General
What are my responsibilities as a participant?
Seminar participants are required to attend the full schedule of events and to engage fully in projects. Participants are provided with a list of readings and are required to complete them prior to the seminar. Participants who do not complete the seminar will not receive the travel reimbursement or, for those traveling internationally or from Alaska or Hawaii, the travel stipend. At the seminar's end, participants are required to submit evaluations reviewing their seminar work and assessing the seminar's value to their personal and professional development.
Where do participants live during the program?
Participants usually live in campus dormitories. Participants will usually have their own bedroom but may share common living spaces and/or bathrooms. Please read about individual seminars for additional information on housing.
Housing is provided only for the duration of the seminar. We realize some participants will have to arrive a day early or stay a day late; participants are responsible for arranging and paying for housing on those days.
Can family and friends participate?
We are unable to accommodate family and friends.
Can I commute to the Teacher Seminar?
Yes. Residence is not required. Applicants applying on a day basis are at no disadvantage during the selection process.
Can I defer my acceptance to next year?
No, we cannot defer your position. We encourage you to apply again, but cannot guarantee your acceptance at a later time.
Application and Deadlines
What is the application deadline?
Teacher Seminar applications need to be received by Monday, February 18, 2019. Affiliate School registrations must also be approved by this date for teachers to be eligible to apply.
Should I include a letter of recommendation or other materials with my application?
Due to the high volume of applications received, our committee is unable to review additional materials. All selections are based solely on the online application.
How are participants selected?
A selection committee composed of educators and administrators evaluates all applications. The selection committee looks for applicants who demonstrate a strong interest in American history, a commitment to growth and progress in the teaching profession, and an ability to translate new knowledge and materials into effective classroom teaching.
When will I be notified whether or not I have been selected?
On March 15, 2019, seminar notifications will be available by logging in to your account at www.gilderlehrman.org/seminar-status. You will not receive an email notification. Successful applicants will be directed to additional information and registration instructions through their online accounts.
The only email you will receive from the Gilder Lehrman Institute will be a confirmation email when your application is complete. No information concerning the status of an application will be available prior to the official notification date. Please wait to review your status through your online account before contacting the Gilder Lehrman Institute.
Eligibility
Who is eligible to apply to the Gilder Lehrman Teacher Seminars?
- Full-time K–12 teachers, principals, and librarians from schools in our Affiliate School Program may apply for Teacher Seminars. If your school is not an Affiliate School, you will be directed to a combined application form.
- Curriculum specialists and district supervisors may apply for Teacher Seminars as long as one of the schools you work with is in our Affiliate School Program. If your school is not an Affiliate School, you will be directed to a combined application form.
- National Park Service (NPS) interpreters are also eligible and are encouraged to apply.
- New participants as well as previous participants are eligible. Alumni can apply every year, even if they attended the previous year.
When making your seminar choices, please read descriptions carefully to ensure that the seminar is appropriate for your subject and grade level.
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications from part-time educators, home-school teachers, substitute teachers, or historical re-enactors.
Are Teacher Seminars just for history teachers?
Teacher Seminars are open to teachers of all subjects, school librarians, and National Park Service interpreters.
Can more than one teacher apply from a given school or institution?
Yes, teachers from the same school may attend different Gilder Lehrman seminars. One goal of our seminars is to encourage the dissemination of information through teachers attending different seminars. We encourage you and your colleagues to share information and experiences upon your return home.
Can I attend more than one seminar?
You may make up to three seminar selections on your application; successful applicants can only attend one program.
Costs and credits
What expenses am I responsible for?
Applicants will be charged a nonrefundable $50 registration fee upon officially accepting their place in a Teacher Seminar.
Accepted participants will receive a list of readings and will be asked to purchase the reading materials (not to exceed $50) before the seminar.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute reimburses for travel up to $400 (or provides a $500 travel stipend for participants traveling internationally or from Hawaii or Alaska). Participants are responsible for any travel expenses that exceed that amount.
What expenses does the Gilder Lehrman Institute pay for?
The Gilder Lehrman Institute provides room and board for the week.
Participants will be reimbursed for travel expenses up to $400 upon completion of the seminar. Seminar participants must submit a reimbursement form accompanied by receipts. For participants traveling internationally or from Alaska or Hawaii, a travel stipend of $500 will be provided in lieu of reimbursement. Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to and from the seminar. Participants should be prepared to pay for all personal expenses.
Please note that we are unable to provide supplemental funding in cases where the travel reimbursement is insufficient to cover all travel expenses. For more details on our reimbursement policy, please click here.
Teacher Seminars are open to independent school teachers on a shared-funding basis.
What if I decide to withdraw? Can I get a refund of my registration fee?
After registering, you may withdraw from a seminar but your registration fee will not be refunded.
Can I earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or Professional Development Points (PDPs)?
Gilder Lehrman Teacher Seminars are generally eligible for CEU and PDP credits, but it is your responsibility to verify eligibility with your school administration or state PD office. If you need more information to determine eligibility than is available on the Teacher Seminars page, please email us at seminars@gilderlehrman.org.
Can I receive graduate credit?
At this time, we are not able to offer graduate credit for our Teacher Seminars. We hope to offer graduate credit for our seminars in the near future; in the meantime, you may wish to consider taking courses in the Pace-Gilder Lehrman Institute Online MA in American History program.
Technology
Should I bring a laptop?
All participants should plan to bring their own laptop computers to complete seminar projects. While some colleges have computer clusters available, many do not.
Will there be Internet access?
Yes, all sites have Internet access, but you may need to provide your own cables; some sites have wireless Internet access.
Do you have questions not answered here? Email us at seminars@gilderlehrman.org.