USA Scholarships
NERRS Graduate Research Fellowship 2027 - NOAA
The NERRS Graduate Research Fellowship is the Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship administered by NOAA''s National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS). Graduate students conduct two years of collaborative research at one of 30 coastal reserves, pairing university advisors with reserve staff on management-driven science questions. Pending congressional appropriations, NOAA provides up to $45,000 per year in direct costs, which may cover stipend, tuition, travel, and research supplies rather than a single flat paycheck. US citizens and permanent residents enrolled full time in a master''s or doctoral program apply through their institution on Grants.gov; NOAA expects the next request for applications in late 2026 with fellowship work beginning August 1, 2027. Email [email protected] for updates.
What is the NERRS Graduate Research Fellowship?
People search NERRS Graduate Research Fellowship when they mean NOAA Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship. The name is longer, but the idea is simple: spend two years inside one of America's coastal living laboratories, working on science that reserve managers can actually use.
Money flows through your university, not your personal bank app on day one. NOAA caps direct costs at about $45,000 per year, and that bucket can mix stipend, tuition, travel, and supplies. Read the Notice of Funding Opportunity carefully so your grants office budgets each line legally.
Start early. Your school submits Grants.gov paperwork, and sponsored-programs offices get swamped every federal deadline week. Line up a reserve mentor who will answer emails, scan the Rangel Graduate Fellowship if you want a federal pipeline outside coastal science, and email [email protected] when the late-2026 call publishes.
Eligibility
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✓US citizen or permanent residentApplicants must be citizens or permanent residents of US states or territories. International students on F-1 visas are not eligible unless they hold permanent resident status.
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✓Master's or doctoral enrollmentBe admitted to or enrolled full time in a US accredited graduate program working toward a master's or doctoral degree relevant to your proposed reserve research.
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✓Enrollment through both fellowship yearsPlan to remain enrolled for all of the first fellowship year and the majority of the second year, matching NOAA enrollment language in the funding opportunity.
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✓Research aligned with a reserve needProposals must address a reserve management priority at one of the 30 NERR sites. Review reserve research plans before you choose a location.
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✓Institution submits on Grants.govYour college or university is the applicant, not you personally. Work with your advisor and Office of Sponsored Programs early to register Grants.gov credentials.
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✓Collaborative project designSuccessful proposals integrate university expertise, reserve mentors, and often community partners. Solo lab work without reserve engagement rarely fits the programme goals.
Benefits
- Annual direct costs Up to $45,000 per year
- Stipend support Paid through your university
- Tuition and research supplies Eligible direct costs
- Travel for fieldwork Eligible when justified
- Professional development NOAA and reserve trainings
- Cross-reserve networking Fellow cohort events
- Relocation reimbursement Not provided
- Guaranteed NOAA job Separate hiring authority may apply later
Document checklist
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✓Grants.gov application packageSubmitted by your university when NOAA publishes the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Includes SF-424 forms, budget narratives, and assurances required by NOAA.
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✓Research proposalDescribe the estuarine question, methods, reserve partnership, and deliverables for reserve managers. Follow page limits in the active NOFO.
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✓Budget and justificationShow how up to $45,000 per year in direct costs supports stipend, tuition, travel, and supplies. Indirect costs follow NOAA caps in the announcement.
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✓Curriculum vitaeDocument graduate coursework, publications, and prior coastal or field research experience for the prospective fellow.
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✓Letters of supportInclude commitments from your faculty advisor and reserve-based mentors who will supervise fieldwork and community engagement.
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✓Institutional authorized representative signaturesYour sponsored-programs office must sign Grants.gov submissions before the late-2026 deadline NOAA posts.
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✓Data management planExpect to outline how datasets will be shared with the reserve system and NOAA, consistent with federal open-data expectations.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the NERRS Graduate Research Fellowship?
Searchers often use NERRS Graduate Research Fellowship to describe NOAA's Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship, a two-year programme that places graduate students at National Estuarine Research Reserves for collaborative coastal science.
How much funding does the Davidson Fellowship provide?
NOAA anticipates up to $45,000 per year in direct costs for each fellow, which may include stipend, tuition, travel, and research supplies rather than a single stipend line.
Who is eligible for the NERRS Graduate Research Fellowship?
US citizens and permanent residents admitted to or enrolled full time in a US accredited master's or doctoral programme may participate when their university submits a competitive Grants.gov proposal tied to a reserve priority.
When is the NERRS fellowship application due?
NOAA expects the next request for applications in late 2026. Exact Grants.gov deadlines appear in the Notice of Funding Opportunity when it publishes on coast.noaa.gov/nerrs/research/davidson-fellowship.html.
Do students apply directly on Grants.gov?
No. The fellow's institution of higher education is the applicant. Students should partner with faculty advisors and sponsored-programs staff to prepare the package.
Which research reserves host fellows?
Thirty national estuarine research reserves across US coastal states and territories host fellows. Applicants propose a specific reserve and tie the project to that site management needs.
Does the fellowship pay relocation costs?
NOAA FAQ documents state that fellows do not receive relocation reimbursement. Budget travel only for research and approved professional development.
How is the NERRS fellowship related to Margaret A. Davidson?
The programme honors Margaret A. Davidson, a NOAA coastal management leader. It continues her emphasis on reserve-based science that communities can use for policy and stewardship decisions.
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