Cornell University Predoctoral Fellowship 2026: Explore the CIDER Research Opportunity

Cornell University CIDER Predoctoral Research Fellowship Program offers aspiring researchers an opportunity to gain one to three years of intensive research experience and professional development before potentially pursuing a PhD.

Hosted by the Collaboration for International Development Economics Research (CIDER) at Cornell University, the programme connects fellows with multiple CIDER faculty members and exposes them to research projects, seminars, technical training, conferences, coursework and professional networking.

The programme may be particularly relevant to candidates interested in development economics, agricultural economics, political economy, environmental economics and related areas of applied research.

Cornell CIDER Predoctoral Research Fellowship Program

About the Cornell CIDER Predoctoral Fellowship

CIDER stands for the Collaboration for International Development Economics Research and is part of Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business.

Its Predoctoral Research Fellowship Program is designed to provide participants with substantial research experience and professional development.

According to Cornell, fellows typically enter the programme because they are interested in eventually pursuing a PhD.

Unlike a short summer internship, the programme provides one to three years of research experience, allowing fellows to develop deeper research skills while working closely with Cornell academics.

What Does the CIDER Fellowship Offer?

A major feature of the programme is the opportunity to work with multiple core CIDER faculty members.

This approach gives fellows exposure to several research projects rather than restricting their experience to one narrow area.

Alongside practical research, fellows can participate in a catalogue of professional development opportunities that includes weekly seminars, technical training, conferences, audited coursework and networking.

The combination of research experience and academic development makes the programme particularly relevant to individuals preparing for competitive doctoral programmes.

Research Areas

The current fellows shown on Cornell’s CIDER page demonstrate the breadth of research interests represented within the programme.

These include development economics, applied economics, behavioral and experimental economics, agricultural economics, political economy, environmental and social justice, climate change, animal welfare, taxation, governance, decentralization, citizen participation, information economics and labor economics.

The exact research undertaken by an individual fellow will depend on their faculty supervisors and the projects available during their fellowship.

Candidates should therefore explore the work of CIDER faculty members when deciding whether the programme aligns with their research interests.

Who Should Consider the Fellowship?

Cornell describes the programme as providing research experience to individuals who are typically interested in pursuing a PhD.

This means it may be especially useful for candidates who want to strengthen their research profile before applying to doctoral programmes in economics or related disciplines.

A predoctoral fellowship can provide practical exposure to academic research, data-driven projects and research methodologies while allowing candidates to learn directly from established researchers.

However, the supplied Cornell programme page does not provide detailed eligibility requirements for a new 2026 application cycle.

It does not specify a minimum GPA, citizenship requirement, age limit, required degree classification or exact academic qualification for applicants.

Those conditions should not be invented or inferred from the profiles of current fellows.

Professional Development Opportunities

The programme goes beyond completing research assignments.

CIDER states that fellows supplement their practical research experience through a range of professional development activities.

These include weekly seminars, where fellows can engage with academic research and researchers; technical training, which can strengthen methodological skills; and conferences, providing exposure to broader academic communities.

Fellows may also have opportunities for audited coursework and networking.

These activities can be valuable for candidates considering doctoral study because they provide exposure to the academic environment before beginning a PhD.

Duration of the Cornell Predoctoral Fellowship

The programme provides between one and three years of research experience.

The exact duration for an individual fellowship is not specified on the supplied programme page.

This longer duration distinguishes the CIDER programme from conventional internships lasting only a few weeks or months.

It gives fellows more time to develop research competencies, work with faculty members and build experience that could support future doctoral applications.

Where Is the Fellowship Based?

Cornell’s CIDER programme is associated with the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business in Ithaca, New York.

The supplied programme page lists Cornell’s Ithaca address, but it does not explicitly provide working-location or remote-work terms for a new 2026 fellowship opening.

Therefore, the opportunity should not be advertised as remote or hybrid without a specific vacancy announcement confirming such an arrangement.

Candidates should check the individual recruitment notice when applications are announced.

