University Administrative Fellowships

Young woman and a female mentor talking smiling infront of a white board

University Administrative Fellowships help you prepare for the tenure-track job market or a career in academic administration. They are also valuable if you are looking for an experience that will position you for careers beyond the academy. Work on a project under the direction of the host department, attend meetings, and learn the ins and outs of your host’s position—including specific responsibilities, organizational dynamics, external networks, and more.

The Fellowship is broken into two components:

  • Mentoring and shadowing: Roughly 2 hours per week for the length of a semester
  • A project component: Roughly 4 hours per week for the length of a semester

To accept the fellowship, you must receive permission from your adviser(s) and be in good academic standing. International graduate students are encouraged to apply and to be in touch with the Davis International Center during the application process. University Administrative Fellows receive a $2,880 stipend in addition to normal support. The total time commitment is an average of 6 hours per week for the length of a semester. Summer UAFs are available, as are remote fellowships, which enable a broader range of participation in this program. 

Isabelle Chen
“Being a UAF with GradFUTURES has helped me to develop a wide range of transferable skills, from administrative organization to event planning to building a professional network—skills equally applicable within and outside of tenure-track academia. This bridging across professional "boundaries" also happens to be a key objective of my fellowship...” 


Isabelle Chen, GS, FIT

Jake Herb
“During my time in the program, I was able to meet with professors that I would not have normally interacted with and learn about their research. In addition, I took part in conversations with external companies that were interested in licensing Princeton IP. The UAF experience broadened the scope of career paths that I thought were possible with a PhD and provided me with valuable experience in getting to know all of the moving parts by which outside organizations can utilize the cutting-edge research generated within Princeton’s vibrant research community.” 


Jake Herb *17, CHE, Principal Scientist, Materials and Energy Technology Group, Physical Sciences, Inc. (PSI)

Current & Former UAF Fellows & Mentors

In the News

McNamara & Eyestone

Image: Sameer A. Khan / Fotobuddy

University Administrative Fellows program prepares Ph.D.s for careers within and beyond academia

Denise Valenti, Office of Communications
Feb. 21, 2020

Graduate Student Employment Policy and Funding Considerations

All graduate students must adhere to the Graduate Student Employment policy when participating in an opportunity that is compensated or funded by an external entity or an experiential opportunity funded by the Graduate School. When participating in internships that involve receiving compensation from private sector organizations, paid positions at national government labs or research institutes, and research assistantships funded by institutions outside of Princeton, graduate students must obtain approval from their faculty adviser prior to acceptance of a position and must also complete an External Opportunity Application Form. Additionally, all international graduate students must review and comply with the guidelines on the Davis International Center’s Employment Page to avoid risking their visa immigration status. The Davis International Center maintains a list of all graduate programs that offer Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for international graduate students during the academic year or summer. Please note that CPT is only available to international graduate students with F-1 visas when an academic department requires an experiential opportunity or offers an internship course as part of the established curriculum. International graduate students whose departments do not offer CPT are encouraged to speak with the director of graduate study about their interest in pursuing a paid experiential opportunity at an external organization. International graduate students are also encouraged to explore the following experiential fellowships offered by GradFUTURES (and funded by the Graduate School) which do not require work authorization or CPT: University Administrative Fellowships, Community College Teaching Fellowships, Social Impact Fellowships, Higher Education Leadership Fellowships, and Professional Development Associates. 

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination in Experiential Programs

Princeton University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. To maximize excellence, we seek talent from all segments of American society and the world, and we take steps to ensure everyone at Princeton can thrive while they are here. Princeton does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic, and Princeton does not provide special benefits or preferential treatment on the basis of a protected characteristic. These principles apply to the Graduate School's experiential programs, which are open to all graduate students (pending work authorization requirements for international students) and comply with federal and state non-discrimination laws. All experiential program partners and host organizations must adhere to an equitable recruitment and selection process within a framework of professionally accepted recruiting, interviewing, and selection practices that comply with federal and state non-discrimination laws. Also, all experiential program partners and host organizations must agree to provide an inclusive and welcoming learning environment for Princeton graduate student fellows/interns that aligns with the University’s conduct standards.