FAQ

How do I apply?
We ONLY accept applications via the online application system, SurveyMonkey Apply. Please follow these steps:

• click on “Apply Now!” on the corresponding program page
• create a SurveyMonkey Apply account, by clicking on “Register”
• log in and verify your email address
• be sure to submit your application by the deadline

Additional information is supplied within the application itself.

When is the deadline to submit my application?
The deadline is 23:59 local Santa Fe, New Mexico (i.e., Mountain Time) on the date specified on the corresponding program page and on the application site. Be sure to check your time zone!
When the deadline has passed, the system closes automatically and will not allow an applicant to begin, edit, or submit an application. Make sure you have all your application materials prepared with enough time to complete and submit them before the deadline.

NOTE: This includes letters of recommendation.

REMEMBER to SUBMIT: Applicants who have not completed and submitted their application will not be considered. Be sure to do the final step and SUBMIT the completed application for review. You will receive a confirmation email once your application is submitted.

I missed the deadline, can I apply late?
No. We do not accept late applications.

What browsers are supported by the online application?
Please find an updated list here: https://help.surveymonkey.com/en/apply/faqs/supported-browsers/.

How do I request my letters of recommendation?
Provide the email address(es) of your recommender(s) in the place specified for this within the application system. An email will be sent from 'noreply@mail.smapply.io' with instructions for creating an account and uploading the Letter of Recommendation. Make sure you inform your recommender(s) about this email so that it does not get caught in a spam filter.

It is your responsibility to ensure letters have been submitted by the deadline. The deadline for letters is the same deadline as the application. It is important that you communicate directly with your recommenders so they have sufficient notice to prepare their letter and upload it.

Check the application system to make sure all letters have been submitted on your behalf. If they have not been submitted, they show as PENDING. You can resend a letter request if needed, from the application site.

What if my recommender is having trouble submitting their letter?
If your recommender is unable to submit their letter through the SurveyMonkey Apply application system, please have them contact education@santafe.edu for assistance. The recommender should include the applicant’s name (as used in the application) in the subject line and attach a PDF of their letter to the message. This must be done at least 24 hours before the application deadline.

What if I change my email address?
It is best to use one email address throughout the entire process. Notify education@santafe.edu if you must change your email address during the process. Provide both the old and the new email address in your message. It is important that we have a current, valid email address, as this is the only form of communication we will use.

How are applications processed?
Once the application deadline has passed, each application is reviewed for completeness. A complete application contains all required information and materials as outlined in the application form. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed and we will NOT notify you if your application is incomplete.

All complete applications submitted by the deadline will be given equal consideration. The submission date has no effect on reviews.

Complete applications are submitted to the review committee for evaluation. Once all reviews are complete, we will contact you by email regarding your application status.

How are applications reviewed?
Applications undergo a holistic review process. Each application is carefully considered for admission into the program.

Decisions regarding admissions are final. We do not provide feedback on applications or any details of the application review.

Will I be notified about the status of my application even if I am not accepted?
Yes, we inform all applicants of their status: accepted, wait-listed, or not accepted at this time. As noted in the question above, we do not give any feedback on applications.
 
When will I hear about the status of my application?
This information is listed in each program-specific FAQs section below and can also be found on the SurveyMonkey Apply application site.

Is there a waiting list?
We keep a waiting list for each program. The applications on the waiting list are kept active until we have confirmation from all invited participants, which can sometimes take several months.

What are my chances of being selected to attend?
Acceptance rates vary across programs and from year to year. We do not currently share this information. All of our programs are competitive, and, unfortunately, many well-qualified applicants cannot be admitted. Nonetheless, if you are eligible & interested in one of our programs, we encourage you to apply.

If I am accepted, can I defer?
We do not offer deferrals. If circumstances prevent you from attending the program to which you applied, in most cases, we are able to fully refund any payment you have made and are happy to review a new application from you the following year.

Do I need travel health insurance?
YES! Please be sure you are covered by health insurance, typically in the form of travel health insurance, for the entire duration of your stay in the United States. Medical costs in the United States can be many thousands of dollars without insurance.

Is there visa support?
Please refer to specific programs below as the support will differ.

What is the transportation system like in Santa Fe?
Many roads in Santa Fe do not have bike lanes, and renting a bike can be difficult and/or expensive. Bus routes are limited and wait times can be significant. We encourage participants who can bring private transportation to do so.

