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ICANN Fellowship Terms and Conditions

ICANN Fellowship Program


Last Updated: 23 July 2020

Previous Fellowship Process and Terms

  1. Application Process

    The only way to apply for an ICANN fellowship is through the online application system. The online application form must be written in English. If English is not your first language, you are encouraged to translate your responses into English for the application.

    Once you start the online application, you will have until the application round closes to submit the completed form.

    Please take note of the application closing dates listed at http://icann.org/en/fellowships/. Active but incomplete applications will NOT be considered once application window is closed.

    The Fellowship Program supports approximately 45 participants per ICANN Public Meeting, inclusive of newcomers, returning alumni, and mentors. The ICANN Policy Forum is open only to Fellowship Program alumni who are actively engaged in ICANN org's multi-stakeholder community. A successful candidate can receive a fellowship up to three times.

    A selection committee reviews all eligible applications and is made up of representatives nominated by their Supporting Organizations (SO) or Advisory Committees (AC) (collectively the "Selection Committee"). The Selection Committee assesses each application according to the ICANN Fellowship Applicant Selection Criteria and will take into account comments from ICANN organization members on individual applications, the overall needs for each region and community group in ICANN org's multi-stakeholder model. Confidentiality is a crucial component of the selection process. During the review and selection process, the Selection Committee may have access to confidential information, including, but not limited to, your personal information, such as education history, employment history and information you choose to provide in your application. During the course of evaluating your application, ICANN org may also collect opinions, discussions, assessments results, and recommendations concerning your qualifications for the fellow position. You agree that this information is confidential to ICANN org and will not be shared with anyone during and following the selection process, except where the disclosure is required by applicable law.

    Members of the Selection Committee may reside in locations outside of the United States or your country of residence and are committed to protecting and keeping each applicant's personal information confidential and in compliance with ICANN policies and applicable laws.

    All successful candidates are announced on the ICANN website, within approximately eight (8) weeks after the online application process closes; actual dates of when successful candidates will be announced are posted on the Fellowship web page. Successful candidates will receive a follow-up email to the e-mail address provided on their application and confirmation letter sent to the same email address at the time of the announcement. The confirmation letter must be returned within a week of receipt confirming a candidate's acceptance of the fellowship. If a candidate declines the fellowship, an established list of alternates will be used to fill the vacated position. Following acceptance of, and participation in the ICANN Fellowship Program, ICANN org will publish a list of the participants' names, country or region of residence and work sector/area on the ICANN Fellowship Participants web page.

  2. Travel and Other Support Once Selected

    Travel will be booked by ICANN org through its designated Travel Management Company. This method ensures the lowest trip cost and allows ICANN Travel Support to ensure the security and well-being of supported travelers.

    ICANN org will not purchase any travel tickets for a fellow unless they are in receipt and can show proof of all valid travel documents: passport and required final destination and transit visas.

    ICANN org shall not be liable for any loss or expenses (including airfares) for travel delays incurred by the fellow as a result of inaccurate information provided by the fellow, delays in submitting the appropriate forms to the relevant authorities or refusals of host or transit country authorities to grant a visa to the fellow.

    ICANN org will cover the cost of the lowest fare available economy airfare at the time of booking based on the fellow's approved dates of arrival and departure as provided in a separate email sent by ICANN Travel Support titled "Welcome Email". For the compete travel guidelines on air transportation booking, please refer to the ICANN Community Travel Support Guidelines.

    ICANN org will book and pay for a standard room (king or queen) on the fellow's behalf based on a single occupancy. Fellows are not allowed to self-book their hotel reservation. Any and all hotel surcharges (e.g., telephone calls, room service, laundry, movies) and other incidental expenses are the responsibility of the fellow. The hotel may request a credit card or cash deposit from the fellow to guarantee these expenses.

    For ICANN meetings, a stipend not to exceed USD 500.00 will be provided to offset reasonable individual expenses (such as meals, transport to/from the airport and incidentals). The stipend will be wired to the fellows once they have proven that they have received their visa (if necessary) and their flight booking has been completed by ICANN org's Travel Management Company. Therefore, if fellows want to guarantee receipt of their stipend prior to the meeting, they must meet both visa and flight requirements 30 days prior to the ICANN Meeting. Anything less than 30 days will mean that fellows may not receive their stipend before the meeting. Those fellows who satisfactorily complete all aspects of the program and submit the post-meeting survey, as further detailed in the Terms and Conditions document found on the ICANN Fellowship website page https://www.icann.org/fellowshipprogram, will receive a certificate of completion for the ICANN Fellowship Program.

