The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational 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, former NOAA Administrator, John A. Knauss, matches highly qualified graduate students with “hosts” in the legislative and executive branch of government located in the Washington, D.C. area, for a one-year paid fellowship.

Successful applicants will spend one year (upcoming fellows February 1, 2026 – January 31, 2027) in a legislative or executive host office in the Washington, DC area. An eligible applicant is any student, regardless of citizenship, who is enrolled towards a degree in a graduate program at any point between the onset of the 2024 Fall Term (quarter, trimester, semester, etc.) and February 15, 2025; the graduate degree will be awarded through an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or U.S. Territories, and; the student has an interest in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources.

2026 Knauss Fellowship

The application period for the 2026 Knauss Fellowship is now open!

Apply by February 19, 2025.

Explore Knauss Fellowship Resources

Application Details

Learn more about how to submit an application to USC Sea Grant.

USC Sea Grant Fellows

View USC Sea Grant’s current and past fellows.

Knauss Fellow Experiences

Learn about USC Sea Grant fellow experiences by reading our various highlight articles and blog posts.