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 Interdisciplinary Training Program in Cognitive Science

 Applying for Traineeships

Note: To apply, you must be a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident, or a non-citizen national (e.g. born in a US possession).*

     Applicants have normally completed one year of the Ph.D. program in one of the affiliated departments before entering our training program.  The program will typically provide support during 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years of the graduate program, with no student being funded beyond their 5th year.

     Outstanding incoming students whose research interests are especially well-suited for the training program also may be considered.  Because they are eligible for University fellowships during their first year, trainees selected from among incoming students normally would not begin their traineeships until the second year.

The application includes the following materials:

• The Application Form, including the completed biographical sketch (download below)
• Your two-page statement of research interests and goals, explaining how the traineeship will benefit your development as a researcher in cognitive science. Include in your statement:
  (Note:  Citations are not necessarily required.  If included, they must fit in the two pages.)
• Description of your research focus in one of the three topical areas (or overlap between areas).
• Plans for obtaining exposure in one of the remaining two topical areas,
• Plans for including two or more of the four methodological approaches.
• E-copies of recent publications (if any).
• Graduate transcript or equivalent list of courses and grades.
• Undergraduate transcript (unofficial is acceptable).
• GRE score report form
• Letters of reference sent separately by email to cogsci@umn.edu:
• One from primary research advisor (see list of program faculty),
• One from co-advisor (see list of program faculty.)  The co-advisor should represent one of the four approaches that is different than the primary research advisor.
• One from academic advisor if different from primary research advisor or co-advisor.

Note: These should be substantive letters of support that speak to the applicant’s qualifications and potential.  The advisor and co-advisor need to give assurances that appropriate research facilities will be made available to the student.

 Choose a Training Program application form for downloading

     For more details about the Interdisciplinary Training Program in Cognitive Science, please click on the links at the left of this page.  Questions may be addressed to Dan Kersten kersten@umn.edu or Ellen Seagren cogsci@umn.edu.

*  The individual to be trained must be a citizen or a noncitizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of appointment. Noncitizen nationals are people, who, although not citizens of the United States, owe permanent allegiance to the United States. They generally are people born in outlying possessions of the United States (e.g., American Samoa and Swains Island). Individuals who have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence must have a currently valid Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-551) or other legal verification of such status. For example, if an individual has the proper validation on his/her passport, a notarized photocopy of the passport could suffice. Because there is a 6-month limitation on this validation, it is the grantee’s responsibility to follow up and ensure that the individual received the I-551 prior to the 6-month expiration date.

      A notarized statement verifying possession of permanent residency documentation must be submitted with the Statement of Appointment (PHS Form 2271). Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible for Kirschstein-NRSA support.