The program I’m applying to is based at IAIA. How far is IAIA from downtown Santa Fe?
Downtown Santa Fe is a twenty-minute drive from the IAIA campus and offers a wide variety of museums, art galleries, restaurants, food trucks, and architectural charm.

What is healthcare like in Santa Fe in case I need medical care?
Please be sure you have full health insurance coverage throughout your intended stay in Santa Fe. Santa Fe has a comprehensive medical infrastructure both for routine or preventative care, as well as emergencies.

Getting timely appointments can be a challenge, so please plan ahead if you intend to visit a healthcare provider during your stay. More information will be provided to accepted applicants.

Can I commute daily to attend?
No, please plan on being fully in-person and present for the duration of each program, including meal times and other social time outside of scheduled programming. Exceptions are granted for medical or family emergencies at the discretion of program directors.

An important element of all of our programs is the chance to have spontaneous discussions with the other participants. Such discussions are essential to both an individual’s experience – sharing ideas, challenging dogma, solving problems – and to the formation of a cohesive and supportive cohort. Furthermore, socializing outside of a typical 9-to-5 schedule (e.g., at meals) often contributes to the depth & creativity of collaborative research.

Can I combine attendance with a vacation or weekend trips in the area?
You are welcome to arrive early or stay late in order to coordinate a vacation with your participation in the program. Please note that we are unable to offer accommodations in participant housing outside of the dates of the program, and thus accommodations for extended stays (likewise, meals, transportation, etc.) are your responsibility. If the program is paying for your travel, you must ensure that the change in arrival/departure dates does not add significant cost.

Weekend excursions are possible within most programs that span a weekend. Shorter programs, such as the GWCSS, expect that one weekend day is a work day and have scheduled events on either Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Longer programs, such as the CSSS and the UCR program, leave both Saturday and Sunday unscheduled for participants to use as they wish. Please note that the programs do not organize such trips for participants. Interested participants will often coordinate to share travel, etc.

Do all of SFI’s programs take place in Santa Fe?
In the past, we have offered schools in China, India, Argentina, and Hungary. SFI programs that take place outside of Santa Fe are typically supported by grant funding, meaning that the locations and topics vary over time. New programs and opportunities are announced on SFI’s website and through its newsletters and other media channels.

What is the climate like?
The climate in Santa Fe is unusually dry and sunny, with an elevation over 7,200ft (~2,200m). Recommendations include to drink extra water, wear extra layers, and to use lotion, moisturizers, sunscreen, and chapstick as necessary.

For seasonal information, please visit https://www.santafe.org/santa-fe-weather/.

How do in-person programs relate to Complexity Explorer courses?
Complexity Explorer courses are a great foundation and/or complement to all of our in-person programs. Most of the programs will expect that participants have taken, or are familiar with the concepts covered in, Introduction to Complexity. Participants may also find Complexity Explorer tutorials useful resources as they work on research projects.

The in-person education programs provide participants with opportunities to engage with a cohort and SFI researchers from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines, often forging relationships that last throughout their research careers. Collaborative research is a hallmark of these programs.

Where can I learn more about Complexity Explorer?
Please visit the frequently asked questions directly on the Complexity Explorer site: https://www.complexityexplorer.org/about/faq.

I am not a graduate student. Can I apply?
In addition to Master’s students and Ph.D. students, we accept postdoctoral fellows, faculty, research scientists, managers, and other professionals from academia, industry, government, NGOs, and nonprofits.
We do not expect that all applicants have a background in complex systems. It is important that applicants have a strong academic training – usually with a quantitative focus – and a desire to do transdisciplinary work with participants from a wide range of backgrounds.

Is there a math requirement?
We select participants from a wide variety of backgrounds, including participants who do not have extensive quantitative training. Participants share their skills when working on group projects. There will be lectures that use math, but the CSSS is broad; participants are not expected to master everything presented.

If a participant wants to review quantitative skills, we recommend a review of linear algebra, differential (or difference) equations, and statistics before arriving at the CSSS. There are reviews of the first two topics on ComplexityExplorer.org.

What are the typical CSSS application dates?
The CSSS application is typically open from late October through January. Please check the CSSS program page in November for updates.

When will I hear about the status of my application?
We hope to notify all applicants by email regarding the status of their application by the end of March.

What are the typical CSSS program dates?
The CSSS usually runs from early June through early July. Please check the CSSS program page in November for updates.

Where is the CSSS held?
Participants will be housed at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA). Most meals and program sessions will take place at IAIA. Participants will also spend a few scheduled days at the campuses of the Santa Fe Institute.

