Faculty who are awarded external fellowships that provide dedicated time to conduct research may apply for supplemental funding to support their fellowship award via the College of Liberal Arts Co-Sponsored External Fellowships (CSEF).
CSEFs are typically limited to a maximum of 50% of a faculty member’s salary for the award period, regardless of the amount of salary that the external funding covers. The length and dates of the external fellowship may vary to accommodate the requirements of the granting agency, but fellowships are expected to align with the University’s academic calendar, with a minimum duration of one long semester and maximum duration of one academic year.
The CSEF replaced the Supplemental College Research Fellowships (SCRF) on September 1, 2022. The CSEF policy supersedes all previous SCRF policies.
Faculty must be tenured or tenure-track at UT Austin when they apply for and have a CSEF.
At the start of the CSEF, the fellowship recipient must have served as a full-time faculty member of UT Austin for at least two consecutive full academic years.
There must be a minimum of four full academic years of full-time service at UT Austin between the end of the academic year for a prior CSEF and the start of the academic year of the next CSEF, or between any CSEF and UT-FDL award. However, faculty may combine a one-semester CSEF followed by a one-semester UT-FDL* in order to benefit from two consecutive long semesters of research leave. Return rule obligations may vary depending on individual circumstances. (*Note: due to FDL eligibility requirements, a one-semester FDL cannot be followed by a one-semester CSEF.)
Faculty must have a demonstrated record of and trajectory for continuing excellence in their research, scholarship, and creative endeavors.
In addition to this policy, if the CSEF award funds 50% or more of the faculty member's salary across an academic year, the award may also be considered a Faculty Development Leave (FDL). In such cases, eligibility and processes must follow FDL guidelines.
CSEF applications are accepted on a rolling basis via Qualtrics.
Faculty must apply for CSEF funding within one week of receiving confirmation of the outside award. The application must include the award confirmation letter. Late applications may not be able to be accommodated.
*All CSEF applications require prior approval from the faculty member’s department regarding teaching responsibilities and other potential departmental contributions (see Guidelines).
The following guidelines apply to all faculty applying for external fellowships, regardless of intent to apply for a CSEF, as well as to maintain CSEF eligibility:
PRIOR TO APPLYING for external fellowships, faculty must:
Notify their department chair. Faculty are required to consult with their department chair for the following reasons:
Teaching: Release from teaching is typically necessary for applicants to accept a fellowship award. Faculty must consult with their chair to coordinate the potential reassignment of teaching duties. Additional approvals may be required if the award notification is received after the University’s student registration period (typically April for Fall semesters and November for Spring semesters).
Departmental financial support: COLA expects departments to provide some amount of financial support toward the CSEF, in accordance with their own availability of resources. (*Please note: your department’s ability to contribute will not affect the outcome of your application.)
Notify the COLA Research Support Office by completing the INTENT TO SUBMIT online form, which serves as the official process for notification. Faculty are required to send fellowship terms of acceptance and associated deadlines to RSO, regardless of whether the application and/or fellowship is required to route through the University.
*If faculty do not notify their department or RSO, they will be ineligible to apply for CSEF funding, even if the external fellowship is paid directly to the faculty member.
Upon receipt of any external award, applicants are also required to notify COLA HR with the fellowship terms, even if not applying for a CSEF.
Faculty members who accept CSEF funding must comply with the “return rule” policy. Recipients are expected to return to normal University duties for at least one academic year (two long semesters) following their fellowship semester. A recipient who leaves the University without returning for the required timeframe is obligated to reimburse UT for the cost of the CSEF award. Faculty currently on a CSEF leave should not apply for new external fellowships that result in another leave during the return period.
For tenure-track Assistant Professors, external fellowships that are paid directly to the faculty member will automatically extend the tenure-track probationary period. Please review this page for more information.
The College will contribute more than 50% of a faculty member’s salary for the following prestigious fellowship programs, conditional on funding and COLA’s FDL compliance. Faculty must still formally apply for CSEF funding.
American Academy in Rome
American Association of University Women
American Council of Learned Societies
Fulbright Scholars Program
Guggenheim Fellowships
Institute for Advanced Study (newly added)
Institute for Research in the Humanities
National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Humanities
National Humanities Center
Newberry Foundation
New York Public Library’s Cullman Center Fellowship
Network of European Institutes of Advanced Study
Russell Sage Visiting Scholars Program
Spencer Foundation/NAE Postdoctoral Fellowship