APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN
CELI 2025 FELLOWSHIP Overview
Applications for the 2025 CELI Fellowships are now open. From January 15 - March 19, 2025, CELI is accepting applications from eligible candidates from any location in the United States for the 2025 CELI Fellowship. Apply here for the 2025 Fellowship. The 2025 Fellowship runs from Wednesday, July 30 and through December 4, 2025. Notifications of acceptance will be delivered on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
The 2025 Fellowship offers two participation options:
Fully Virtual Cohorts: Organized by time zone (PT/MT, CT, and ET). Applicants in the Mountain Time zone are encouraged to join the PT/MT cohort. Virtual cohorts are open to anyone in the U.S., including those who prefer the flexibility of an online program.
In-Person Cohorts: Available in the Bay Area (sessions take place in San Francisco), Chicago, New York City (most sessions take place in Manhattan), and Washington, DC. Individuals living within commuting distance of these locations are encouraged to apply.
Application Due Dates by Fee Schedule*
Early Bird application deadline ($0): Jan 15 - Feb 17, 2025 at 11:59pm PT
Regular application ($25) deadline: Feb 18 - Mar 16, 2025 at 11:59pm PT
Late application ($100) deadline: Mar 17 - Mar 19, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT
The early bird application period does not require a submission fee and runs from January 15 to February 17, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. The regular application period requires a $25 submission fee per application, and the regular application period runs from February 18 to March 16, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. The late application period requires a $100 fee per application, and the late application period runs from March 17 to March 19, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT.
*Please note that application fees are not refundable, including if the applicant is not admitted to the program. Application fees are submitted separately from the application, itself, in a two-step process, and if the fee is not completed by the applicant, the application will not be considered.
2025 Fellowship Tuition and Financial Assistance
The full cost of the 2025 Fellowship is $5,500 if an employer is supporting a Fellow (Tier 1), or $3,500 if a Fellow is paying-out-of-pocket (Tier 2). Both tier levels may be eligible for financial assistance depending on their application. Fellows receiving partial employer support will be put into Tier 1 tuition level ($5,500), and Fellows receiving no employer support will fall into Tier 2 tuition level ($3,500). Fellows who receive partial employer support will never be expected to owe more than $3,500 out-of-pocket for tuition, even if their employer’s support totals less than $2,000. All levels of tuition commitments (including those receiving financial assistance) may be paid up-front or over a 7-month payment plan.
An applicant must submit a separate financial assistance application immediately AFTER completing their fellowship application, if the applicant would like to be considered for financial assistance. There is no fee to submit a financial assistance application. All financial assistance applications are due: March 19 at 11:59 PM PT.
Visit the 2025 Fellowship Tuition and Financial Assistance page for full details.
Application Interviews and Notifications
Interviews are the final step in the application process, and the opportunity to interview will be offered to select candidates in mid-April, 2025. At this time, all applicants will receive a notification of the first-round decision and whether they will be offered an interview spot. For candidates offered an interview spot, once the interview has been completed, selection decisions are made.
Acceptance and regret notifications will be emailed on May 20, 2025 to all applicants that are selected into the program. Financial assistance notifications will be coordinated with acceptance notifications, and all applicants will be notified of financial assistance awards on May 20, 2025. Please note that a non-refundable deposit of $500 will be required of all applicants to be paid by June 5, 2025 in order to hold one’s spot in the program. Please plan accordingly.
The Fellowship will start on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. Please consult the Curriculum-At-A-Glance and FAQ for details on the exact dates of Fellowship meetings, Fellowship requirements, and other information.
For more information, check out our:
ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP
The CELI Fellowship is a program that prepares early-career to mid-level professionals to effectively serve as clean energy leaders in their fields. In the 2025 Fellowship, Fellows will complete a rigorous program that challenges them to:
Think critically about current energy policy and market structures
Examine existing and historical inequities
Identify barriers to clean energy deployment and innovation
Recognize leadership moments and know what to do when they step into one
Develop holistic solutions toward an equitable energy transition
Build the relationships necessary to scale solutions
And, in the process, they develop deep relationships that inspire collaboration, partnership, and innovation. After core program completion, CELI Fellows join an active, connected network of 1,465 alumni who continue to play a tremendous role in the CELI community.
