National Sea Grant College Program John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship

The Sea Grant John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program was established by Congress in 1979 and is named in honor of one of Sea Grant’s founders, former NOAA Administrator John A. Knauss. The fellowship offers a unique educational experience to graduate and professional students who have an interest in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The program matches the students with hosts in the legislative or executive branch of the federal government for a one-year, paid fellowship (13-month award term) in the Washington, D.C. area.

Applications are due to Texas Sea Grant in February for the fellowships beginning in February of the following year. The final decision is made by a review panel convened by the National Sea Grant Office. While the number of fellowships offered varies with the availability of positions, Texas Sea Grant has had at least one accepted almost every year.

Fellows from Texas have served their fellowship year in legislative offices or at agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, and NASA. The majority have gone on to careers in federal agencies, higher education institutions, or non-governmental organizations related to coastal or marine resources or policies.

Please consult the Federal Funding Opportunity Announcement (FFO) # NOAA-OAR-SG-2023-2007040, which contains the guidelines/requirements for documents and content (summarized below), selection criteria, as well as the review and selection process.