    ICANN org will reimburse costs incurred by fellows to obtain a visa up to USD 200.00 as allowed in the ICANN Community Travel Support Guidelines.

    Fellows agree to the abide by the ICANN Community Travel Support Guidelines to determine the level and amount of travel support provided by ICANN org and acknowledge the responsibilities shared with the fellows.

  3. National Laws and Legislation

    During the travel period covered under the ICANN Fellowship Program, it is the fellow's responsibility to comply with all local laws and legislation of the country or countries to which he or she will travel (including but not limited to laws pertaining to immigration, taxation, customs, employment and foreign exchange control).

    It is the fellow's responsibility to comply with all regulations (including those dealing with visas and required vaccinations) of any country visited.

    ICANN org is not responsible for obtaining visas for fellows, but MAY assist with communications regarding the visas, including a form invitation letter to the ICANN meeting for which the fellow has been granted a fellowship.

    ICANN will not entertain any claim for work permits or any other costs relating to compliance with the national legislation of any country in the world from a fellow or any third party.

    ICANN org is a California non-profit public benefit corporation incorporated in the United States and must therefore comply with all of the laws and regulations of California and the United States.

  4. Required Travel Documents

    Each selected fellow must be in possession of a valid passport prior to ICANN org booking any travel (airfare and hotel).

    Travel documents as required by the fellow's country of origin or the country hosting the meeting. Destination visas and transit visas may be required to connect in certain cities or countries. Fellows should check with their local consulate agency.

    Fellows should always carry proof of health insurance. Insurance is NOT supplied by ICANN org.

    All travel documents must be consistent with the name on the fellow's valid passport.

  5. Personal Safety and Health

    It is the sole and exclusive responsibility of the fellow to acquire and pay for any and all insurance, including, but not limited to travel insurance.

    ICANN is not responsible for the personal health, safety or belongings of the fellow.

    Each fellow is exclusively responsible for maintaining his or her personal health and safety during the period of the fellowship.

    ICANN strongly suggests that fellows consult and comply with the views of the diplomatic and consular authorities of the country of their nationality in respect of travel conditions and safety of travelers applicable in the countries to be visited under this fellowship. It is not ICANN's responsibility to inform or provide advice to applicants or fellows about travel conditions or safety of travelers.

    If the fellow makes a decision not to travel to the ICANN meeting following the advice of relevant authorities, the fellow must immediately advise the ICANN Fellowship Program administrator. ICANN will then make a determination whether to terminate the fellowship for that meeting.

    ICANN also strongly suggests that fellows seek guidance from qualified health personnel concerning potential health risks in the areas to be visited. In preparing for a trip, fellows should receive, at their own expense, all required and recommended immunizations and take malaria prophylaxis if traveling to an area where malaria is endemic.

    BE AWARE THAT SOME TRANSIT REGIONS MAY ALSO REQUIRE CERTAIN VACCINATIONS OR LAPSE TIME IN TRAVEL DUE TO YOUR REGION OF ORIGIN.

  6. Required Post Meeting Reporting

    Each fellow is required to complete a post-meeting survey within two weeks following the conclusion of the ICANN Meeting. The survey will gather details about the fellow's experiences in the Fellowship Program as well as his or her thoughts on future contributions to the ICANN community and processes.

  7. Deferment

    Applicants must re-apply for each fellowship round. The only exception is if the applicant is unable to obtain a visa for the meeting for which he or she was accepted, the Selection Committee can choose to defer the applicant's acceptance to the next eligible meeting, provided it is in the same fiscal year.

  8. Failure to Comply with Terms

    Please note that if a fellow chooses to not comply with any one of the above mentioned terms of the ICANN Fellowship Program, ICANN reserves the right to determine the appropriate course of action including, but not limited to: (i) terminating the fellowship prior to the end of a meeting; (ii) causing the fellow's early departure from the program and ICANN Meeting; (iii) and/or asking the fellow to cover costs for expenditures.

  9. Privacy Policy

    ICANN respects the protection and privacy of personal information. ICANN will process each candidate's personal information as explained in ICANN's privacy policy. The ICANN Privacy Policy is available here.

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