What is the difference between the CSSS and the GWCSS? I am a social scientist.
The CSSS is a four-week program designed to give participants a broad overview of complexity science and exposure to people in many different fields. It is focused on lectures and transdisciplinary group projects. The CSSS has about 50 participants.

The GWCSS is a focused two-week program. It accepts 10 Ph.D. students working in the social sciences. There are lectures, but the majority of the program provides students with the opportunity to learn to model complex systems in their current area of research.

Is there any recognition of completion?
Once your group turns in the final paper, we provide a Certificate of Completion. Abstracts from group projects are made available on SFI’s public website, unless groups request a temporary embargo.

Can I have a single room?
Each participant will have a private room with a private bathroom (en suite).

What is the venue at IAIA like?
IAIA gives the program a retreat-like atmosphere that provides participants with an opportunity to focus on pushing their ideas, research, and discussions further. IAIA's conference facilities are modern, offering participants multiple meeting rooms for collaborative work as well as large seminar spaces and informal meeting rooms. Food is provided by Bon Appetit, which uses locally sourced ingredients when possible.

I have dietary restrictions. How would that be handled?
We try our best to accommodate all dietary restrictions in the meals that are provided onsite at IAIA and SFI.

What does tuition cover?
Tuition covers room & board and course-related costs. Participants are responsible for securing travel funds, including any visa fees.

Is there financial assistance available?
After being accepted, participants seek their own funding for the program through their home institutions, departments, or third-party funding sources.
Here is a list of third-party funding sources that have been helpful for past participants. Please double-check that information is up to date.

Based on need, participants may apply for partial or full scholarships from SFI. To request a link to the application for financial assistance, accepted participants can email education@santafe.edu. Every application for financial assistance will need to demonstrate that the applicant has made an effort to obtain funding elsewhere.

Will I need a visa to attend?
Many CSSS participants can enter the United States under the visa waiver program (https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/). Please check the list of eligible countries.
Otherwise, participants seeking a visa can apply for a B-1 visa. Accompanying paperwork should note that CSSS is a “seminar series” or “scientific conference”. Avoiding the term “school” may help avoid confusion with opportunities that require a student visa.

Delays vary greatly in requesting visa appointments (up to a year); we recommend that you contact your local consulate as soon as you decide to apply to ensure that you will be able to schedule an appointment by the end of April.

SFI does not sponsor F- or J-series visas for CSSS participants.

I have been ACCEPTED and am applying for a visa waiver (i.e., ESTA). Who should I put as my point of contact?
In recent years, participants have provided the following information:
Santa Fe Institute
1399 Hyde Park Rd
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 984-8800

I have been ACCEPTED and am applying for a B-1 visa and have an appointment. Are there any additional documents I should bring?
Once you have accepted your invitation, we will reach out to you regarding next steps.

What are the typical GWCSS application dates?
The GWCSS application is typically open from late November through February. Please check the GWCSS program page in December for updates.

When will I hear about the status of my application?
We hope to notify all applicants by email regarding the status of their application by early April.

What are the typical GWCSS program dates?
The GWCSS runs for 2 weeks, typically in late June or July. Please check the GWCSS program page in December for updates.

What is the structure of the GWCSS?
The workshop includes:

• mentored practice in applying computational modeling methods to the participant's problem-of-interest
• individual project consultations with the directors
• structured project working time
• roughly 8 hours of formal, classroom instruction
• guest lectures
• time devoted to sharing projects with, and getting feedback from, fellow participants

Given the brevity of the program, one weekend day is typically dedicated to work and one weekend day is free.

What is the difference between the CSSS and the GWCSS? I am a social scientist.
The CSSS is a four-week program designed to give participants a broad overview of complexity science and exposure to people in many different fields. It is focused on lectures and transdisciplinary group projects. The CSSS has about 50 participants.

The GWCSS is a focused two-week program. It accepts 10 Ph.D. students working in the social sciences. There are lectures, but the majority of the program provides students with the opportunity to learn to model complex systems in their current area of research.

Can I have a single room? Will I have a roommate?
Each participant will have a private room, with a shared bathroom.

Is there financial assistance available?
After being accepted, participants seek their own funding for the program through their home institutions, departments, or third-party funding sources.

Based on need, participants may apply for partial or full scholarships from SFI. To request a link to the application for financial assistance, accepted participants can email education@santafe.edu. Every application for financial assistance will need to demonstrate that the applicant has made an effort to obtain funding elsewhere.

