2026 FEllowship
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
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ARE THERE INFO SESSIONS WHERE I CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP?
Yes! Join CELI staff and alumni at virtual info sessions and coffee chats where we provide an overview of the fellowship and answer your questions. You can hear more about the structure of the program, capstone projects, and hear directly from alumni about their fellowship experience. Info sessions will be held regularly from January 22 until March 12, 2026.
Please visit the CELI Events page for more details and RSVP information about each event.
DOES CELI HAVE A SAMPLE LETTER TO ASK An EMPLOYER TO SPONSOR TUITION?
CELI recommends asking your employer as soon as possible to pay the full tuition or to contribute a significant portion of the tuition. Once selected, applicants are notified of their acceptance into the 2026 Fellowship, and the deadline to pay the deposit ($500) and commit to a payment plan happens very quickly. Click here for a sample REQUEST FOR EMPLOYER TUITION SUPPORT that you can download and edit to personalize your specific request to your employer. Please email applications@cleanenergyleaders.org with any questions.
WHAT IS THE COST OF TUITION FOR CELI’S 2025 FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM?
CELI’s 2026 Fellowship tuition is in two different tiers based on whether or not your employer is contributing to the tuition. Needs-based financial assistance is available to applicants for whom cost would otherwise be a barrier to participation.
Candidates should not let the cost of the program prevent them from applying. CELI’s selection decisions are made independent of applicants’ financial need; applicants are evaluated first on qualifications, and then financial aid is assessed separately once selections have been made. CELI offers both partial scholarships, as well as 6-month payment plans. We encourage you to discuss with your employer whether or not they can offer financial support to you, and at what level, before filling out the Financial Assistance application form.
The full cost of the 2026 Fellowship is $5,900 if an employer is supporting a fellow (Tier 1), or $3,750 if a fellow is paying-out-of-pocket (Tier 2). Applicants in both tiers may be eligible for financial assistance, depending on demonstrated need, as collected through the Financial Assistance application. Fellows receiving full or partial employer support will be put into Tier 1 tuition level ($5,900), and fellows receiving no employer support will fall into Tier 2 tuition level ($3,750). Fellows who receive partial employer support will never be expected to owe more than $3,750 out-of-pocket for tuition, even if their employer’s support totals less than $2,150.
All levels of tuition commitments (including those receiving financial assistance) may be paid up-front or over a 6-month payment plan. Barring exceptional circumstances, all selected applicants are required to pay $500, due in full by June 4, 2026, as a non-refundable deposit to hold their spot in the fellowship.
Tier 1: Employer-Supported Tuition
Applicants should check with their employer to determine the level of employer support that is possible. Tuition for full employer-supported applicants is $5,900. If employers are only able to cover partial tuition (e.g., small start-ups, non-profits, government or academic institutions, depending on size), CELI will work with the selected fellow to award the employer a partial waiver based on organization size and budget, as well as the fellow’s eligibility for financial aid (as determined through the Financial Assistance application). We encourage you to bring up the cost of the CELI fellowship with your employer early in the process, prior to the notification date of May 20, 2026. Employers frequently cover the full cost of the fellowship, especially if they are given a heads-up with enough time to set aside that funding in their professional development budgets.
Please note that applicants are notified of acceptance on May 20, 2026, and a non-refundable deposit of $500 will be required of all applicants to be paid by June 4, 2026 in order to hold one’s spot in the program. Please plan accordingly.
Tier 2: Tuition Without Employer Support
For those whose employers will not be contributing to the cost of tuition, and who plan to pay for the fellowship out-of-pocket, CELI offers a reduced tuition of $3,750. At the time that payment is requested (June), selected applicants who are not able to access any employer support will be asked to provide an email or a letter from a supervisor or other means that confirms lack of employer funds. Full-time students, self-employed applicants, and those outside of the workforce may also qualify for the reduced tuition (in this case, proof of student enrollment or other documents can serve as proof).
All tuition may be paid on a 6-month payment plan from July through December, 2026. Applicants who are eligible for this “out-of-pocket” tier who need financial assistance based on income, cost of living, dependents, and/or special circumstances, should be sure to fill out the Financial Assistance application section when submitting their fellowship application.
