Six tracks. Two modes. One method.
Field tracks place you in Kangra. Distance tracks engage you with the field from wherever you are. Both honour the KARCA Spiral; both close with a paper for the JiEEL editorial pathway. The GlobalPEACE Scholarship makes both tracks accessible to international fellows; the EcoDEVA Scholarship makes both accessible to Indian fellows.
CIEEL offers six distinct tracks across two modes of engagement. Field tracks bring you to Kangra for cohort-based residency, embedded in live RISHEE programmes alongside other fellows. Distance tracks engage you with the same six practice areas through structured remote work — coursework, field-team mentorship, and a documented engagement project — without requiring relocation. Both modes follow the same five-stage methodology and conclude with the same pedagogical milestone: a paper for the JiEEL editorial pathway.
All figures below are listed in USD. Indian fellows pay reduced fees in INR equivalent under the EcoDEVA Scholarship (75% subsidy, applied across both Field and Distance tracks). Stipends apply only to Field tracks and are paid monthly in INR.
Four durations. Cohort-based. Residential.
i. Foundation
A first introduction to field-based experiential education, structured around one cycle of the KARCA Spiral. Suited to advanced undergraduates, recent graduates, or professionals taking a structured break.
ii. Fellowship
CIEEL's flagship track. Two complete cycles of the KARCA Spiral, sustained engagement with one practice area, and depth that the 3-month track cannot reach. The track most fellowship review panels are looking for.
iii. Practitioner
A full year of practice — typically two practice areas, multiple cycles of the KARCA Spiral, deeper integration into the field team. Comparable in scope to a Princeton-in-Asia or Fulbright placement.
iv. Research Fellowship
Two years of structured field-based research. For pre-doctoral candidates, mid-career researchers, or those undertaking a substantial inquiry that requires sustained Himalayan field presence. Year 1 mirrors the Practitioner track; Year 2 is independent research with faculty advisory.
Two durations. Rolling intake. Wherever you are.
Distance tracks engage you with CIEEL's six practice areas through structured remote coursework and a documented engagement project rooted in your own field setting — your community, your organisation, your professional context. You receive faculty supervision, peer cohort participation, and JiEEL paper review without leaving your current life. Optional in-person residency at the EDMRC Kangra Campus is available as an add-on.
v. Distance Fellowship
A six-month structured remote engagement with one practice area, built around the KARCA Spiral and culminating in a JiEEL paper. Designed for working professionals, mid-career practitioners, and graduate students whose engagement must remain in their own context.
vi. Distance Practitioner
A twelve-month engagement extending the Distance Fellowship through an additional cycle and a second practice area. Suited to those building a sustained methodology practice in their own institution or community.
Two scholarship vehicles. One commitment to access.
The figures shown for each track above already reflect scholarship application — every CIEEL fellow receives one of two need-blind scholarships at the moment of admission. The scholarship architecture reflects who pays for the work and to whom each track is most accessible.
GlobalPEACE Scholarship
50%
Covers half the listed programme fee for international fellows in any track. Funded by the GlobalPEACE network of patrons, alumni, and partner foundations sponsoring international engagement with the EduCARE field practice.
EcoDEVA Scholarship
75%
Covers three-quarters of the listed programme fee for Indian fellows across both Field and Distance tracks. Funded by ECODEVA Sansthan, recognising that Indian practitioners working on Indian field problems do not need to subsidise the cross-cultural component of the international fee.
When tracks begin.
Field tracks operate on cohort calendars; Distance tracks accept applications on rolling basis. The September 2026 cohort is the founding cohort — Foundation and Fellowship tracks only — establishing the institutional rhythm. Practitioner and Research Fellowship tracks open with the September 2027 cohort, aligning with the academic calendar of partner universities and the tradition of pre-doctoral fellowship programmes such as Princeton-in-Asia, CHCI, and Fulbright.
September 2026
Foundation (3 mo) and Fellowship (6 mo) only. Applications open through July 2026; rolling review is in progress now.
May 2027
Foundation and Fellowship continue. Applications open December 2026; close March 2027.
September 2027
Foundation, Fellowship, Practitioner, and Research Fellowship all open. First Practitioner and Research cohorts.
From late 2026
Rolling intake. Application reviewed within 4 weeks. Cohort cycles begin every two months once programme is operational.