BELOW ARE THE MOST FREQUENT QUESTIONS WE HEAR FROM INTERESTED APPLICANTS. IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, CONTACT US.
ULF WILL BE HOLDING LIVE WEBINARS THROUGHOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE STARTED THEIR APPLICATION AND ARE IN NEED OF CLARITY FOR ON TO MAKE THEIR APPLICATION STRONGER.
PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBINARS PAGE FOR INFORMATION ON UPCOMING SESSIONS AND TO SIGN UP.
WHAT IS THE URBAN LEADERS FELLOWSHIP (ULF)?
The Urban Leaders Fellowship is a full-time paid summer fellowship for professionals who are already leaders in their own right and are looking to accelerate their leadership through fellowship with a focus on policy and practice. Fellows are expected to be available full-time for seven consecutive weeks typically between the hours of 8 am-7 pm. Fellows work half-time on high-level policy projects with an elected official in the afternoons and half-time alongside partner organizations in cities in the mornings across the country. Applicants should consult their personal schedules, full-time work obligations, finances, conflicts, and commitments to determine if the ULF fellowship is the right fit at this time before applying. We ask any candidate with additional commitments totaling more than 10 hours a weeks not to apply at this time. Learn more about ULF here.
IS ULF A PAID FELLOWSHIP?
Yes. Fellows receive a minimum base stipend of $2,500 with opportunities for additional cost of living adjustments and individual need-based scholarships. If you are accepted to ULF, our staff will work with you to determine if you qualify for additional funds. Please note that ULF is not responsible for living expenses, job transitions, student loan payments, loss of wages or other personal circumstances of fellows coming to the fellowship. All fellows should assess and evaluate their financial ability to participate in the fellowship prior to applying.
HOW DO I APPLY FOR ULF? WHEN IS THE FINAL DEADLINE?
The 2023 application is now open and applications are accepted on a rolling basis and will close on March 7, 2023. For additional details on how to apply, visit our application page.
DO I NEED RECOMMENDATIONS OR REFERENCES?
Yes, The ULF fellowship application asks for two references. The ULF fellowship application is comprised of an online application, uploading a resume, 300 word statement of interest, listing two references, and a critical thinking exercise.
WHAT CONSTITUTES AS PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE?
The ULF fellowship requires that candidates meet ONE of the TWO criteria: 1) Have a minimum of 2 years or the equivalent of 2 years professional experience and a bachelors degree. 2). Have 5 years or the equivalent of 5 years of professional experience without a bachelor’s degree. Professional experience is defined as full-time working experience.
WHERE IS ULF LOCATED? WHAT ARE THE FELLOWSHIP DATES?
We work in ten cities: Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Kansas City, MO, Nashville, New Orleans, Oakland, Tulsa, and Washington, D.C. Our fellowship runs for 7 weeks Monday-Friday, typically during the months of June and July. Please note that these dates are not finalized until early spring as we consult the elected/appointed officials and partnering organizations across our 10 regions to determine the fellowship dates. Please visit the fellowship dates page for additional information.
DOES ULF ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS? WHAT IF I HAVE DACA STATUS?
The ULF Fellowship no longer accepts international applicants. Applicants who have DACA status can apply to the fellowship.
WHO ARE YOUR ELECTED/APPOINTED OFFICIAL PARTNERS?
In each city, we partner with one or more elected or appointed official on the local and/or state levels. Here is more information on our partners.
WHAT POLICY PROJECTS DO FELLOWS WORK ON?
Fellows have helped to conceive and design over 150 pieces of policy across the local and state levels of government. Learn more about policy here, and read about our prior policy work here.
ARE ALL OF THE POLICY PROJECTS THE SAME ACROSS REGIONS?
Policy projects are determined by the elected/appointed officials of each region. Please note that the partnering organization projects may not necessarily align to the policy projects within each region. Partnering organization projects and policy projects are different.
HOW IS ULF RESPONDING TO COVID-19?
The ULF Fellowship prioritizes the safety and health of all stakeholders and partners across the country. The ULF Fellowship considers a variety of factors when determining the model (in-person or virtual) of the fellowship in the given year. These decisions are communicated prior to the start of the ULF fellowship.