Please note that applicants are notified of acceptance on May 20, 2026, and a non-refundable deposit of $500 will be required of all applicants to be paid by June 4, 2026 in order to hold one’s spot in the program. Please plan accordingly.
Are FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE or PAyment Plans AVAILABLE?
CANDIDATES SHOULD NOT LET THE COST OF THE PROGRAM PREVENT THEM FROM APPLYING. CELI is deeply committed to making the Fellowship accessible to a diverse and representative cohort. Thanks to the generous support of our donors and sponsors, CELI provides partial financial assistance awards for fellows who are unable to meet the program costs, if they qualify for need-based financial assistance. Applicants must complete a financial assistance application (included as a separate section of the fellowship application) in order to be eligible for a financial award. All applications are due by March 18, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT.
While we work hard to support as many selected applicants as possible, CELI is a nonprofit organization with finite resources and is not able to provide full tuition awards. While we endeavor to meet the needs of selected applicants, we cannot guarantee provision of a specific award amount for any given prospective fellow.
Partial financial awards may be available as determined by income, cost of living, dependents, level of employer support, and special circumstances. People of color (esp. Native, LatinX, Black), members of the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, and individuals from other traditionally excluded backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.
We will review financial assistance applications after applicants are selected, and we will notify selected applicants of their financial award determination on May 20, 2026.
Additionally, individuals paying out of pocket are able to sign up for a payment plan over six months, with the first payment of $500 due on June 4, and the next six payments due July through December. Employers that contribute to the fellowship tuition (employer payments) are not eligible for a payment plan, and their portion of tuition is due in late July.
Visit our detailed Tuition and Financial Assistance page to learn more.
IF MY EMPLOYER PROVIDES TUITION SUPPORT, BUT IT DOES NOT COVER THE WHOLE TUITION, WHAT TIER DO I FALL INTO?
Fellows who receive full or partial employer support will fall into Tier 1. The total cost of tuition for Tier 1 is $5,900; however, fellows will never be expected to pay more than $3,750 out-of-pocket for tuition, even if their employer’s support totals less than $2,150.
WHEN SHOULD I ASK MY EMPloyer about tuition support?
We recommend asking your employer about professional development funds as soon as possible, and ideally before March 18, 2026, so that you can submit the most up to date details you have on the financial assistance portion of the fellowship application. Fellows will find out if they are offered a spot in the 2026 Fellowship on May 20, 2026, along with notifications about preliminary financial assistance awards. In order to receive a preliminary financial assistance notification, the applicant must have filled out the financial assistance portion of the fellowship application. Please note that your answers are non-binding, as we understand that you are filling out this form before you have been offered a spot in the program.
CAN I UPDATE MY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE REQUEST AFTER SUBMITTING MY APPLICATION?
Yes. If your circumstances change after you submit your application, please email us at celi@cleanenergyleaders.org to request an update to your financial assistance information.
HOW MANY FELLOWS ARE ACCEPTED TO EACH COHORT?
The 2026 Fellowship will welcome approximately 230 fellows. Each Virtual Cohort can serve approximately 35 fellows, and each In-Person cohort can serve approximately 25 fellows. Fellowship invitations to join a cohort will be extended on May 20, 2026, along with preliminary financial assistance award notifications if the applicant has filled out the financial aid application on time.
WHAT ARE THE WEEKLY FELLOWSHIP SESSIONS LIKE?
Cohort participants meet once a week, either virtually or in-person, for two hours in the evenings to receive topical lectures from experts in the field and engage in discussions with their peers. Modules cover energy markets, new technologies, policy, deep decarbonization, adaptive leadership, and energy justice topics.
Unless specified otherwise, weekly sessions are held either in-person or online every Wednesday from 6:00 - 8:00 pm local time for each of our cohorts. These 2-hour-long sessions will consist of a mixture of lectures with expert practitioners, panel discussions with leaders in the field, hands-on activities, and small group discussions to build community and connection among fellows. Optional Tuesday sessions (on varied Tuesdays, not weekly) will introduce critical concepts for the Wednesday sessions that prioritize activities. Overall, there are 26 total sessions, of which seven are optional.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE IN-PERSON COHORT AND THE VIRTUAL COHORT?