Will I need a visa to attend?
Many GWCSS participants can enter the United States under the visa waiver program (https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/). Please check the list of eligible countries.
Otherwise, participants seeking a visa can apply for a B-1 visa. Accompanying paperwork should note that GWCSS is a “seminar series” or “scientific conference”. Avoiding the term “school” may help avoid confusion with opportunities that require a student visa.

Delays vary greatly in requesting visa appointments (up to a year); we recommend that you contact your local consulate as soon as you decide to apply to ensure that you will be able to schedule an appointment by the end of April.

SFI does not sponsor F- or J-series visas for GWCSS participants.

I have been ACCEPTED and am applying for a visa waiver (i.e., ESTA). Who should I put as my point of contact?
In recent years, participants have provided the following information:
Santa Fe Institute
1399 Hyde Park Rd
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 984-8800

I have been ACCEPTED and am applying for a B-1 visa and have an appointment. Are there any additional documents I should bring?
Once you have accepted your invitation, we will reach out to you regarding next steps.

Who is an undergraduate according to the program requirements?
For the purposes of this program, an undergraduate student is a student who is enrolled in a degree program (part-time or full-time) leading to a baccalaureate or associate’s degree. Students transferring from one institution to another may participate, regardless of their enrollment status during the intervening summer. Students must be intending to enroll in at least one semester of undergraduate study following the program.

I am graduating in the spring, can I apply? I am graduating in September, can I apply?
No. Only students that are graduating from their undergraduate institution in December (or later) of the program year are eligible. Students must be returning for at least one semester of undergraduate study after the SFI UCR program ends in August.

I am enrolled in a dual degree program. Am I eligible to apply?
If you are enrolled in a dual degree program, such as an integrated B.Sc./M.Sc., you are eligible to apply if and only if you will be returning to the Bachelor's portion of your degree program for at least another semester following your summer in the UCR program. Typical B.Sc./M.Sc. programs allow completion of the Bachelors degree in three years, and thus students currently in their third year of the integrated degree would not be eligible to apply for the UCR program.

I am not an undergraduate student. Am I eligible to apply?
No. Only students who have begun their undergraduate studies and are enrolled in a two- or four-year, degree-granting program are eligible.

Interested individuals who have completed their undergraduate studies may want to view our other programs at santafe.edu/engage/learn/programs.

I am an international student. Can I apply?
Yes, international students – both those attending USA universities as well as those attending schools outside of the USA – may apply to the program. Applicants are welcome from any country. Please be aware that we have fewer positions available for international students due to the current funding structure of the program. Accepted applicants who are not US citizens or permanent residents will receive assistance with visas as appropriate to their individual circumstances.

Please be aware of the following: international students enrolled at US institutions should hold an F-1 visa, sponsored by their home institution. They will need to contact the international office at their home university to help arrange for CPT/OPT status.

My school ends after the start date. Can I start late?
We can only accept students who are able to start on the specified first day of the program. The first two weeks of the program are very important for orientation, including getting to meet potential mentors and starting to develop a summer research project. The chosen dates reflect our effort to balance academic calendars and activities scheduled at the Santa Fe Institute.

If a student who is accepted can work out a schedule with their professor(s) to turn in a final paper remotely, or take a final exam at SFI, we would be happy to provide whatever support is needed to enable this, such as an exam proctor and/or private work space.

What are the typical UCR application dates?
The UCR application is typically open from late October to early January. Please check the UCR program page in late October or November for updates.

When will I hear about the status of my application?
We hope to notify all applicants by email regarding the status of their application in March.

Can I upload an unofficial transcript from my university?
Yes, an unofficial transcript issued by your college or university that lists all of your past and current courses, including grades/marks, will satisfy the application requirement. We do not require official transcripts. If the transcript is not in English, please add a cover page to the transcript document/PDF with an informal translation of the transcript in English for the reviewers.

I've already submitted my application, and have updates regarding my grades and/or coursework. Can I still submit these after the deadline?
No, please do not send us any additional transcripts, grades, or other coursework updates after the application deadline. Material received after the deadline will not be reviewed.

For the fields of study question on the application should I select the one I’m majoring in or the ones I am interested in?
Select the field(s) most closely associated with your degree program (e.g., major and minor fields of study). Do not select fields that you think are interesting or that sound cool but in which you have not taken college-level courses.
 
How do I determine which math topics to select on the application? I have taken some non-credit courses.
Select the math topics for which you have received a passing grade in coursework. If you have taken courses not-for-credit, but completed all of the assignments and would have passed, you can select the applicable box. If the classes were taken not-for-credit and you did not complete assignments, or would not have passed, then the box should not be selected.

