A number of governmental and non-governmental organizations provide scholarship and fellowship opportunities to students in Environmental Studies or those committed to a career in Environmental Studies. Check out the scholarship and fellowship opportunities, and take note of when you should apply.
Lake Minnetonka Garden Club – apply by 11/22/25
LMGC awards an annual $3000 merit based undergraduate or graduate scholarship for students pursuing careers in the following fields of study:
- Botany
- Conservation and Ecological Restoration
- Garden History and Design
- Horticulture and Related Fields
- Landscape Architecture
- Native Bird Habitat
- Pollinator Research
- Urban Forestry
LMGC welcomes applications that showcase previous academic work, research experience, and supporting recommendations from faculty or employers. Students must attend either a Minnesota two-year technological school or an undergraduate program at a Minnesota university or college. Finalists will be invited to interview with the LMGC Scholarship Committee, and the selected recipient will be asked to present a brief talk on their field of study to the club. The scholarship will be awarded in early 2026. Eligible students may apply at https://lakeminnetonkagardenclub.com/what-we-do/scholarships-public/. The following items are required to complete an application:
- Two letters of recommendation from a professor or employer
- Official transcript
- A personal statement explaining why they should receive the scholarship
The Garden Club of America – application deadlines vary
The Garden Club of America offers 29 merit-based scholarships and fellowships in 12 areas. Areas of study supported include botany, conservation and ecological restoration, garden history and design, horticulture and related fields, landscape architecture, native bird habitat, pollinator research, urban forestry, coastal wetlands, desert studies, international work and study, and summer environmental study. You can explore scholarships, requirements, and application deadlines at https://www.gcamerica.org/scholarships/apply.
The Udall Scholarship – apply by 3/4/26
The Udall Undergraduate Scholarship Program identifies future leaders in environmental, Tribal public policy, and health care fields. These scholarships are ideally suited for Native American and Alaska Native students, as well as environmental studies students having a strong interest in environmental policy, issues impacting Indian country, and those who have demonstrated experience working in public service. The scholarships are named in honor of Morris and Stewart Udall, whose careers had a significant impact on Native American self-governance, health care, and the stewardship of public lands and natural resources.
Scholarships are offered in any of three categories:
- Tribal Policy – for Native Americans and Alaska Natives working on an array of policy issues in Indian country
- Native Health Care – for Native Americans and Alaska Natives pursuing health-related careers
- Environment – for sophomore and junior undergraduate students interested in conservation and environmental issues
In 2026, the Udall Foundation anticipates awarding 55 scholarships of $7,000 each.
For more information, visit https://www.udall.gov/OurPrograms/Scholarship/Scholarship.aspx. Applications are due March 4, 2026 and must be submitted through St. Olaf faculty representative, Professor Matthew Wright.
St. Olaf recipients include:
Katie Handler ’08
Nicole Novak ’08
The Boren Scholarship – apply by 1/28/26
Boren Scholarships provide up to $25,000 to U.S. undergraduate students to be used for a study abroad program with a minimum duration of one semester. Students must study less commonly taught languages and immerse themselves in the cultures of world regions historically underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
For STEM majors, the Boren Scholarships offer an additional award of $8,000 for 8-11 weeks of summer study abroad. 2026-27 Boren Awards funding may be applied to programs starting as early as June 1, 2026 or as late as March 1, 2027.
For more information, visit https://www.borenawards.org/.
Applications are due January 28, 2026. Reach out to St. Olaf faculty representative, Professor Doug Casson, for additional information and assistance in completing and submitting the application.
USEPA Greater Research Opportunities Fellowships (sophomores)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships program, previously offered undergraduate fellowships for bachelor level students in environmental fields of study. The program no longer funds opportunities.
St. Olaf recipients include:
Will Lutterman ’15 (2013)
Serina Robinson ’15 (2013)
Brooke Weigel ’13 (2011)
Ben Auch ’12 (2010)
RAY Conservation Diversity Fellowship Program (for recent grads!)
The Roger Arliner Young (RAY) Conservation Diversity Fellowship program focuses on increasing opportunities for people of color to learn about, engage with, and enter the environmental conservation NGO sector. The Fellowships will be designed to support and attract recent college graduates of color with exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who seek to be leaders in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. A list of fellowship opportunities and links to the applications process can be found here. Note that applications are accepted on a rolling basis beginning in mid-January.
Dr. Roger Arliner Young (1889 – November 9, 1964) was an American scientist of zoology, biology, and marine biology. She was the first Black woman to receive a doctorate degree in zoology. She was recognized in 2005, in a Congressional Resolution celebrating the accomplishments of those “who have broken through many barriers to achieving greatness in Science”. Among the others recognized were Ruth Ella Moore, Euphemia Lofton Haynes, Shirley Ann Jackson, and Mae Jemison.