Is the Cornell CIDER Predoctoral Fellowship Paid?

The supplied Cornell CIDER page does not state a salary, stipend or compensation package for the Predoctoral Research Fellowship Program.

It would therefore be inaccurate to advertise a particular salary or stipend amount based on this source alone.

Similarly, the supplied information does not confirm housing assistance, health insurance, relocation support, travel funding or visa sponsorship.

If Cornell publishes a specific recruitment announcement for new fellows, applicants should use that vacancy to determine the compensation and benefits attached to that particular appointment.

Current CIDER Predoctoral Fellows

Cornell’s programme page currently profiles several predoctoral fellows, demonstrating that the programme is active.

Current fellows listed include Chandrakant Agme, Salma Chaoui, Axel Schneider and Shubham Singh.

Their research interests cover areas ranging from development and agricultural economics to climate change, governance, taxation, information economics and political economy.

The programme page also shows examples of previous fellows progressing to doctoral studies.

Among the 2025 cohort, alumni listed by Cornell subsequently became PhD students at UC San Diego, Yale University and UC Davis.

While these examples demonstrate possible academic pathways, participation in the CIDER programme should not be interpreted as guaranteeing admission to a PhD programme.

Application Requirements

The supplied Cornell page does not contain a 2026 application form or list of required application documents.

For example, it does not confirm whether candidates must submit a CV, research statement, academic transcripts, recommendation letters or standardized test scores.

Applicants should therefore avoid relying on requirements from previous application cycles unless Cornell explicitly confirms that they apply to the current recruitment round.

The programme page provides CIDER’s contact information for candidates seeking further information.

How to Apply for the CIDER Research Opportunity

Candidates interested in the programme should monitor the official Cornell CIDER Predoctoral Research Fellowship page for recruitment information.

CIDER Predoctoral Research Fellowship Program

The official page also provides access to information about CIDER faculty, which prospective applicants can use to understand the programme’s research areas.

Explore CIDER Faculty and Staff

Candidates can also contact CIDER at the email address published on the programme page for programme-specific questions.

Application Deadline

The supplied Cornell CIDER page does not provide a 2026 application deadline.

More importantly, it does not explicitly state that applications for a new 2026 Predoctoral Research Fellowship intake are currently open.

For accuracy, the programme should therefore be described as a predoctoral research opportunity/programme to explore rather than claiming that a confirmed 2026 application call is open.

A specific deadline should only be published once it appears in an official Cornell recruitment announcement.

Quick Facts

Category	Details
Institution	Cornell University
Unit	Collaboration for International Development Economics Research (CIDER)
Programme	Predoctoral Research Fellowship Program
Type	Predoctoral research opportunity
Duration	1–3 years
Primary Focus	Research and professional development
PhD Preparation	Yes; typically targets those interested in pursuing a PhD
Faculty Collaboration	Multiple CIDER faculty
Weekly Seminars	Included
Technical Training	Included
Conferences	Included
Audited Coursework	Included
Networking	Included
Location	Associated with Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
Remote Option	Not stated
Salary/Stipend	Not stated on supplied page
2026 Eligibility Requirements	Not stated
2026 Application Deadline	Not stated
Applications Currently Open?	Not confirmed by supplied source

Final Thoughts

The Cornell University CIDER Predoctoral Research Fellowship Program is worth exploring for candidates considering future PhD study and seeking substantial research experience before beginning doctoral training.

Fellows can spend one to three years gaining hands-on research experience while working with multiple CIDER faculty members. Professional development opportunities include seminars, technical training, conferences, audited coursework and networking.

The current programme also demonstrates strong connections with research areas such as development economics, agricultural economics, political economy, behavioral economics, climate change and governance.

However, an important distinction should be maintained when publishing this opportunity: the supplied Cornell page describes the ongoing fellowship programme but does not contain a confirmed open 2026 application call, deadline, salary or detailed eligibility criteria.

A safer SEO headline would therefore be:

Cornell University Predoctoral Fellowship Program: Explore the CIDER Research Opportunity for Future PhD Candidates

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