What CDIP Offers

CSU Faculty Mentorship

Each Fellow works with a tenured or tenure-track CSU faculty mentor who provides guidance on completing the doctorate, developing as a teacher-scholar, and preparing for a faculty career.

Depending on the Fellow’s goals, mentorship activities may include collaboration on teaching, research, service, academic networking, and professional development.

Professional Development

CDIP provides professional-development opportunities designed to prepare Fellows for faculty careers in the CSU. Opportunities may include:

• Monthly webinars featuring CSU faculty
• Guidance on balancing teaching, research, and service
• Information about faculty recruitment, promotion, and tenure
• Workshops on teaching statements, cover letters, and academic job applications
• Practical strategies for effective and student-centered teaching

Competitive Grants and Awards

After joining CDIP, Fellows may apply for internal grants and awards that support their doctoral education and professional development.

Doctoral Education Support Grant

Up to $2,500 each year

This grant supports eligible academic and professional-development expenses, which may include:

• Professional-organization memberships
• Academic journal subscriptions
• Research materials and supplies
• Books, software, and other research-related resources
• Research-related travel

Conference Travel Award

Up to $1,500, up to twice per year

This award supports eligible expenses associated with participating in professional meetings, conferences, and workshops. Covered expenses may include:

• Professional-organization membership
• Conference registration
• Lodging
• Airfare

CSU faculty mentors may also be eligible for up to $1,500 in conference travel support when presenting with their CDIP Fellow.

Dissertation Award

Up to $5,000 as a one-time award

This award supports eligible CDIP Fellows who are completing the final stage of their dissertation.

Grant and award availability is subject to funding. Awards are competitive and are not guaranteed.

Optional Forgivable Loan

CDIP Fellows may apply for an optional institutional loan to help finance their doctoral education.

Loan forgiveness may be available after a Fellow:

1. Completes the doctoral degree; and
2. Obtains an eligible instructional faculty position within the CSU.

Loan forgiveness is not automatic. It occurs over time and is based on qualifying CSU instructional employment. Applicants should carefully review the loan’s repayment, forgiveness, and tax provisions before applying.

Learn about the CDIP loan and forgiveness requirements

Who is Eligible

Applicants must:

• Be applying to or currently enrolled in an accredited doctoral program in the United States; and
• Aspire to become a student-centered university faculty member.

Applicants must also identify a CSU faculty mentor who is tenured or in a tenure-track position at the time of application.

You do not need to be enrolled in a doctoral program at the time you apply for CDIP. Individuals who are currently applying to an eligible doctoral program may also apply.

Not Eligible

Probationary and tenured faculty members in the CSU are not eligible, regardless of their status in a doctoral program.

Application Requirements

A complete CDIP application includes the following components. Applicants should review all requirements and begin working with a CSU faculty mentor well before the application deadline.

1. Online Application Form

Complete the online application form with information such as:

• Name and contact information
• Current college or university
• Doctoral program and enrollment status
• Demographic information
• Other information requested by the CSU

Application Available January 2027

2. Three Essays

Submit three essays of 300–600 words each, using 12-point font. Each essay should provide specific examples and be understandable to readers outside your academic discipline.

Essay 1: Research Interests and Preparation

Describe the field of study you would like to pursue for your doctoral degree.

In your response, address the following:

• What specific research questions or theoretical perspectives interest you?
• What activities or achievements have helped you develop knowledge and skills related to these research interests?
• How have your previous academic, professional, or personal experiences prepared you to pursue this work?

Be specific about your interests, but use language that someone outside your discipline can understand.

Essay 2: Interest in a Faculty Career

Describe your interest in a faculty career serving a diverse student body and in working within a university system that centers inclusive excellence, student success, and social mobility.

In your response, address the following:

• What educational experiences have drawn you to a faculty career?
• What specific research, mentoring, or teaching activities interest you?
• How are these interests connected to your previous experiences?
• How have your experiences strengthened your ability to work with people from different backgrounds?

Include concrete examples of leadership or group activities in educational, research, employment, or community-service settings.

