Funding Opportunities

Fellowships

 John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program

The application deadline for the 2027 Knauss Fellowship is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources.

The fellowship is funded through the National Sea Grant College Program and administered through individual state Sea Grant programs. Knauss Fellows spend a year in marine policy-related positions in the legislative and executive branches of the federal government in Washington, D.C. Past fellows have worked in the offices of U.S. Senators and Representatives, on Congressional subcommittees and at agencies, such as the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. View flier.

2027 Knauss fellows will be provided an annual stipend of $74,700 (subject to tax). Additionally, fellows will receive $5,000 for allowable expenses. (Allowable expenses could include, but are not limited to, relocation prior to and following the fellowship, academic tuition, journal publication fees, academic- and fellowship-related travel, conferences fees, online trainings and workshops).

Eligibility requirements include the following:

  • Students must be a U.S. citizen, a Green Card holder or a U.S. dual national.
  • Students must be enrolled toward a degree in a graduate program at any point between the onset of the 2025 Fall Term (quarter, trimester, semester, etc.) and June 3, 2026.
  • The graduate degree must be through an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or U.S. territories.
  • Students must have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. This may include meteorology, data science, engineering, national security issues (e.g. water security, food security), law, coastal and marine science, and other interests.

Fellowships run from June 1, 2027, to May 31, 2028. Get full details about the fellowship or read what recent fellows are saying in the Knauss blog. View or download the fellowship flier.

Applications must include:

  • CV (two-page maximum).
  • Personal education and career development response. (Follow the prompts as described in the federal announcement.)
  • List of relevant coursework and future year plans.
  • Two letters of recommendation.
  • Current graduate transcript or other proof of eligible enrollment.
  • List of student current and pending support and a list of other fellowships and/or internships applied for.

The following items contain detailed information, guidelines and tips for applying: