Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowships
This grant funds U.S. citizens or permanent residents starting graduate studies in food and agricultural sciences to support degree completion and develop expertise aligned with USDA’s mission.
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Funder: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Due Dates: October 15, 2026 (Application, 5:00 p.m. ET)
Funding Amounts: $78,000–$705,000 per grant; 60-month grant period
Summary: Institutional grants support new graduate students training for careers in the food and agricultural sciences.
Key Information: Individuals cannot apply for their own graduate education; institutions apply and select fellows.
Description
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awards National Needs Fellowships to eligible institutions to recruit and train new, full-time master’s, DVM, and doctoral students. The program aims to increase the pipeline of U.S. agricultural scientists and professionals in fields with nationally identified shortages of expertise. This competition funds graduate fellowships, not postdoctoral fellowships.
Projects must respond to identified state, regional, or national educational needs in the food and agricultural sciences or in rural economic, community, and business development. Training must include a leadership development component and opportunities to build scientific competencies through research, extension or outreach, and relevant experiential learning.
