ARIN Fellowship Program Terms and Conditions

1. Eligibility to Apply

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 never 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.

Fellows are only eligible to participate in two Fellowship Programs.

2. Program Description

Internet number resource policy is, like other areas of Internet governance, powered by community participation. To encourage and foster new voices and active members within the ARIN region community, the ARIN Fellowship Program provides a specialized, interactive learning opportunity to individuals interested in these aspects of Internet operations and their professional growth alongside it. 

Fellows are selected twice a year to participate in the multiweek program leading up to an ARIN Public Policy and Members Meeting (the “Meeting”). Fellows receive an in-depth, expert-guided introduction to the workings of the ARIN organization and Policy Development Process (PDP), along with opportunities for networking and direct participation in the PDP. 

With the personal support of a Mentor from the ARIN community, Fellows progress through an engaging and approachable agenda of presentations, discussions, and Q&As with ARIN leadership — including ARIN staff and Advisory Council members. The sessions provide an overview of Internet number resource policy and its development, ARIN services and operations, and the Internet Number Registry System.

Fellows have the opportunity to ask questions, get feedback, and gain the knowledge and confidence to join in community discussions, propose new ideas, and become part of the future of Internet governance and policy in the ARIN region. Fellows should anticipate spending a few additional hours outside of the sessions reading materials and preparing for group discussions.

3. Attendance

The ARIN Fellowship Program begins with a series of virtual sessions before the Meeting. Fellows will be selected to attend the Meeting either virtually or in person at the discretion of the Fellowship Selection Committee.

Fellows attending the Meeting in person must attend all virtual sessions in order to have ARIN pay for travel and accommodations to the Meeting.

Regardless of whether Fellows participate virtually or in person, Fellows will be provided a schedule based on their participation method and are expected to attend all the events identified as mandatory. Failure to do so may result in a Fellow being ineligible to reapply for a future Fellowship.

4. Transportation and Lodging

Fellows attending the Meeting in person must agree to the following transportation and lodging guidelines:

• Air travel will be booked and paid for by ARIN. Fellows must adhere to ARIN’s deadline for schedule confirmation and the Fit for ARIN Travel Policy (see #7). All travel will be economy class. ARIN will not reimburse for pre-purchased food and/or beverage coupons, airport lounge accommodations, ticket upgrades and/or accommodations, or other travel amenities. See #6 for information on travel allowances.

• ARIN will not purchase any international travel tickets until all necessary travel documents, including passport or visas, are in the Fellow’s possession and ARIN has received PDF copies of these documents. If a Fellow is unable to obtain all necessary travel documents at the posted program deadline, then the Fellow will be required to participate at the Meeting virtually rather than in person or request that their application be deferred and reconsidered for a future meeting.

• Airfare must be purchased by ARIN at the posted deadline. There are no exceptions, and failure to adhere to this deadline may result, at ARIN’s sole and absolute discretion, in revocation of the Fellowship or nonpayment of any of the Fellow’s travel and hotel expenses.

• Hotel accommodations will be arranged by ARIN in the Meeting venue hotel. The cost of a standard room and applicable taxes will be billed to the ARIN Master Account. Fellows are responsible for any incidental room charges (including telephone calls, room service, Internet connectivity, etc.) and will be required to provide a credit card upon check-in. Debit cards are accepted at most hotels in lieu of a credit card; however, when using a debit card, be advised a hotel incidental authorization amount will be pulled from your account immediately and can take anywhere from five to 10 business days from checkout to go back into your account. For questions or concerns, please email [email protected].

5. Inclement Weather and Flight Cancellations

In the event of inclement weather, ARIN cannot be held accountable for flight delays and/or cancellations. In the event an airline will not work with a Fellow to rebook a delayed or canceled flight and/or help to arrange for hotel accommodations, the Fellow should contact ARIN’s Volunteer Support Specialist immediately for assistance. ARIN will work with the Fellow to attempt to arrange necessary flight and/or hotel accommodations. ARIN cannot be held accountable for flights that have been canceled due to mechanical and/or other unforeseen issues. In these events, the Fellow should work directly with the airline for new flight and/or hotel accommodations. Fellows must also notify ARIN immediately at [email protected] of travel disruptions that prevent on-time attendance at Public Policy and Members Meetings.

6. Allowances

Fellows participating in person will have the following travel allowance guidelines to offset reasonable individual expenses such as meals not covered by ARIN, reasonable ground transportation, baggage fees, and other related expenses. Stipends will be issued by check or wired in advance to each Fellow in the amount of US$350.00.

