Switzer Fellowships 2027 for Graduate Students in the U.S.

Overview

The Switzer Fellowship is a one-year fellowship for graduate students from diverse academic and personal backgrounds in the United States and U.S. territories whose career goals focus on environmental improvement. Switzer Fellows show leadership in their field along with the commitment and competence to make social equity a fundamental part of their environmental problem-solving. They work across science, policy, justice, health, economics, advocacy, planning, business, law and other fields, and are committed to social equity, interdisciplinary work, applied results and collaborative leadership.

What you get

The fellowship includes an unrestricted $18,000 cash award, paid in two instalments in June and January. Fellows also take part in two multi-day retreats during the fellowship year, focused on cohort-building, networking, and equity-centred leadership and skills development.

Who can apply

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, DACA recipient, or a refugee or asylee as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. International students are ineligible. They must be enrolled in an accredited graduate institution in the United States or its territories, and for the whole 2027-2028 academic year. Students in online programmes are not eligible. The fellowship is no longer limited to applicants in New England and California.

Master's candidates, including J.D. students, must have completed at least one semester or quarter of coursework by the end of 2026 and be seeking a Master's as their terminal degree. Master's students planning a PhD are advised to wait until they are in their PhD programme. Those in one-year Master's programmes may apply before enrolment but must be accepted into their programme to be eligible for an interview in May. PhD candidates must have completed their qualifying exams by the time of application. Mid-career students are encouraged to apply and must show how their academic programme will strengthen them as environmental leaders.

Requirements

Applicants are evaluated on environmental commitment, applied focus, innovative problem-solving, leadership potential, collaboration and engagement, social equity awareness and experience, and communication skills. Strong academic qualifications are expected.

Key dates

The application deadline is December 14, 2026. Interviews are held in May.