In-Person cohort participants will meet in-person for the majority of sessions (15 of 26). While some speakers will still be virtual, all discussions and activities will occur only with other in-person attendees. This option is available to fellows living in commutable distance to 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 and who can fully commit to attending the 15 in-person sessions are encouraged to apply. These in-person cohorts function as separate and independent cohorts although there will be opportunities to engage with other fellows from different cohorts. There are also several sessions that will be virtual and pooled with all CELI participants.
Virtual cohort fellows will meet on Zoom, virtually, for all 26 sessions.
IF I LIVE IN A CELI CITY / METRO AREA AND GET ACCEPTED INTO THE VIRTUAL COHORT, CAN I JOIN SOME OF THE IN-PERSON SESSIONS?
Please note that the virtual fellowship is structured such that virtual fellows are not given the option to drop-in to the in-person sessions due to space and other constraints. One of the key fellowship components is community building, and we would like to provide a consistent cohort experience to those in the virtual cohort to get to know each other through each session.
WHAT IF I ONLY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN AN IN-PERSON COHORT AND DO NOT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN A VIRTUAL FELLOWSHIP?
On the fellowship application, there will be a specific question that will capture whether you would only like to participate in an in-person cohort, and not be considered for the virtual fellowship acceptance. Please note that the in-person fellowship includes 19 required sessions: 15 in-person and 4 virtual. There are also 7 additional fully optional virtual sessions.
WHAT IF I WANT TO BE IN AN IN-PERSON COHORT AND I DON’T LIVE IN A CELI CITY?
Unfortunately, CELI is only able to run in-person cohorts in the cities and metro areas (Bay Area, Chicago, DC and NYC) where we have the most volunteers, the most active and involved corporate sponsors, and a critical mass of potential fellows to create a full cohort.
HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD I EXPECT TO SPEND ON THE PROGRAM?
In addition to the weekly required Wednesday sessions, optional Tuesday sessions, and occasional Saturday sessions, fellows should expect to spend an additional 2-3 hours a week to stay current on the readings. To prepare their capstone project, fellows spend at least 20 hours (including project development, editing, and practice sessions) to produce a final deliverable. While the fellowship is designed to fit within your current work and personal schedule, you get out of the program what you put into it. The value you receive from the program is directly related to the amount of time you invest in your experience, and, most importantly, in getting to know your peers.
What is the interview and decision timeline for the 2026 Fellowship?
If your application is moved forward to the interview process, selected applicants will be invited for a 25-minute online interview in mid-April, 2026, with CELI alumni. The interview process will give selected applicants a chance to talk to CELI alumni about their interest in the 2026 Fellowship, and will open up an opportunity for applicants to ask CELI alumni more about how the Fellowship has supported their leadership journey in the clean energy sector.
Interviews will be offered to select candidates in mid-April, 2026. Fellowship invitations to join a cohort will be extended on May 20, 2026 along with financial assistance awards. (See above for more information about financial assistance.)
IF I DON’T WORK IN THE CLEAN ENERGY SECTOR, SHOULD I STILL APPLY?
Yes, we consider candidates with 5+ years of professional experience who are looking to transition into the clean energy sector and who believe that they would benefit and contribute to our program and network. Transition candidates should also clearly articulate their intention to begin and maintain a career in clean energy. We welcome diverse sector expertise from transition candidates, including but not limited to education, communications, non-profit work, STEM, and technical professions.
ARE THERE WAYS I CAN GET INVOLVED IF I AM NOT A FELLOW?
Yes! Throughout the year, CELI hosts a few educational and social events. Please sign up for our newsletter below and check out our events page for any upcoming webinars or events open to the public. We are also on social media: follow us on X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
We highly encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter for future events, as it is the most consistent way that we alert you to opportunities to connect with our community! We hope we can find ways to connect soon!
Email celi@cleanenergyleaders.org with any questions.