ARIN Fellowship Program Application Information

Application Eligibility

Individuals who are 18 years of age or older and reside in the ARIN region are eligible to apply if they have a demonstrated interest in the American Registry for Internet Numbers, Ltd., (“ARIN”) community and its Policy Development Process for the management of Internet number resources. Special consideration will be given to those who have not previously attended an ARIN Public Policy and Members Meeting before, who demonstrate a financial need, or who present a compelling case for being a part of this program. 

Applicants must understand the importance of ARIN’s mission and be familiar with ARIN services, including the Internet number resources it manages and the process reflected in the Number Resource Policy Manual (NRPM). Applicants should be subscribed to the ARIN Announce and ARIN Public Policy mailing lists and participate in all activities as outlined in the program description.

To ensure fairness and broaden participation, ARIN gives preference to selecting one Fellow per organization per meeting when all other qualifications are equal. This approach helps provide equal opportunity, supports a diverse group of Fellows, and reflects ARIN’s commitment to representing the full spectrum of the Internet community.

An individual can participate in the ARIN Fellowship program a maximum of two times.

• First Fellowship: This can be either virtual or in-person, depending on the pool of applicants and available slots as determined by the Fellowship Selection Committee.

• Second Fellowship (if eligible): If your first Fellowship was virtual, you may be considered for a future in-person Fellowship, or a second virtual Fellowship (depending on applicant pool and slots).

This approach provides flexibility and offers diverse fellowship experiences, while also broadening opportunities for more individuals to engage meaningfully in ARIN’s community.

How Fellows Are Chosen

The Fellowship Selection Committee is led by ARIN’s Project Manager and includes volunteer representatives from ARIN-elected bodies, General Members in Good Standing, and past Fellows.

The committee’s decision is guided by the Application Eligibility section of the Fellowship Program Application page and at the committee’s sole discretion. The committee will also take into consideration a desire to provide opportunities to individuals from a diverse range of organization types and geographic locations. Applicants may participate in up to two Fellowships. All selections are subject to the sole discretion and final approval of ARIN’s Chief Experience Officer.

Fellowships will be awarded as both in-person and virtual Fellowships. The Selection Committee may award both in-person and virtual Fellowships at their discretion. The committee may also designate two additional applicants to serve as primary and secondary alternate awardees in the event a selected Fellow must decline their ARIN Fellowship. 

The selection decisions of the committee are final, and the awards will be announced on ARIN’s website after each selected Fellow has been notified. All committee communications and deliberations regarding potential Fellows will be kept confidential. Applicants not selected to receive the Fellowship in the current round are eligible and encouraged to apply in future rounds. 

Fellowship Program Application Questions

Below are the questions asked on the Fellowship Program application.

1. Do you currently reside in the ARIN region? (If you currently reside outside the ARIN region, you are ineligible to apply.)

2. What is your current role and organization? If you are a full-time student, please include your school name, location, area of study, and expected graduation date.

3. Do you work for an ARIN member or customer organization? If yes, please include the ARIN Organization ID.

4. Have you previously attended an ARIN meeting (in person or virtually)? If yes, please list the meeting(s) you attended.

5. Have you previously received an ARIN Fellowship?* If yes, indicate the year(s) and format (in-person or virtual).

   If no, how did you learn about the ARIN Fellowship Program?

6. Why are you interested in the ARIN Fellowship Program? How does this opportunity relate to your current work, studies, or career goals?

7. What do you hope to gain from the Mentorship and learning experiences provided through the Fellowship Program?

8. Please describe your familiarity with any of the following topics:

   • IP address management
   • ARIN policy
   • IPv6
   • Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI)

9. How are you currently involved with the Internet community? (This may include professional, academic, technical, policy, or volunteer activities.)

10. How do you envision engaging with ARIN and its community in the future?

11. Briefly describe your professional or academic background. Include relevant experience, skills, or areas of focus that support your interest in the program.

12. If selected as a Fellow, how would you apply the knowledge and connections gained to benefit your organization, community, or sector?

13. Do you have any financial need or travel constraints you would like the selection committee to consider?

14. Is there anything else you’d like the selection committee to know about you?