Learn more about Dr. Young and how her legacy has influenced the RAY Fellowship Program and a new generation of conservation leaders in “The Little-known Life of the First African American Female Zoologist” by Emi Okikawa (RAY ’17)
Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program
The Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program (DDCSP) at the University of Washington is a multi-summer, undergraduate experiential learning experience that explores conservation across climate, water, food and ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest. DDCSP@UW supports emerging conservation leaders to develop unique perspectives and skill sets by drawing connections between conservation, individual and community identities, biodiversity and environmental justice.
Effective conservation strategies are inclusive, involving a diversity of stakeholders and incorporating multiple values. Yet, the conservation community does not reflect the collective voice of our country. Without a significant, serious and immediate increase in diversity and inclusion, the conservation community will become a movement of the past instead of a guiding principle of the future. DDCSP aims to change that.
See also UMichigan and UC-Santa Cruz – these programs also seek to prepare a diverse group of early-career students to lead the future of environmental conservation.
ReUseThisBag
ReuseThisBag.com is proud to offer 2 scholarship awards, each for $1,000 to college or high school students, student groups, or classrooms whose scholarship essay application most effectively answers the prompt question through creativity, community engagement, and activism. Scholarships are offered every September 1st and February 1st.
Winners will be announced in Fall and Spring of each year. Awardees are free to use their awards however they choose, but they are encouraged to use their awards for continued study, development of their advocacy campaigns or simply to help fund their environmentally themed classroom activities.
Scholarship page: https://www.reusethisbag.com/articles/environmental-awareness-scholarship/
Extreme Terrain
Offers two $3000 scholarships for students pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies, Environmental Research, Land Use, Earth and Atmosphere Studies, Sustainable Land Management, Parks and Recreation, or Sustainable Agriculture Systems. One scholarship will be awarded for the fall semester and another for the spring semester each year.
Scholarship page: https://www.
Programs for Postgraduates:
(think about these just before the start of your senior year!)
U.S. Student Fulbright Program
http://us.fulbrightonline.org/
The Fulbright program, sponsored by the United States Department of State, aims to “increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.” Program participants are chosen based on academic merit and leadership potential, and are given opportunities to study, research, and teach English all over the world.
St. Olaf recipients include:
Sonja Smerud ’14 (Germany)
Erin Seybold ’11 (Norway)
Shoshana Blank ’10 (India)
The next St. Olaf deadline will be in mid-September. For more information, contact Dana Gross, grossd, Professor of Psychology.
Fulbright Canada STEM Program
http://www.fulbright.ca/programs/american-students/STEM_program.html
The Fulbright Canada Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Award is a new initiative of the Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States of America (Fulbright Canada), in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada and six of Canada’s leading research universities. The STEM award, which is a three year award valued at some $120,000 (tuition, fees, and an annual stipend of $20,000), is the counterpart to Fulbright’s International Science and Technology award for foreign students coming to the United States.
The next deadline is mid-November. For more information, contact Dana Gross, grossd, Professor of Psychology.
Carnegie Junior Fellows Program
http://carnegieendowment.org/about/index.cfm?fa=jrFellows
A yearlong research opportunity in Washington, DC, focusing on one of the following topics: democracy, nuclear policy, energy and climate, international economics, Middle East Studies, South Asian Studies, South East Asian Studies, Asian Studies, and Russian/Eurasian Studies.
St. Olaf deadline is end of November. For more information, contact Dana Gross, grossd, Professor of Psychology.
Rotary Global Grant
http://www.rotary5960.org/scholarships
$30,000 to fund graduate studies, with a focus in one of six designated areas:
- Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
- Disease prevention and treatment
- Water and sanitation
- Maternal and child health
- Basic education and literacy
- Economic and community development
Scholarship funds may be used for tuition, room and board, books, travel expenses, visas, inoculations, as well as any humanitarian projects the club or district has planned that relate to the scholar’s studies
Region deadline is mid-March. For more information, contact Dana Gross, grossd, Professor of Psychology, or Chris Weber (chrisw@community-resourcebank.com).
The St. Olaf Directory of National and International Postgraduate Scholarships and Fellowships
https://www.stolaf.edu/pipercenter/students/post-grad-opp.html
Some examples of these include, the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship program and the US EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowships for Graduate Environmental Study.
For more information about any of the programs listed, contact Dana Gross, grossd, Professor of Psychology.