Morse College Richter Summer Fellowship

Grant criteria and guidelines: This award is for independent study and research only. It cannot be for mere travel, or for a program of work, however valuable. An internship, for example with a government agency, is a valid use only if there is a significant component of study or research, which must be carefully identified. Creative projects are also valid. "Independent" means that enrollment in courses is not in itself a valid use. Being part of a research team--in biology or archeology, for example--is valid, since in certain fields research is typically done in teams rather than alone.

Amounts and uses of grant funding: The maximum Richter Fellowship grant is $1,500, though a Head of College may award less money if the Head of College so determines. Ordinarily the money should be used to defray actual expenses of research as shown in the project budget. The grant ordinarily should not be used to buy equipment such as cameras, tents, or books that will become the student's permanent possession, although they may be needed for the project.

Overlapping grant awards: Students applying for Richter grants may also seek funding from other sources for the full cost of their programs. If awarded additional money from a Yale source, a clearinghouse committee will be examining all grants to make sure that students are not receiving more funding in total than called for in their project budgets. Students who win Richter grants are obligated to inform the Head of College if they receive another grant for the same project from sources outside of Yale.

Release form requirement: If you are awarded a Richter grant and plan to travel internationally, your funds will not be released to you until you have completed the Travel Abroad Acknowledgement and Release Form. (If you wish to review this form in advance for any reason, you can download a copy of it here: https://ogc.yale.edu/erm/resources/waiverassumption-risk.)

Reporting requirement: If you receive an award, you will be obligated at the conclusion of your experience to complete a Richter Summer Fellowship Summary Report and submit to the Morse Head of College office, via HOC Assistant Megan Carney, no later than 1 PM, Eastern Time Zone, September 1.

International students and taxes: International students should make sure their personal paperwork (W8BEN) is completed through the tax department before their award can be processed. See https://your.yale.edu/work-yale/financial-management/tax-compliance-and-planning/international-tax-office/tax-resources for more information.

Obligation regarding changes in your plans: The Richter Summer Fellowship is for the project proposed and the money is to be spent in the way proposed. If circumstances arise that require a student to change the project in any significant way, the student should contact the Head of College for advice and approval, and if a student’s plans change completely, the student should return the funds to the Head of College.

All interested applicants must review the Yale University International Travel Policy. Projects in specific countries or regions may not be eligible for funding based on current ISOS risk ratings, State Department Warnings, the Yale University International Travel Policy, and the country or region's own entry restrictions.

Application Information: Deadlines and Notification of Awards: Applications must be completed and submitted online on or before 1 PM, Eastern Time Zone, March 30 and must include a budget. Heads of College will then submit their ranked lists to the student grant database overlap committee to ensure that individual proposals are not being double-funded elsewhere. The overlap committee will meet in mid-April, and the Head of College will notify students of their award status soon afterwards.

Restrictions to Use of Award: All interested applicants must review the Yale University International Travel Policy. Projects in specific countries or regions may not be eligible for funding based on current ISOS risk ratings, State Department Warnings, the Yale University International Travel Policy, and the country or region's own entry restrictions.

Links to Additional Information: All information on the Richter Fund, Guidelines, Proposal and Reporting forms, can be found on the Council of the Head of College Richter Fund page.

Fellowship Proposal Tips: https://funding.yale.edu/applying/writing-fellowship-proposal

Richter Fellowships are ordinarily awarded to juniors, but first years, sophomores and graduate affiliates are eligible.