North Carolina Sea Grant has opened applications for the 2026 NC STEM Policy Post-Graduate Fellowship, with a deadline of 5 p.m. on March 9, 2026. Sea Grant continues to partner with the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and host offices to provide funding for the program.

Through the paid fellowship, recently graduated master’s and doctoral students from North Carolina colleges and universities will be able to serve full-time for a year in high-level state government offices, focusing on topics related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM.

“This program continues to provide significant impacts for current and past fellows including networking and employment opportunities,” says Susan White, North Carolina Sea Grant’s executive director.

“Working alongside state policy leaders, fellows meaningfully contribute to their host office’s mission and establish themselves as growing experts,” White notes.

In 2026, the potential host offices will be:

• NC Department of Environmental Quality, State Energy Office (SEO)
• NC Biotechnology Center
• NC Department of Transportation, Chief Operating Office (NCDOT)
• NC Department of Commerce, Office of Science, Technology & Innovation (OSTI)
• Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership (APNEP)
• NC Rural Center

Each fellowship includes a competitive stipend, totaling $52,500 for the year, as well as an additional $2,000 for travel support. Professional development and networking opportunities for fellows are available through a partnership with Sigma Xi, the international honor society of science and engineering, starting with a policy workshop in summer 2026.

“These fellowships help retain the talent being produced by our higher education institutions for the benefit of our state,” says John Fear, North Carolina Sea Grant’s deputy director.

A master’s or advanced degree in STEM or a STEM-related discipline from an accredited NC institution of higher education (public or private) is required for the NC STEM Policy Post-Graduate Fellowship. For U.S. citizens, eligibility applies to those completing their degree between July 31, 2025, and December 31, 2026.

For international students, due to federal visa regulations prohibiting off-campus work over 20 hrs/week, eligibility extends only to those who graduate between July 31, 2025, and August 31, 2026, and obtain documentation confirming full-time work eligibility in the U.S. before the Fellowship begins.

Completed applications are due by 5 p.m. on Monday, March 9, 2026. Selected applicants will be notified before the end of the spring semester. 

Apply through the eSeaGrant portal at go.ncsu.edu/ncesg. Requirements include a resume, career goal statement, two letters of recommendation, and transcripts.

The full request for proposals can be found on the NC Sea Grant website. Visit go.ncsu.edu/stem-fellows for details.