$18,000 Switzer Environmental Fellowship
- Organization: Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation
- Type: Fellowship
- Location: United States
- Deadline: December 14, 2026
- Funding: Fully Funded
The Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation backs graduate students in the United States whose academic and career goals point at environmental improvement. Fellows receive an unrestricted cash award, attend two multi-day retreats and join a network of more than 800 environmental leaders selected since 1986. Twenty fellows are chosen each year, and the 2027 cycle is the first open to students anywhere in the United States and US territories, not only New England and California. **What you get:** - An unrestricted $18,000 cash award, paid in two installments in June and January - Two multi-day, in-person retreats focused on cohort building, networking and equity centered leadership - Career coaching and leadership guidance during the fellowship year and beyond - Membership of the Switzer Network, a community of more than 800 fellows selected since 1986 - Access to Leadership grants and Professional Development Fund grants after the fellowship year **What you'll do:** - Attend two required multi-day, in-person retreats in September and April of the fellowship year - Stay active in the Switzer Network, for example by coaching an earlier career fellow, joining the Fellows Advisory Committee or helping select new fellows - Use the award for tuition, university fees, living expenses or education and research costs - Submit a brief written report at the end of the fellowship year, with an optional interim report in January **Key dates:** - Applications open: the foundation says mid September 2026, but the apply form was still not live on 29 September 2026 - Fellowship information sessions: September 17 and November 18, 2026, recorded for later viewing - Request to be connected with a past fellow: by November 16 - Applications and recommendation letters close: 11:59 pm PST, Monday December 14, 2026 - Interviews: held virtually in early May - Award notifications: June - Retreats: September and April of the fellowship year **More information:** - Full eligibility rules, selection criteria, review process and FAQs on the Become a Fellow page - Required application materials and essay questions on the How to Apply page - The 2027 evaluation scoresheet and 2027 recommendation instructions are published as PDFs on the How to Apply page - Recorded information sessions are on the fellowship information sessions page
