Funder: University of California Natural Reserve System
Due Dates: October 1, 2026 (Applications open) | February 15, 2027 (Summer 2027 deadline) | April 2027 (Award notification)
Funding Amounts: $6,000 per fellowship ($5,000 student stipend and $1,000 project costs); maximum $24,000 awarded annually
Summary: Supports UC undergraduate-faculty teams conducting field research at UC Nature reserves through student stipends and project funding.
Key Information: Students must remain enrolled at UC through project completion and undertake the equivalent of eight weeks of full-time research.
Description
The Field Science Fellowship, administered by the University of California Natural Reserve System (UC Nature), supports undergraduate-faculty partnerships conducting scientific field research at UC Nature reserves. Funded through the Samuelsen Conservation Scholars Initiative, it enables students to gain hands-on research experience with guidance from a faculty researcher while supporting both their time and project costs.
The program prefers projects that allow students to focus on full-time summer research. Research during another season is also considered when applicants explain the seasonal need and how students will maintain equivalent research focus alongside classes. The fellowship seeks to broaden access to field research, particularly for students traditionally underrepresented in the environmental sciences.
