Recognized Fellowship Initiative

To foster high-quality fellowship programs through support, recognition and visibility, the ACFAS Board of Directors approved the ACFAS Recognized Fellowship initiative. Programs meeting a list of specific criteria are officially Recognized by the College and included on a list on the ACFAS website. For your program to be considered for official Recognition by the College, you will be required to submit an application. If you are interested in receiving an application, please send your request to Michelle Kennedy, Director of Membership & Post Graduate Affairs, at michelle.kennedy@acfas.org.

Process for Program Status to be Granted by ACFAS
Below are the steps for a new fellowship application to be received, reviewed and considered for status by the College:

• All completed applications are due by May 1 of the year.
• After May 1, all applicant program directors are assigned dates for interview with representatives from the ACFAS Fellowship Committee. These occur in early summer and are assigned in order that applications are received. The interview is used to determine if the program meets all requirements as listed in the Minimal Criteria listing.
• In late summer, the Fellowship Committee meets to review all applications for status. Those programs that are granted status will be notified as such directly following the meeting, usually in August.
• New programs with ACFAS status are granted Conditional Status for their first year. After their first year is completed successfully, they are re-reviewed, and considered for upgrade to full Recognized status.
• The list of the ACFAS Recognized Fellowships have all met and, in most cases, far exceeded the College's minimal standards for recognition. Conditional Status programs are in their inaugural year and will be considered for full recognition after the first fellow completes their matriculation.
• If you are interested in receiving the application, please send your request to Michelle Kennedy, Director of Membership & Post Graduate Affairs, at michelle.kennedy@acfas.org.

Recommended Annual Calendar for Major Program Processes
Fellowships with ACFAS status are located across the country and have their own timelines and local requirements. However, in order to make the fellowship application and acceptance process less arduous for prospective fellows, the College recommends the following date periods for major program processes:

• Application submission period: June – September
• Interviews conducted: June – September
• Fellow Selection: October
• Programs Begin: July or August

Required Fees
The following are financial requirements fellowship programs must abide by annually:

• New program applications must pay a $1,000 application fee upon submission.
• Programs with status are required to pay a $300 annual renewal fee. Renewal fee invoices are sent out in the summer.
• Programs with status are required support their fellow(s) membership in the College. They are also required to allow their fellow to attend the ACFAS Annual Scientific Conference and potentially exhibit poster or manuscript research projects.

Annual Program Renewal Process
At the end of each fellowship year, each fellowship must go through the following steps:

• Both the fellowship director and completing fellow(s) must take an end-of-year exit survey, to communicate what the year was like for the fellow(s) and to show that the program continues to meet the listing of Minimal Criteria. For programs with more than one fellow, the director must complete one survey per fellow.
• Once the exit surveys are submitted and if the director states that the fellow(s) completed the program successfully, the College will send a certificate of completion to the fellow(s).
• The program must provide a $300 renewal fee.
• The program must review its College webpage listing and alert staff of any required updates.
• The incoming fellow(s) must join the College and be members in good standing during their time matriculating in the fellowship.