Fiscal Year 2027 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship
Can you apply?
This grant is for graduate students interested in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes policy. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or dual nationals with U.S. citizenship. Students must be enrolled in a graduate program between Fall 2025 and June 2026 at an accredited U.S. institution or U.S. territory school.
Students apply through their state's Sea Grant program. If no program exists in their state, NOAA assigns one. The program focuses on students interested in national policy decisions affecting coastal and marine resources.
Students cannot apply directly to Grants.gov. Eligible Sea Grant programs submit full proposals on behalf of selected students. Applicant organizations must register with SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons before submission.
Program description
The National Sea Grant College Program was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1966 (amended in 2020, Public Law 116-221) to support leveraged 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.
This notice announces that applications may be submitted for the 2027 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship (Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program). Pending the availability of federal funding, the National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant) anticipates funding not less than 35 applications. Application packages will each propose a total of $97,200 in funding. A detailed breakdown of this funding is described in Sections II.A and III.F of this announcement.
Student applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to the Sea Grant program in their state/territory at least one to two months before the state application deadline to receive application support and provide notification of intent to apply. Following student application submission, the student should allow sufficient time to schedule an interview with the eligible Sea Grant program at the program’s request.
Applicant organizations must complete and maintain three registrations to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. These registrations include SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. All registrations must be completed before submitting the application. The complete registration process for all three systems can take 4 to 6 weeks, so applicants should begin this activity as soon as possible. If an eligible applicant does not have access to the internet, please contact the Agency Contacts listed in Section VII for submission instructions. NOAA has created a guide to aid applicants in formatting application packages to eRA, linked here.
Prior to registering with eRA Commons, applicant organizations must first obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from SAM.gov, if needed (refer to Section IV. Applications and Submission Information, Section C). Organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their full SAM and Grants.gov registrations; however, all registrations must be in place by the time of application submission. eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account to submit an application.
This document sets out requirements for submitting to NOAA-OAR-SG-2027-32433
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Student application materials per Section IV.B.3.b.1-4 of NOFO
- Referral letter from National Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program Manager
- SAM.gov registration (UEI obtained)
- Grants.gov registration
- eRA Commons registration
Program contact
- 👤 Laura Hansen GMS
- 📧 oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov
- 📞 240-653-9028
Funding track record
No recent recipient data available for CFDA 11.417 in our database.
This can happen for newer programs, programs that use non-standard award types (loans, direct payments, fellowships), or those funded through sub-agencies under different codes.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 11.417). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $156,584,805 | |
| 2025 | $112,326,382 | |
| 2026 est. | $94,414,442 |
FAQ
Who can apply for the Knauss Fellowship?
Graduate students enrolled between Fall 2025 and June 2026 at accredited U.S. institutions. You must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or dual national with U.S. citizenship.
How do I submit an application?
Apply through your state's Sea Grant program, not directly to Grants.gov. Contact your state program 1-2 months before their deadline for support.
What is the funding amount?
Each fellowship package is $97,200. NOAA anticipates funding at least 35 applications total.
What should my application focus on?
Demonstrate interest in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and national policy decisions affecting those resources.
What is the deadline?
The federal deadline is August 26, 2026. State Sea Grant programs set earlier deadlines, so check with your program for their specific date.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Contact your state Sea Grant program 1-2 months early. They provide application support and need notification of intent.
- Start registration with SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons immediately. The full process takes 4-6 weeks and is required before submission.
- Clearly articulate your policy interests. The program seeks students passionate about national decisions affecting marine and coastal resources.
- Be prepared to interview. Schedule time with your state Sea Grant program once you submit, as they may request an interview.
- Apply through your state program, not Grants.gov directly. If your state has no program, NOAA will assign one and provide a referral letter.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications lack clear connection to national policy interests in marine resources. Students miss state program deadlines by waiting too long to contact programs. Applicant organizations fail to complete SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons registration by submission deadline.
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