What is postulancy?

Canon III.8.2 (a) says that "Postulancy is a time, no less than six months in length, for exploration of and decision on the Postulant's call to the Priesthood." If all goes well, postulancy is followed by candidacy, which must also last at least six months, and ordination to the diaconate, which can be followed by ordination to the priesthood after no less than six months. My period of postulancy is probably going to last a year. During that time I'll be on a research fellowship at a university located in the see city of another diocese. The Bishop hopes that I will be able to do field education at the Cathedral there, and I may also try to do a quarter of Clinical Pastoral Education during that time as well.