Eligibility

Any U.S. citizen who will complete a master’s or other advanced degree at an accredited U.S. university between August 1, 2023, and July 31, 2025, is eligible to apply for the Coastal Management Fellowship. Students from a broad range of programs are encouraged to apply. A variety of degrees are applicable to the fellowship because the projects are new and different each year.

To read about the 2025 projects, visit Coastal Management Fellowship projects in early December 2024. Previous fellows have had degrees in environmental studies, natural resource management, marine affairs, marine science, geology, public affairs, communications, social sciences, and regional land management. The most important prerequisite is an interest in coastal issues. Students who are not U.S. citizens or who attend non-U.S. institutions are not eligible.

All applications must include the following items:

1. Resume or curriculum vitae (not to exceed two pages using 12 point font).
2. Statement of the applicant’s goals with emphasis on what the applicant expects from and can contribute to the fellowship experience. This should also include how the fellowship can help reach goals that may be difficult to reach without the fellowship opportunity. Include any obstacles that have been overcome to reach this point in your academic career (500 words or less).
3. Two letters of recommendation, including one from the applicant’s principal professor. If no principal professor exists, the faculty member who is most familiar with the applicant’s academic work may be substituted.
4. Unofficial copies of all undergraduate and graduate student transcripts.

Any additional materials submitted will not be considered in the selection process. If you are selected as a finalist, an additional writing sample will be requested.

How to Apply

Application packages must be submitted to the Sea Grant program office in the state where you earned your degree by January 24, 2025. Each Sea Grant program office may select and forward up to three applications to NOAA for review. In order to increase diversity in the fellowship, Sea Grant may submit one additional application from a candidate who attended a minority serving institution, for a total of four applications. The fourth nomination spot is reserved solely for minority serving institution candidates.

Applicants from states not served by a Sea Grant program office should contact the fellowship coordinator for more information on submitting an application.

Selection of Finalists

From the nominations submitted by Sea Grant directors, 12 finalists will be selected by a panel. Final decisions will be made by March 21, 2025, and all applicants will be notified of the decision by the end of the following week.

Finalists will be selected using the following criteria:

• Statement of the applicant’s goals. How well does it emphasize what the applicant expects from and can contribute to the fellowship experience? Does it address how the fellowship can help reach goals that may be difficult to reach without the fellowship opportunity? Consider any obstacles the candidate may have overcome.
• Diversity of educational background and quality of academic performance
• Candidate experience, including life experience, internships, volunteer experience, extracurricular activities, and jobs
• Scholarships, awards, honors, and acknowledgements
• Support from two letters of recommendation, including one from the applicant's principal professor. The letters should demonstrate knowledge of the applicant and their abilities.

Placement of Fellows

The Coastal Management Fellowship matching process will occur over two weeks in April 2025. The first week, held virtually, includes program orientation by NOAA, and host project and finalist presentations. Sessions will be live and recorded for later viewing.

The second week features in-person interviews in Charleston, South Carolina. Travel expenses for attending the in-person interviews are covered by NOAA for the finalists. Each of the selected host organizations is responsible for sending the mentor to the placement workshop. Finalists can review fellowship projects on the fellowship website before the workshop. Each selected host organization will send a mentor to the placement workshop. No contact between hosts and finalists should occur before the workshop. Candidates and hosts will submit their top placement choices to NOAA, which will then match fellows with hosts.

Of the finalists selected in 2025, up to six will be placed with a state coastal program. If a host does not find a suitable candidate during the matching process, the host will be given the option to defer fellow placement for one year. Hosts will only be allowed one deferment before they have to reapply.

For more information on the 2024 state projects, please visit the Coastal Management Fellowship website. 2025 projects will be posted in early December. Contact the fellowship coordinator with any questions at ocm.fellowships@noaa.gov.