Essay 3: Collaborative Plan of Support

Describe how the teaching, research, and service activities in your Collaborative Plan of Support will prepare you to become a faculty member committed to helping students from diverse backgrounds achieve their aspirations.

In your response, address the following:

• What specific teaching, research, and service activities are included in your plan?
• How will your proposed mentorship activities prepare you for a faculty role in the CSU?
• What previous experiences provide a foundation for your Collaborative Plan of Support?
• How will the duration and sequence of the proposed activities help you develop the skills needed for a CSU faculty position?

Include concrete examples of collaborative activities you plan to complete with your CSU faculty mentor.

3. Curriculum Vitae

Submit a current curriculum vitae of no more than four pages, using 12-point font.

Your CV should highlight the education and experiences that demonstrate your preparation for and commitment to a faculty career. Include the following sections, as applicable:

• Education: Degrees earned or currently in progress
• Research and Scholarship: Research experience, presentations, publications, works in progress, or research assistantships
• Teaching: Teaching assistantships, instructional experience, tutoring, or supplemental instruction
• Service and Leadership: Student leadership, campus involvement, professional service, or community service
• Awards and Honors: Scholarships, fellowships, academic honors, or other relevant recognition
• Professional Experience: Employment or other experiences relevant to your scholarly, teaching, or professional development

4. Collaborative Plan of Support

Each applicant must identify a full-time, tenured or tenure-track CSU faculty member to serve as their mentor.

The applicant and mentor must jointly develop a Collaborative Plan of Support, or CPS. The plan should explain how they will work together to prepare the applicant for a faculty career in the CSU.

Areas of Faculty Development

The Collaborative Plan of Support should include specific activities and timelines for each year of the proposed mentorship. Activities should address the following three areas:

• Teaching: Examples may include co-developing a syllabus, observing or assisting with a course, participating in teaching workshops, or developing skills in accessible and inclusive pedagogy.
• Research and Scholarly Activities: Examples may include collaborative research, publications, conference presentations, dissertation-related activities, or grant development.
• Service and Leadership: Examples may include mentoring students, participating in professional organizations, serving on committees, or contributing to community-engaged projects.

Applicants and mentors are encouraged to connect their planned activities to relevant CDIP opportunities, such as the:

• Doctoral Education Support Grant
• Conference Travel Award
• Dissertation Award
• Optional CDIP loan

What the Plan Should Demonstrate

A strong Collaborative Plan of Support should demonstrate:

• Clear and consistent communication between the applicant and mentor
• Meaningful collaboration in teaching, research, and service
• Specific and realistic annual activities
• Milestones aligned with the applicant’s progress through the doctoral program
• Familiarity with the CSU’s mission, governance, and expectations for tenure-track faculty
• A clear connection between the proposed activities and the applicant’s faculty career goals

Faculty Mentor Statement

The Collaborative Plan of Support must include a brief statement from the faculty mentor addressing the applicant’s potential to become a successful CSU faculty member.

The mentor may include this statement in their letter of recommendation.

Finding a CSU Faculty Mentor

Applicants who need assistance identifying a potential mentor are encouraged to contact a CDIP campus coordinator. Applicants may identify an eligible faculty mentor from any of the 22 CSU campuses.

Contact the Graduate Excellence and Engagement Program at geep@csus.edu

Sample Collaborative Plans of Support

Applicants and mentors may use the following examples to help develop their plan. The samples should be used as guides rather than templates that must be followed exactly.

Sample 1

• View Collaborative Plan of Support Sample 1—PDF

Sample 2

• View Collaborative Plan of Support Sample 2—PDF

5. Two Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required.

• One letter must be written by the applicant’s proposed CSU faculty mentor.
• The letters should address the applicant’s preparation, potential for doctoral success, and promise as a future faculty member.
• The CSU faculty mentor’s letter may also include the required statement about the applicant’s potential to become a successful CSU faculty member.

Recommendation-letter deadline: February 26, 2027. In the Chancellor's Office application, you will provide emails for each faculty and they will contact them via Smartsheet to complete the application.

