional or community-based)
- For Research Fellowship: an additional 1,500-word research proposal. For Distance tracks: a 750-word note on the field setting your engagement will be rooted in.
Interview & decision
Shortlisted candidates have a 30-minute conversation with a member of the CIEEL faculty — by video for Distance applicants and overseas Field applicants, in person for those already in India. Decisions follow within two weeks of the interview. Offers include track confirmation, scholarship terms, and a sixty-day acceptance window.
Who may apply.
Foundation (3 mo) and Fellowship (6 mo). Open to advanced undergraduates (final two years), recent graduates, and early-career professionals from any discipline. No prior fieldwork required, but a sincere interest in community-based learning is essential.
Practitioner (12 mo). Open to graduates with at least one year of post-graduation experience or research, or to those completing a Masters who wish to undertake a structured year of practice before doctoral work or career commitment. Comparable in selectivity to Princeton-in-Asia or similar fellowship programmes.
Research Fellowship (24 mo). Open to pre-doctoral candidates, doctoral students undertaking a structured field year, or mid-career researchers. Requires a defined research question and a written proposal. Faculty match is part of the admissions decision.
Distance tracks (6 and 12 mo). Open to any applicant with a defined field setting they can engage with — their own community, organisation, or professional context. No geographic restriction; both international and Indian applicants welcome. EcoDEVA Scholarship terms apply automatically for Indian applicants.
Two ways to begin.
Email your application directly
The fastest route — and the one we encourage for the September 2026 founding cohort. Write to us with your CV, a short statement of purpose, and a note indicating your preferred track and one or two practice areas. We respond within two business days.
Email applications@cieel.org →Subject line: CIEEL September 2026 Application – [Your Name] – [Track]
Use the structured online form
For applicants who prefer a guided submission with named fields. Same review process, same response time. Especially useful for Distance track applicants and those applying from institutional settings where a standard form is required.
Open the application form →Distance track applications and Practitioner / Research Fellowship applications welcome year-round.
Write to us. We answer.
If you are uncertain which track is right, whether your background suits CIEEL, what the field setting would mean for your particular work, or whether the September 2026 founding cohort or a later cohort is the better fit — write to us before you apply. We answer applicant queries directly, not through a generic admissions team. Write to applications@cieel.org with your question and a short note about your background; we typically reply within two business days.