Titles & Eligibility

Appointee Types

Postdoctoral Associates and Fellows are Ph.D. (or equivalent) degree recipients who seek advanced research training under a faculty mentor. Appointees funded from research grants, contracts, or other University sources are Postdoctoral Associates; they are employees of the University even though they are considered trainees.  Postdoctoral Fellows are also trainees, but they are not Yale employees. They may be funded either from training grants or external fellowships.

Postgraduate Fellows and Associates are bachelors or masters degree recipients who come to Yale to further their education and training.  As with postdocs, postgraduate titles (associate vs. fellow) are dictated by funding source.

Laboratory Associates are doctoral recipients with at least 2 years of post-degree experience, are employed elsewhere, and are paid by their employers to  conduct research or other scholarly activities at Yale in association with a Yale faculty member. 

Visiting Fellows are doctoral recipients or accomplished individuals whose presence at Yale for a limited duration will be of mutual benefit. They have outside employers and are paid by the employer while at Yale. (This rank is used only on Central Campus.)

“Unpaid Postdocs” and “Research Volunteers” - There are no unpaid postdocs at Yale, nor are people allowed to volunteer to do research.

Requirements for Appointment

*Postdoctoral experience at other institutions is included in this 6 year limit.

Please see the Yale Faculty Handbook (http://provost.yale.edu/faculty-handbook) for more detailed information about each appointment type.