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.
Lake Minnetonka Garden Club
LMGC awards an annual 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
- Coastal Wetlands
- Desert Studies
- International Work and Study
- Summer Environmental Study
Visit the Lake Minnetonka Garden Club scholarships website for more information and application deadlines.
The Garden Club of America
The Garden Club of America offers 30 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
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
For more information, visit https://www.udall.gov/OurPrograms/Scholarship/Scholarship.aspx. Applications are due March 4, 2027 and must be submitted through St. Olaf faculty representative, Professor Matthew Wright.
St. Olaf recipients include:
Katie Handler ’08
Nicole Novak ’08
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 Yale School of the Environment and UC-Santa Cruz – these programs also seek to prepare a diverse group of early-career students to lead the future of environmental conservation.
Extreme Terrain
Offers two $2500 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: Nationally Competitive Fellowships
(Think about these just before the start of your senior year!)
St. Olaf supports undergraduates and graduates in exploring and applying for nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships. There is a wide range of opportunities, so come explore which programs best meet your intellectual, professional, and personal goals.
St. Olaf is committed to helping students:
- Explore a variety of fellowship and scholarship opportunities, ensuring they have support in deciding which are ideal for their unique skills and future aspirations
- Represent themselves at their best through the application process
- Develop confidence in articulating their future aspirations and goals
Wherever you are in the process — from just beginning to think about whether a scholarship or fellowship may be right for you to finalizing your last few words before pressing submit — we are eager to support you along the way. Visit the St. Olaf Nationally Competitive Fellowships page for more information.
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)