John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship

Benefits & funding

• Award of $79,700 per fellow: $74,700 covers salary, stipend and personnel costs for the twelve months, and $5,000 covers allowable expenses such as tuition, publication fees and professional development.
• $2,500 toward travel during the placement process.
• Up to $15,000 toward travel related to the host office.
• Total support per fellow reaches $97,200.
• A one-year placement in a federal agency or a congressional office in Washington, D.C., alongside a national cohort of Sea Grant fellows.
• Health insurance is not provided as a federal benefit. Fellows arrange their own coverage and must comply with Affordable Care Act individual mandate rules.

Eligibility

• Open to students enrolled toward a graduate or professional degree, for example a Master, PhD or JD, at any point between the start of the 2025 Fall term and the cycle deadline. Each state Sea Grant program publishes the cut-off date that applies to its applicants.
• The degree must be awarded by an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or a US territory.
• Applicants must be US citizens (born or naturalized), US lawful permanent residents (green card holders), or dual nationals holding US citizenship.
• Applicants must show a clear interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting them.
• Fellows must be prepared to relocate to the Washington, D.C. area for the fellowship year.
• Applicants must be able to pass a federal background security check.
• The fellowship is a one-time opportunity. Past national finalists and past fellows may not apply again without written permission from the National Sea Grant Office fellowships manager.
• No age limit and no work experience requirement are stated.

Application process

1. 1
   Identify the state Sea Grant program that covers the university where you study, and read its current call.
2. 2
   Contact that program early. Several offer interviews or draft feedback before submission, and deadlines differ from state to state.
3. 3
   Prepare the package: graduate transcripts, a curriculum vitae of up to two pages, a personal education and career development statement of about 1,500 words, a one-page summary of relevant coursework and plans for the coming year, and two letters of recommendation of up to two pages each.
4. 4
   Submit through the state program’s portal before its stated local deadline. For the 2027 class these deadlines ran from 3 June to 1 July 2026.
5. 5
   The state program reviews applications and nominates a limited number to the national competition. Virginia Sea Grant, for example, forwards up to six.
6. 6
   A national review panel selects finalists. Finalists are notified and then confirm their participation.
7. 7
   Finalists interview with prospective host offices during placement week and are matched to an executive or legislative position.

Program timeline

1. Earliest state Sea Grant deadlines for the 2027 class

   Jun 3, 2026

2. Latest state Sea Grant deadlines for the 2027 class

   Jul 1, 2026

3. State nominations forwarded to the national competition (Virginia Sea Grant date)

   Aug 12, 2026

4. National review panel selects finalists

   2026-09

5. Applicants notified of the outcome

   2026-10

6. Finalist commitments due

   2026-11

7. Placement weeks for the legislative and executive cohorts

   2027-02 to 2027-04

8. Fellowship year begins

   Jun 1, 2027

9. Fellowship year ends; all 2027 class fellowships complete by 30 June 2028

   May 31, 2028