Knauss Fellowship

The John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship (Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program) is offered through the National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant), which was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1966 (amended in 2008, Public Law 110-394) to support federal and state partnerships that harness the intellectual capacity of the nation’s universities and research institutions to solve problems and generate opportunities in coastal communities.

The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational and professional experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The Fellowship, named after one of Sea Grant's founders and former NOAA Administrator John A. Knauss, matches highly qualified graduate students with hosts in the legislative and executive branches of government located in the Washington, D.C., area, for a one-year paid fellowship.  

The fellowship is one year (non-renewable). The dates for the 2027 Fellowship are June 1, 2027 to May 31, 2028.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to the Sea Grant program in the state/territory in which they are seeking a graduate degree as soon as they are considering an application. For Minnesota Sea Grant applicants, please contact us through the Fellowship Interest Form. 

Applications may now be submitted for the 2027 National Sea Grant College Program John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship (Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program). The National Sea Grant College Program anticipates funding not fewer than 35 applicants, of which approximately 17 will be assigned to the legislative branch of congress. 88 Knauss finalists were selected for 2025 Knauss Fellowships.

1. Stipend: $74,700 for the twelve month duration of the fellowship.

2. Relocation & professional development: $5,000.

   • Allowable expenses could include, but are not limited to, academic tuition, journal publication fees, academic- and fellowship-related travel, conference fees, in person and online training, and workshops that support the successful completion of the fellowship and future career development of the fellow.

3. Health insurance: Minnesota Sea Grant is unable to provide health insurance through the University of Minnesota for Knauss Fellows.

4. Fellowship period: June 1, 2027 to May 31, 2028.

A student is eligible to submit application to an eligible Sea Grant Program if:

• 1) The student is a U.S. Citizen (born or naturalized), a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card holder), or a dual national with at least one citizenship as the U.S.;
• (2) The student is enrolled towards a degree in a graduate program at any point between the onset of the 2025 Fall Term (quarter, trimester, semester, etc.) and June 3, 2026;
• (3) The graduate degree will be awarded through an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or U.S. Territories, and;
• (4) The student has an interest in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources.

Application submission is through an application to the Sea Grant program in the state in which the student is earning their degree.

• Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Minnesota Sea Grant via the Fellowship Interest Form and notify us of intent to apply.
• Minnesota Sea Grant applicants must submit their application through eSeaGrant by 5 p.m. Central Time, June 3, 2026.
  • Applicants from other states with Sea Grant programs should apply to the Sea Grant program in the state in which you're earning your degree.
• If the applicant's state is not served by a Sea Grant program (AZ, AR, CO, ID, IA, KS, KY, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, ND, OK, SD, TN, UT, WV, WY) you should contact the National Sea Grant Office by email or phone 301-734-1085 to be assigned a program to apply through. A written statement from the National Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program Manager referring the student to the most appropriate eligible Sea Grant program will be provided to the student and must be submitted to the State Sea Grant program through which they are applying.
   

Application materials:

Prospective applicants can find detailed information on the application materials and evaluation criteria in the 2027 Student Guide. In short, applicants will need to include:

• Curriculum vitae (C.V.)
• Personal education and career development response
• Relevant coursework and future year plans (e.g., classes, work, internships, etc.)
• Two letters of recommendation from individuals who have worked with the applicant, including at least one from a faculty member with knowledge of the student's academic and research (when applicable) performance.
• Clearly legible digital or scanned copies of all undergraduate and graduate student transcripts.

Application submission:

1. Go to Minnesota Sea Grant's eSeaGrant fellowship submission portal.
2. Register.
3. Begin the application. Detailed application instructions are provided in the portal.
4. After the application is submitted, MNSG will review the application and may arrange an interview with the MNSG director.
5. For questions, please contact Minnesota Sea Grant Research and Fellowship Coordinator Alex Frie

 State Level Review Panel: All complete and eligible applications will be reviewed by at least three reviewers using the published review criteria in the 2027 Student Guide. After initial review, candidates may be invited to an interview with Minnesota Sea Grant’s Director.

Director’s Interview: Invited candidates will participate in an interview with the Minnesota Sea Grant Director. Based on the director’s interview and written reviews, up to six Minnesota-based applications may be advanced to national competition. For candidates advanced to the national competition, the director will draft a letter to:

(a) demonstrate why the student aligns with the goals of the Knauss program;
(b) highlight the skills the student emphasized in the student application materials and interview;
(c) highlight the student’s response to program interview questions regarding interpersonal skills and ability to manage expectations in challenging situations; and
(d) explain any gaps in the CV or personal education and career development response, or anything that the student was unable to include in the Student Application Materials that they feel is important for the review panel to know.

National Review: During the national review, applications advanced by Minnesota will be reviewed again and compete with all applications submitted by Sea Grant Programs. Fellowship Finalist selections will be made by the National Sea Grant Office, considering all selection factors detailed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

See the 2027 Knauss Student Guide for a full timeline of the selection process. After the final selection and announcement of Knauss finalists, the NSGO will place student applicants into either the legislative or executive cohort. Selection of executive and legislative cohorts will be informed by selected finalists’ stated preferences (solicited after the announcement of the selected student applications), responses to a questionnaire, writing samples, interviews, recommendations from the eligible Sea Grant program director and independent reviewers, as well as the selection factors.

The NSGO will provide a series of webinars on the expectations and experiences of the legislative and executive cohorts. For a preview of these webinars, applicants may review Appendix B. Following the webinars, the finalists will be asked to respond to a series of questions to better understand their goals for the Knauss year and to provide information about their adaptability and work style. Additionally, finalists will be asked to provide non-partisan professional writing samples (Appendix C).

The NSGO will leverage the expertise of individuals experienced in the legislative and executive branches to place fellows in appropriate cohorts. Before the finalization of the cohorts, finalists will be asked to confirm their interest and participation in the program. Following the cohort split, those finalists placed with the legislative branch will be asked to provide a Hill-relevant Curriculum Vitae. The NSGO will provide a workshop and support to help the finalists rework their CVs.

Minnesota Sea Grant is a strong supporter of the National Sea Grant John A. Knauss Marine and Great Lakes Policy Fellowship program because it directly supports Sea Grant's mission to enhance the practical use and conservation of coastal, marine and Great Lakes resources in order to create a sustainable economy and environment. The Knauss program also supports the National and Minnesota Sea Grant workforce development focus area.

You can read detailed information about the application materials and evaluation criteria in the 2027 Student Guide. In short, you will need to include:

• Curriculum vitae (C.V.)
• Personal education and career development response
• Relevant coursework and future year plans (e.g., classes, work, internships, etc.)
• Two letters of recommendation from individuals who have worked with applicant, including at least one from a faculty member with knowledge of the student's academic and research (when applicable) performance.
• Clearly legible digital or scanned copies of all undergraduate and graduate student transcripts.
• If applicable, a written statement from the National Sea Grant Office (NGSO) Knauss Fellowship Program Manager referring the applicant to the appropriate state Sea Grant program.
• A signed letter of recommendation from the state Sea Grant director, which follows an interview between the applicant and the Sea Grant director.

MNSG does not have any 2026 Knauss Fellows.