Knauss legislative fellowships in Congress help build careers — and they're fun and educational. See our video and fact sheet for details.
Knauss Marine Policy Fellowships
Applications for the 2027 Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship are open! Visit our Information for Knauss Applicants webpage to learn more and apply.
The Knauss Fellowship, established in 1979, provides a unique educational experience to students interested in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources.
The program matches highly qualified graduate students with "hosts" in the US Congress or executive branch of government in Washington, DC, for a one-year paid fellowship. Fellowships historically run from February 1 to January 31, with applications due about one year before the fellowship begins. In 2026 and 2027, fellowships will run from June 1 to May 31.
Eligibility and Application Process
Detailed information on eligibility and application materials is available on our information for Knauss applicants page. Applications are due about one year before the fellowship begins, and applicants will meet with Maryland Sea Grant during the two months before the deadline.
Award Amounts and Schedule
The award for each fellowship is in the form of a cooperative agreement covering salary/stipend and other allowable expenses for the 12 months of the fellowship. The total fellowship award amount varies depending on the fellowship year and individual. Support for class of 2027 fellows is $74,700 (salary and fringe costs) with an additional $5,000 to cover allowable expenses. Additionally, up to $15,000 for host office travel and up to $2,500 for placement week expenses may be available depending on the year and placement.
Find specifics about award amounts and a calendar of key dates for your class:
Learn More About Knauss Fellowships
The Knauss Fellowship program is funded through a cooperative agreement between Maryland Sea Grant and the National Sea Grant College Program. The funding announcement and full description of the program can be found at grants.gov. Visit the National Sea Grant Program's website for more information for prospective and current fellows.
Legislative Placements
Fellows can request placements in the legislative or executive branches. Of the approximately 60 Knauss fellowships awarded annually, 12 fellows are placed in Congress. Watch a video describing the benefits of a legislative placement and download a fact sheet about legislative placements.
Details for Current Fellows and Finalists
Current and prospective fellows can find important details in this comprehensive overview of the Knauss Fellowship. Learn about pay, expense reimbursements, finding a host, and more.
Hear from Past Fellows
Learn more about the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship and hear from former fellows in this webinar recorded January 18, 2023. Download the webinar presentation slides.
Learn about the career paths of four past fellows in this Q&A, "Knauss Fellowship Alumni: Where Are They Now?"
Contact Maryland Sea Grant
Michael Allen, associate director for research and administration
Phone: (301) 405-7500
Email: mallen@mdsg.umd.edu
Program Announcements
News and Blogs
Featured Fellow
Nina Santos
Nina Santos is a Ph.D. student at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. For her dissertation, she is focused on small shrimp-like crustaceans called mysids – an understudied yet important part of many estuarine and coastal food webs.
Featured Research Project
Developing a habitat model for mysids, an important link in Chesapeake Bay food webs
Mysids are important mesozooplankton prey for many species of fish in Chesapeake Bay and are an important link in transferring energy from lower to upper trophic levels. Mysids also serve as biological vectors for benthic-pelagic coupling due to their diel vertical migration and omnivorous prey-switching behavior, which makes mysids important regulators of food web architecture. Despite their central role in coastal food webs, surprisingly little is known about mysid ecology and dynamics in Chesapeake Bay.