ARIN is charged for each wire transfer it attempts; therefore, if a Fellow requests their stipend to be wired, ARIN will make ONE attempt to wire the Fellow’s stipend. The Fellow must verify the Beneficiary Account and Bank Information with their bank before submitting a stipend form. If a wire is rejected, ARIN will work with the Fellow to make alternative arrangements but cannot guarantee the stipend will arrive before departure.

A Fellow may incur and be responsible for expenses other than what may be covered by a stipend. ARIN does not take responsibility for covering all expenses related to travel and attendance.

7. Fit for ARIN Travel Policy

Updated 21 February 2023

In order to engage in ARIN-sponsored travel to an in-person ARIN event, ARIN Fellows participating in person are required to self-certify as “Fit for ARIN Travel.”

Prior to making any arrangements, all Fellows who wish to travel to an ARIN Public Policy and Members Meeting must complete a document provided by the ARIN Human Resources and Administration Department. This document will be valid for no more than 12 months.

Certifying as “Fit for ARIN Travel” means that the individual:

• Understands the risks involved in traveling;
• Has not been advised by their health care provider to refrain from traveling;
• Is not aware of any condition where traveling will adversely affect their health or put them at unreasonable risk;
• Will not travel if they test positive or experience symptoms of a communicable disease;
• Agrees to research and be reasonably informed of the destination specific recommendations and requirements prior to travel (e.g., travel health notices and vaccine requirements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and will comply with the local requirements and laws of the destination;
• Will not be violating any applicable governmental requirements (including but not limited to requirements for vaccinations), prohibitions, or orders by traveling; and
• Will have a continuing obligation to update ARIN if any of the above statements are no longer true.

8. Additional Required Travel Documents

ARIN is not responsible for obtaining passports or visas for Fellows or any costs incurred by Fellows applying for and obtaining a passport or visas. Upon request, ARIN will provide a form invitation letter in order to fulfill visa requirements.

In cases of international travel, a Fellow acknowledges they are responsible for checking all requirements set forth by their country and destination country to ensure they are in compliance with those countries’ requirements, including but not limited to proof of COVID-19 vaccination required before traveling. Note that a country may require a traveler to have at least six months remaining on their travel document(s) before it expires at the conclusion of the planned travel. 

9. Personal Safety

The health and well-being of our community members and staff is a top priority for ARIN. We continue to follow official guidance from national and local governments regarding COVID-19 response measures. ARIN is not responsible for the personal health, safety, or belongings of the Fellow but works in partnership with the Meeting venue to provide a healthy environment. ARIN will work with all Fellows if any medical issues arise during their travel.

10. Deferment

In the event a selected Fellow cannot attend the Meeting either virtually or in person due to unforeseen and/or emergency circumstances, they may still participate in the Meeting virtually (if able), and/or submit a written deferment request. ARIN will evaluate the request and may elect to resubmit the Fellow’s application for consideration by the Fellowship Selection Committee for the next ARIN Public Policy and Members Meeting.

11. Program Evaluation

Fellows are required to complete a post-Meeting survey of their experience within 10 days of completion. Fellows who do not complete the survey will be ineligible to reapply for a future Fellowship. 

12. Mentorship Program

Members of the ARIN Advisory Council and seasoned community members serve as Mentors to provide advice, share their experience, and answer questions to help facilitate Fellows’ transition into the ARIN community. Mentors are assigned prior to the program’s start. During the Fellowship sessions, each mentor and their Fellows will have weekly breakout room discussions to deeply examine ARIN’s processes and operations and learn how to prepare for the upcoming Public Policy and Members Meeting.

13. Publicity

ARIN requires a recent photo of each Fellow for promotional use. Fellows agree to have their name, affiliation, and place of origin announced on the ARIN website, ARIN social media accounts, and email list announcements. A Fellow who prefers that their photo not be used must notify ARIN in writing by emailing [email protected] as soon as possible. Portions of Fellows’ post-meeting summaries may be used in public promotional messaging by ARIN and published with the Fellow’s name and photo. A Fellow who prefers that their summary content remain anonymous must notify ARIN in writing by emailing [email protected] at the time of submission.  Fellows are encouraged to contribute a guest post to the ARIN Blog to more formally share their experience with the wider community.

Failure to Comply with Terms and Conditions

Please note that if a Fellow fails to comply with any one of the above-mentioned Terms and Conditions of the ARIN Fellowship Program, ARIN reserves the right to determine the appropriate course of action.