Application Process
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There are two Light Fellowship competitions each academic year. The Early Fall Competition is for funding spring term-time study only. The Late Fall Competition is for funding study abroad for summer, fall, and a full academic year. This page will guide you through our application process.
TOC: How do I apply for the Light Fellowship?
File: After reviewing the information below, download:
1. Attend a mandatory information session
All applicants are required to attend an information session in order to be eligible to apply. You must also attend one of these sessions before you will be allowed to schedule an appointment for additional advising. During the information session, we provide important and detailed information about application procedures and requirements. Information sessions are open to all students, and the content of each meeting is identical.
Having attended an information session in previous academic years does not satisfy the requirement for the current competition, since our requirements may change year to year.
Date: Check our Calendar for information session dates!
2. Review our eligibility requirements
Note: Ensure you meet all of our Eligibility Requirements before applying.
3. Start an application
We encourage you to start an application as soon as possible so you can see what materials you will need to submit and complete. This will also allow us to contact you with important updates and enable you to track the status of your application materials. Starting an application does not obligate you to complete the application process.
You will be asked to select a term for which you intend to apply; if you are unsure, pick your most likely term - you can email us to change your term before you submit your final application. Once you complete the "Start Your Application" section, all other sections of the application will appear.
Date: Check our calendar for the deadline to start your application.
4. (Optional) Meet with the Light Fellowship Staff
If, after attending an information session, you still have questions regarding the Light Fellowship application or your choice of programs, you may schedule an appointment to meet with Light Fellowship staff. However, meeting with the staff is not an application requirement.
Link: Request an Appointment
5. Complete your application
Carefully review all of the instructions and guidance found in your application. Be sure to complete every section and follow the formatting requirements for uploading attached documents.
A completed application consists of:
- Application: All sections of this application in the Student Grants Database must be completed to 100% by the final deadline.
- Language Evaluation: A Language Evaluation by your current or most recent Yale language instructor is required for all Light Fellowship applicants and is a critical component of your application. The information you provide here will provide important context for your language instructor and any programs who accept the Light Fellowship Language Evaluation in lieu of a letter of recommendation. Although the Light Fellowship Office will notify your current or most recent language instructor to complete your language evaluation (as listed in your application), it is your responsibility to speak with and ask your language instructor if they are willing to write your language evaluation well before the deadline.
- Recommendation: All Light applicants must submit one recommendation from a Yale faculty member with whom you have taken a non-language class. Speak to your recommender well in advance of the deadline, ideally at least 3-4 weeks before! Remember that it is your responsibility to follow up with your recommender to ensure that your recommendation is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should not request a recommendation from any language instructor or residential college dean. This recommendation will be requested and submitted electronically through your application in the Student Grants Database. Additional recommendations will not be accepted. You must submit your recommendation request by the application deadline, otherwise your application will be considered incomplete and will not be considered for a Light Fellowship.
- Personal Statement: All Light applicants must complete a personal statement on the form provided in the Student Grants Database. Your personal statement must be uploaded and submitted electronically through the Student Grants Database by the final deadline.
- Unofficial Yale Transcript and Transcripts from Other Institutions: You will be required to upload a copy of your most recent Yale transcript. Transcripts for the Late Fall Competition must include your fall term grades. Transfer students, graduate and professional school students must also submit a scanned copy of your transcript from your former undergraduate institution. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, so long as the uploaded documents are clear and include all of your grades. All transcript(s) must be scanned, uploaded and submitted electronically by the final deadline.
Remember to press the "Submit" button before 1:00 PM EST on the application deadline date.
Date: Check our Calendar for all application deadlines.
6. Apply to language programs
You must separately apply to and be admitted into one or more programs at the Approved Sites Abroad of your choice. Carefully review the page for each Approved Program for any specific notes or requirements. Note that not all programs and language levels offered at each Approved Program are eligible for Light funding.
We encourage you to research all of the programs you are eligible for and carefully review the application process and deadlines. Keep in mind that many Chinese and Japanese language programs have deadlines before the Light Fellowship application deadline.
While we are happy to meet with you to discuss which program(s) would be a good fit for you based on your specific goals and language level, please reach out to the programs directly with any questions about program applications or requirements.
File: Download this Overview of Light Fellowship Approved Programs
Download this Guide to Choosing and Applying to Approved Programs
7. (Optional) Apply for Study Abroad credit
Note: Applying for credit is external to the Light Fellowship application and is NOT a requirement for the Light Fellowship.
To learn more about applying for credit, please visit the Study Abroad website. If you have questions about applying for credit that are not addressed during the information session, you can make an appointment with the Assistant Director of the Light Fellowship.
Study Abroad Deadlines
- Spring Term Abroad: October 15, 2022
- Summer Abroad: March 1, 2023
- Fall Term and Full Year Abroad: April 1, 2023