Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship
Forecasted
Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship supports graduate students in paid federal placements to connect science with public service and gain experience in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes policy.
Funder: Maine Sea Grant
Due Dates (Anticipated): June 2027 (Student applications) | July 2027 (State program letters of intent) | July 2027 (National nominations)
Funding Amounts: 12-month fellowship: $74,700 salary/stipend allocation and $5,000 professional development budget under published award terms
Summary: A paid fellowship placing graduate students in federal legislative or executive offices to gain experience in national ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes policy.
Key Information: Applicants must be prepared to relocate to Washington, D.C. and pass a federal background security check.
Description
The Sea Grant Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship provides an educational and professional experience for graduate students interested in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and the national policy decisions affecting them. Offered through Maine Sea Grant and administered nationally by the National Sea Grant Office, it matches fellows with government hosts in the Washington, D.C. area for a one-year paid placement.
The fellowship is an extension of graduate education and a non-partisan opportunity to learn how federal government works. Legislative fellows serve in congressional members’ offices and committees, supporting briefings, legislation, and constituent engagement. Executive fellows support agency missions through research, policy implementation, briefing materials, coordination, and project management. Both tracks connect science with public service and provide professional development beyond a student’s existing field of expertise.