Application Checklist

Before submitting your application, confirm that you have completed or arranged for all required components:

• Online application form
• Three essays of 300–600 words each
• Current CV of no more than four pages
• Collaborative Plan of Support developed with your CSU faculty mentor
• Two letters of recommendation, including one from your CSU faculty mentor

How to Apply: A Two-Step Process

The Chancellor's Doctoral Incentive Program (CDIP) application process includes an optional Sacramento State campus review and a required final submission to the CSU Chancellor's Office.

Optional Step 1: Submit Your Materials for Sacramento State Review

Applicants are encouraged to submit their application materials to the Graduate Excellence & Engagement Program by Sacramento State's internal deadline.

The Sacramento State Diversity Awards Committee will review submitted materials and provide feedback to help applicants strengthen their applications before the CSU Chancellor's Office deadline. Participation in the campus review process is optional but offers applicants an opportunity to receive constructive feedback and enhance the competitiveness of their application before final submission.

Sacramento State internal deadline: January 15, 2027Submit Materials for Sac State Internal Review

Step 2: Revise and Submit to the CSU Chancellor’s Office

After receiving feedback from the Sacramento State Diversity Awards Committee, applicants should:

1. Review the committee’s recommendations.
2. Make appropriate revisions to their application materials.
3. Submit the final application through the CSU Chancellor’s Office Smartsheet system.
4. Confirm that all required materials, including the two recommendations, are submitted by the applicable deadlines.

Applicants are responsible for submitting their final materials through Smartsheet. Submitting materials to Sacramento State does not automatically submit the application to the Chancellor’s Office.

CSU Chancellor’s Office deadline: February 12, 2027
Submit Official Application to CSU Chancellor’s Office

How Applications Are Evaluated

Applicants will be selected based on five major criteria: doctoral field of study interests and plans, doctoral field of study preparation experiences, faculty career interests and plans, faculty career preparation and plans, and commitment to collaboration and preparation with CSU faculty mentor.

• Doctoral Field of Study Interest and Plans: Applicant clearly describes interests in a specialized field of doctoral study, with clear plans for doctoral program development for funding and chosen research questions or theoretical perspectives. (Source of Evidence—Essay Q1, LORs)
• Doctoral Field of Study Preparation Experiences: Applicants clearly describe specific and relevant past experiences that developed their research interests and will support their success in the desired field of study. (Source of Evidence- Essay Q1, LORs, CV)
• Faculty Career Interests and Plans: Applicant clearly describes intentions to earn a doctorate to become a faculty member in alignment with the teacher-scholar model and serve a diverse student body. (Sources of Evidence-Essay Q2, LORs, CV)
• Faculty Career Preparation and Plans: Applicant demonstrates a strong commitment to developing interpersonal skills needed to support success in a faculty career path. (Sources of Evidence-Essay Q2, LORs, CV, CPS)
• Commitment to Collaboration and Preparation with CSU Faculty Mentor: Applicant demonstrates a strong commitment to developing research, teaching, and service skills needed to effectively prepare for success in a faculty career path that aligns with the teacher-scholar model and serves a diverse student body. (Sources of Evidence-Essay Q3, CPS(growth over time), LORs)

Ready to Apply

Application Open for 2027-2028 Cohort

Begin early so that your application can be reviewed before the Chancellor’s Office deadline.

Your Next Steps

1. Review the current eligibility and application requirements.
2. Contact the Sacramento State program coordinator with questions.
3. Identify and meet with a Sacramento State faculty mentor.
4. Prepare your required application materials.
5. Submit your materials to Sacramento State by the internal deadline.
6. Review the Diversity Awards Committee’s feedback and revise your materials.
7. Submit your final application through the Chancellor’s Office Smartsheet system by the CSU deadline.

Sacramento State internal deadline: January 15, 2027

Submit Materials for Sac State Internal Review

CSU Chancellor’s Office deadline: February 12, 2027

Submit Official Application to CSU Chancellor’s Office

Program contact: geep@csus.edu

Learn more about CDIP through the CSU Chancellor's Office