The Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation is accepting applications for its 2027 Switzer Fellowship, a one-year $18,000 award for graduate students in the United States whose academic work and career trajectory are pointed squarely at environmental improvement. The program backs scholars who bring both technical expertise and a genuine commitment to social equity into their environmental problem-solving.
About the Switzer Fellowship Program
Founded in 1986 and administered by the Switzer Network, the fellowship has built a community of more than 800 environmental leaders selected over four decades. The program was historically limited to students in New England and California but now accepts applicants from accredited graduate institutions across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Applications for the 2027 cohort opened in mid-September 2026 and close in December.
Funding Size
- Cash award: $18,000 for the fellowship year
- Funds may be used for tuition, university fees, living expenses, and education or research-related costs
- Eligibility for additional leadership and professional development grant programs after the fellowship year
Who Can Apply
- U.S. citizens, permanent residents, DACA recipients, and refugees or asylees as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- International students are not eligible
- Graduate students enrolled at an accredited institution in the United States or U.S. territories who plan to remain enrolled for the entire 2027 to 2028 academic year
- Master’s degree candidates must have completed at least one semester or quarter of coursework and must be seeking a master’s as their terminal degree
- PhD candidates must have completed their qualifying examinations by the time of application
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Geographic Eligibility
- United States and U.S. territories only
- Accredited graduate institutions across all 50 states are now eligible
Sector or Thematic Focus
- Environmental improvement through academic research, policy, law, science, or advocacy
- Social equity as an integral component of environmental problem-solving
- Environmental justice, conservation, climate policy, and related fields
Application Process
Applications are submitted through the official Switzer Network online portal. Following an initial eligibility check, submissions go through three rounds of review conducted by Switzer Fellowship alumni selected to represent the network’s diversity by race, gender, educational background, degree program, and sector. Shortlisted candidates participate in virtual interviews in early May 2027, with award notifications in June.
Required Materials
- Completed online application form
- Academic and personal statement demonstrating environmental career goals and commitment to social equity
- Evidence of qualifying exam completion for PhD candidates
- Academic transcripts and references as specified in the application guidelines
Key Dates
- Application deadline: 14 December 2026, 11:59 p.m. PST
- Virtual interviews: May 2027
- Award notifications: June 2027
- Fellowship year: 2027 to 2028
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Selection Notes
- Applicants must demonstrate both technical environmental competence and a leadership commitment to social equity; neither alone is sufficient
- Master’s students planning to pursue a PhD are advised to wait and apply during their doctoral program
- Two in-person retreats during the fellowship year are mandatory for all selected fellows
- Meeting eligibility criteria does not guarantee selection; the program is competitive