Fiscal Year 2027 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship

The National Sea Grant College Program, administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), was established in 1966 and amended in 2020 to leverage partnerships between federal and state entities to address coastal community challenges and opportunities. One of the most prominent programs under this initiative is the Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, which was initiated in 1979 to fulfill Sea Grant’s educational mandate. This fellowship aims to provide graduate and professional students with firsthand educational and professional experience in national policy decisions affecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources by placing them in legislative or executive offices in the Washington, D.C. area. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), titled the “National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship,” invites eligible Sea Grant programs to apply on behalf of graduate students for the 2027 fellowship year. NOAA anticipates funding at least 35 applicants, with each award totaling $97,200. Of this amount, $74,700 supports the fellow’s salary or stipend, while $5,000 may be used for allowable expenses such as academic tuition, training, or publication fees. An additional $17,500 is designated for travel and placement-related costs. Indirect costs are not allowed under this fellowship. The fellowship duration is 12 months, with a start date between February 1 and June 1, 2027, and an end date no later than June 30, 2028. These awards are non-renewable and must comply with the performance period restrictions. Students eligible to apply must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents and be enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program between the Fall 2025 academic term and June 3, 2026. The degree must be conferred by an accredited U.S. institution. Interested students must apply through the Sea Grant program in the state where their institution is located. If no such program exists, students must contact the Knauss Fellowship Program Manager for a referral to an eligible Sea Grant program, which must be included in the application. Applicants must be prepared to relocate to the National Capital Region and must not make arrangements with host offices prior to placement week. Reapplication is limited and contingent on prior finalist status and approval from the NSGO Fellowships Manager. The application process is multi-tiered and begins with the student submitting materials—including CVs, responses to specific prompts about education and career development, future coursework plans, and two letters of recommendation—to their respective Sea Grant programs by June 3, 2026. Sea Grant programs will conduct internal reviews, select eligible candidates, and submit Letters of Intent (LOIs) with attestation documents to NOAA by July 8, 2026. Final applications, including a recommendation letter from the Sea Grant director, must be submitted by the Sea Grant program to Grants.gov and accepted by eRA Commons by July 22, 2026. Applications are evaluated at both state and national levels, with up to 110 points allocated across various components, including the applicant’s educational background, leadership experiences, and overall application cohesion. Letters of recommendation and the Sea Grant director’s endorsement also carry significant weight. Final selection of fellows will be made based on rank-order evaluations and selection factors such as geographic distribution and institutional diversity. Finalists will be notified in September 2026, and placement into legislative or executive cohorts will follow based on preferences and recommendations. Post-award, fellows are expected to submit mid-year and final performance reports to their home Sea Grant program. They must comply with all federal laws, including health insurance requirements and background checks, and maintain standards of professional conduct. The fellowship is a prestigious and immersive opportunity for graduate students to contribute meaningfully to marine policy development at the national level.

Submit early due to common formatting rejections; follow narrative and file structure exactly; interviews required at state level for director letter.