USA Scholarships
Peter Buck Graduate Fellowship 2027 - $10,000
The Peter Buck Fellowships Program - Graduate keyword maps to the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP) ten-week graduate student track at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) in Washington, D.C. Peter Buck postdoctoral awards are separate multi-year positions, but graduate students reach the same museum collections by applying to SIFP, naming an NMNH research scientist as primary advisor, and proposing resident research that uses NMNH facilities. Master's students and predoctoral students who have not yet advanced to candidacy qualify when they are formally enrolled and have completed at least one full-time semester before the deadline. The stipend is $10,000 for the ten-week tenure. Applications for tenures starting in the 2027-2028 cycle close 15 October 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time through SOLAA, with decisions in mid-March. US and non-US citizens may apply.
What is the Peter Buck Fellowships Program for graduate students?
Search traffic for "Peter Buck Fellowships Program - Graduate" usually lands on two different Smithsonian tracks. The endowed Peter Buck program at the National Museum of Natural History is famous for multi-year postdoctoral residencies, yet graduate students still study inside the same building by winning a ten-week slot through the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program. You live in Washington for roughly two months, work daily with a museum scientist, and dig into collections that rarely leave the beltway. The stipend is $10,000, paid for the short tenure rather than spread across an academic year.
That distinction saves wasted effort. Postdoctoral applicants with a fresh PhD compete for Peter Buck positions automatically when they file a strong SIFP postdoctoral proposal with an NMNH advisor. Graduate applicants instead choose the ten-week graduate student category, prove they finished at least one full-time semester, and show they are not yet at dissertation candidacy if they are in a doctoral program. Master's students running thesis projects on reef fish morphology or fossil preparation fit here; ABD students writing full dissertation chapters usually belong in the predoctoral line.
The application is entirely digital. Everything runs through SOLAA, where you attach a tight research plan, CV, transcripts, and referee letters before 15 October 2026. Smithsonian staff encourage you to email a prospective advisor months earlier, because a proposal that ignores real collection holdings or staff bandwidth rarely survives review. Natural History lists dozens of research specialties, from anthropology to paleobiology, and reviewers expect you to name specimens, databases, or lab tools by number and location.
If you are comparing programs, pair this guide with the Big Ten Smithsonian Fellowship for alliance doctoral students or the general SIFP predoctoral track when you need three to twelve months and a larger stipend. For graduate students who only need a focused collections sprint at NMNH, the ten-week SIFP award is the practical answer behind the Peter Buck graduate keyword, even though the endowment title on the museum website highlights postdocs first.
Eligibility
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✓Formally enrolled in a graduate degree programYou must be formally enrolled in a graduate program at a degree-granting institution when you apply and still enrolled when the fellowship begins. The ten-week graduate category is for students conducting independent research, usually before PhD candidacy.
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✓At least one full-time semester completedBy the application deadline you must have finished at least one full-time semester or its equivalent in your current graduate program. First-semester students who have not yet completed a term are not eligible for this category.
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✓Master's students or predoctoral students not yet at candidacyMaster's students are eligible. Doctoral students may apply if they have not yet been advanced to candidacy and are not using this award for dissertation research that requires candidacy approval. Predoctoral fellowships cover longer dissertation work for ABD students.
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✓Research tied to Smithsonian collections or NMNH facilitiesYour proposal must fit Smithsonian research fields and explain why the work must happen in residence at NMNH, including specific collections, labs, or staff expertise. For Natural History projects, select a primary advisor from NMNH research staff listed in SOLAA, not affiliated staff acting alone as primary.
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✓English sufficient for daily research collaborationFellows work closely with Smithsonian staff and use English-language collections records daily. Applicants whose first language is not English should demonstrate fluent writing and speaking in the proposal and correspondence with advisors.
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✓Citizenship open to US and non-US applicantsSmithsonian fellowships are available to US citizens and non-US citizens. International graduate students must meet any visa requirements for the ten-week residence; the Office of Academic Appointments and Internships can advise after selection.