Do I have to do the project that I suggest in my research statement for the applications?
Accepted students will not be held to the research proposals they described in their application. Accepted students will have a chance to meet with many researchers at SFI to discuss project ideas and explore possibilities. Mentors will help develop a project that is interesting and on which progress can be made during the 10-week program.
 
How specific does my project proposal have to be? I am concerned about the 1-page limit.
One goal of this section of the application is to get an approximate idea of what types of questions or projects a student might be interested in undertaking – or what techniques or skills they might like to use. The project proposal should thus be specifically related to your interests, but it will not necessarily become the project you would work on if selected.

A second goal of this section is that we get an understanding of each applicant’s skills at thinking logically about research. It is not expected that an applicant has prior research experience or that they are an expert at experimental design. We would, however, like to see that an applicant is thinking about questions and approaches in a logical way; that the question/problem they are interested in could be addressed by the general method proposed. For these reasons, specificity in both defining the question of interest and the possible approach is good.

We do not need to know the name of the algorithm, exactly what model, etc., but we would like to know that the project would develop an algorithm that finds “X” to measure “Y”, or that a model that incorporates interactions between “A”, “B” and “C” would be used to determined the effects on “D”, as well a logical justification of how that answers the question you are interested in.

Example 1 - It would be fine for an applicant to say that they are interested in developing and applying machine learning classifiers, even if they do not have any opinions or preferences about what type of data they would be working with. In such a methods-based example, it would be helpful for the applicant to describe an example of a similar project that they have heard about and what they find especially exciting or interesting about that project or about the method in general, and what they would like to learn from such a project.

Example 2 - It would be fine for an applicant to say that they are interested in understanding how social media influences people's choices of Netflix shows and that they might want to measure this through a data science/statistics approach, looking at a few variables and measuring correlations. It would not be expected that the applicant knows what datasets are available, how to analyze text data, or what statistical tests would be best.
These examples should give a sense of the level of detail expected and how this section should fit within the 1-page limit.

Who should I ask to be a recommender?
Please follow the instructions in the application. Your recommender should be a professor, mentor, or advisor who knows you and your work well.

What are the typical UCR program dates?
The UCR program usually runs from early June through the middle of August. Please check the UCR program page in November for updates.

Can you describe the UCR program?
It has become increasingly vital for students across the sciences to gain computational and mathematical skills: the ability to translate real-world systems into quantitative models, carry out computational experiments, analyze these experiments using statistics, and compare results with real-world data.

Students need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of multiple types of models — such as differential equations, discrete stochastic processes, and agent-based simulations — and judge which are useful for a given scientific question.

At the same time, there is the need to combine these quantitative techniques with knowledge about specific systems in order to address the most important questions of the 21st century. The SFI UCR program is designed to empower students to achieve these goals through an exchange of quantitative techniques and specific knowledge.

Can you describe the interaction with other UCRs in the program?
The UCRs form a tight-knit and supportive community, facilitated by living together in a campus setting and participating in a variety of social activities. Students are encouraged to, and in practice do, support each other in their research and in their lives. Given the transdisciplinary nature of the program, students leverage their respective strengths: a math major might help with a complex calculation; a computer science major might help code an algorithm; and a social science major might help transform and analyze experimental data.

Are there courses or materials I should review before attending the program?
Prior to their SFI residency, students are expected to complete the online course Introduction to Complexity available on SFI’s Complexity Explorer at no cost.

Is there a list of potential mentors?
No. However, mentors will include members of our Resident Faculty and Postdoctoral Fellows.  

Their information can be found here: https://www.santafe.edu/people/type/researcher

Applicants should not try to select a mentor now. Students selected for the program will have an opportunity to meet the available mentors during the first week of the program.

Can I have a single room?
Each participant will have a private room with a private bathroom (en suite).

Will the UCR program help pay for my gas if I bring my car?
Van transportation is provided to the UCR cohort for workday/weekday travel to and from the IAIA campus to the SFI campuses. We do not reimburse for personal travel in and around Santa Fe. UCR students who drive to Santa Fe from their home or other location (e.g., instead of air travel), will be eligible for reimbursement of mileage up to the reimbursable limit.

I have dietary restrictions. How would that be handled?
We try our best to accommodate all dietary restrictions in the meals that are provided onsite at IAIA and SFI.

Will I have to pay for any of my travel costs?
In general, the support we offer covers roundtrip travel, including economical ground transportation and airfare, but NOT meals.