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APPLICANT PROFILES
CELI Fellows are mission-driven, change-makers intent on building a community of peers dedicated to advancing an equitable, decarbonized, and resilient energy ecosystem. We seek early- to mid-career professionals (with a minimum of 3 years of work or graduate school experience) working in clean energy technology, industry, government, policy or advocacy/organizing, or professionals from adjacent fields with 5+ years of experience, who clearly articulate their intentions to begin and maintain a career in the clean energy industry.
Our fellows represent unique backgrounds including, but not limited to:
Policy expertise in government, academia, non-profit, or law;
Business acumen and analytical skills in for-profit companies and organizations;
Technical expertise and technology research and development;
Communications expertise from consulting, speech writing, and journalism;
Grassroots organizing, advocacy, and environmental justice;
Entrepreneurship and business model innovation;
Expertise in green jobs with experience and skills in solar installation, engineering, or other technical skills.
A FOCUS ON ENERGY JUSTICE
We believe that realizing energy justice in the clean energy economy is as important as reaching climate ambition targets of 1.5°C. Domestically, the clean energy economic expansion has been called “one of America’s great economic expansions;” and yet, many communities, especially women, Hispanic and Latinx workers, and Black workers, are not included in this economic windfall.
Inclusion and belonging, as well as providing access and equity supports, are critical to CELI’s mission. We strongly encourage professionals that identify as People of Color, LGBTQIA+, women, those from communities harmed by environmental injustice, and other underrepresented individuals to apply. CELI does not discriminate based upon race/ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a veteran, status as an individual with a disability, and any other characteristics.
BASIC ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The 2025 Fellowship offers two participation options:
Fully Virtual Cohorts: Organized by time zone (PT/MT, CT, and ET). Applicants in the Mountain Time zone are encouraged to join the PT/MT cohort. Virtual cohorts are open to anyone in the U.S., including those who prefer the flexibility of an online program.
In-Person Cohorts: Available in the Bay Area (sessions take place in San Francisco), Chicago, New York City (most sessions take place in Manhattan), and Washington, DC. Individuals living within commuting distance of these locations are encouraged to apply.
Applicants should select the cohort to apply to based on their preferred time zone or place of residence. Weekly sessions occur synchronously. CELI allows up to 3 excused absences over the four month fellowship, during the weekday sessions. Applicants living in or near a CELI city where the in-person fellowships will be located can indicate on the application whether they would prefer consideration for either the in-person or virtual fellowship cohorts. Applicants should only select the in-person fellowship if they can commit to attend each in-person session consistently.
If applicants are selected for the virtual cohort, but live in a city with an in-person cohort, they will be unable to attend the sessions with the in-person cohort due to limitations on capacity of the physical spaces that we engage for the Wednesday sessions. However, there may be opportunities to meet other fellows in the area outside of formal session time.
Virtual 2025 Fellowships encourage any individual meeting eligibility requirements for the fellowship who lives and works in the United States to apply.
Applicants must live and work in the United States: While at some point we would like to expand beyond the United States, our 2025 Fellows will be limited to applicants living in the United States.
Eligibility criteria: We seek applicants that meet one of the two following eligibility criteria:
3+ Years of Professional Experience in Clean Energy or 5+ Years of Professional Experience in a Related Field
Under these requirements:
CELI does not require an undergraduate degree to apply for the program;
CELI does not consider undergraduate internships or fellowships as professional experience that counts towards the 3+ years requirement;
CELI considers clean energy-related graduate or post-doc training as professional experience toward meeting the 3+ years requirement;
CELI considers non-clean energy-related graduate or post-doc training as professional experience toward meeting the 5+ years requirement;
Please reach out to applications@cleanenergyleaders.org if you have any questions about your eligibility for the Fellowship program. We are happy to review your work experience if you are close to meeting requirements for professional experience within the Fellowship’s time frame.
COMPETITIVE APPLICANTS DEMONSTRATE:
An aspiration to lead the transition to an equitable and resilient energy future, free of all greenhouse gas emissions.
A strong belief in the value of community, especially as it relates to personal and professional growth. CELI fellows and alumni are committed to building meaningful relationships that extend deeper than the majority of professional networks.
A unique perspective on one or more aspects of the clean energy transition based on a combination of professional, academic, or personal experience.
A demonstrated interest in exploring the interconnected nature of clean energy policy, markets, technology, science, finance, and innovation. Applicants are individuals who understand the importance of learning and actively seek out topics outside their own expertise.
A dedication to create a more just energy future and a desire to learn more about energy justice.
Email celi@cleanenergyleaders.org with any questions.