Benefits
- Stipend $10,000 for the ten-week term
- Research allowance Not listed for ten-week graduate awards
- In-residence access NMNH collections, labs, and staff
- Primary advisor NMNH research scientist
- Term length 10 consecutive weeks on site
- Peter Buck postdoctoral track Separate multi-year post-PhD awards
- Tuition at home university Not paid by Smithsonian
- Relocation or housing Not specified as covered; budget locally
Document checklist
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✓SOLAA application for SIFP graduate student fellowshipComplete the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program application in the Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment System (SOLAA) at solaa.si.edu. Choose the ten-week graduate student fellowship category and the museum or research unit where your advisor works.
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✓Research proposalA detailed plan for ten weeks of in-residence research, including objectives, methods, timeline, and explicit use of NMNH collections, databases, or facilities. Align the project with your graduate program while showing why it cannot be done remotely.
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✓Curriculum vitaeCurrent CV listing education, relevant coursework, research experience, publications or presentations, and skills needed for collections-based work.
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✓Graduate transcriptTranscript showing enrollment and completion of at least one graduate semester. Some units may request official copies if you are shortlisted.
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✓Letters of recommendationSOLAA collects recommendation letters according to the current SIFP instructions. Ask referees who know your research ability and can comment on finishing a short, intensive residency.
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✓Advisor correspondence and supportSmithsonian strongly encourages you to contact your proposed NMNH primary advisor before applying. The application names that advisor, and feasibility review weighs whether staff time and collections access match your plan.
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✓University enrollment certification for the start dateBefore the appointment begins, your institution must confirm you remain enrolled in good standing. Doctoral applicants may need documentation that candidacy rules align with the graduate-student fellowship category.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Peter Buck Fellowships Program for graduate students?
Peter Buck endowment at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History mainly funds multi-year postdoctoral fellows, but graduate students join the same research community through the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program. The ten-week graduate student fellowship pays a $10,000 stipend for in-residence work with an NMNH advisor and collections. You apply through SIFP in SOLAA, not through a separate Peter Buck graduate form.
How much does the Peter Buck graduate fellowship pay?
The SIFP ten-week graduate student fellowship stipend is $10,000 for the full ten-week appointment. Longer predoctoral, postdoctoral, and Peter Buck postdoctoral awards use different stipend tables, including up to $45,000 per year for predoctoral fellows and higher postdoctoral rates.
When is the Peter Buck Fellowships Program graduate deadline?
Graduate applicants follow the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program deadline, which is 15 October 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time for the current cycle. Recommendation letters and uploads must be complete in SOLAA by that time. Notifications usually arrive in mid-March through SOLAA.
Do I apply directly to the Peter Buck Fellowship as a graduate student?
No separate Peter Buck graduate application exists. Apply to SIFP, propose research at NMNH, and select an NMNH research scientist as primary advisor. Peter Buck postdoctoral funding is considered automatically for top postdoctoral SIFP candidates with recent PhDs, which is a different eligibility band from the ten-week graduate award.
Can master's students apply for the Peter Buck graduate fellowship?
Yes. Master's students enrolled in a degree-granting program who have completed at least one full-time semester may apply for the ten-week graduate student fellowship if their research requires NMNH collections or facilities and they have a suitable staff advisor.
Can international graduate students apply?
Smithsonian fellowships accept US and non-US citizens. International graduate students should confirm visa options for a ten-week research stay in Washington, D.C., after selection. English fluency matters because daily work uses English collections documentation and staff collaboration.
How is the graduate fellowship different from the Peter Buck postdoctoral program?
The Peter Buck postdoctoral program targets scholars within five years of a PhD for multi-year, full-time resident research, often paired with a first-year SIFP postdoctoral award. The graduate track is a single ten-week appointment with a $10,000 stipend for enrolled master's or early doctoral students who have not advanced to candidacy.
What research fields does NMNH support through SIFP?
SIFP spans anthropology, botany, entomology, invertebrate and vertebrate zoology, paleobiology, mineral sciences, and related interdisciplinary work tied to Smithsonian collections. Your proposal should name the divisions, specimens, or analytical facilities you need and explain why those resources live at NMNH.
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