Become a Fellow

Switzer Fellows on a field trip at the 2023 Spring Retreat.

The 2025 Switzer Fellowship application is now open! Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. PST on Monday, January 6, 2025.

The Switzer Fellowship is a one-year fellowship for graduate students from diverse academic and personal backgrounds in New England and California whose career goals focus on environmental improvement. Switzer Fellows demonstrate leadership in their field, as well as commitment and competency to advance social equity as a fundamental part of their environmental problem-solving.

The fellowship includes a $17,000 cash award, leadership training, and opportunities for professional development and grants throughout fellows’ careers as part of the Switzer Network: a vibrant community of more than 750 fellows selected since 1986.

Switzer Fellows are environmental and social change leaders in science, policy, justice, health, economics, advocacy, planning, business, law, and more. Switzer Fellows come from diverse social, academic, and economic backgrounds. They are committed to social equity, interdisciplinary work, applied results, and collaborative leadership. Check out the current Switzer Fellows for examples of the breadth of expertise and disciplines of their work.

Fellowship Benefits and Expectations

The fellowship includes an unrestricted $17,000 cash award paid in two installments, in June and January. Fellows participate in two multi-day retreats during their fellowship year focused on cohort-building, networking, and equity-centered leadership and skills development.

The Switzer Network

A significant and valuable aspect of the fellowship is access to and participation in the Switzer Network. The network is a vibrant community of fellowship alumni that provides professional and personal support and connection to fellows throughout their careers.

Current network activities include virtual and in-person networking events, job opportunity and information sharing, webinars and trainings, informal social gatherings, and collaborative grant opportunities.

Learn more about Switzer Fellows

Search the Fellow Directory

Career support

Switzer Fellows have access to career coaching and leadership guidance during their fellowship year and beyond. Staff help fellows identify leadership opportunities and connections within the Switzer Network to support them in their career path.

Other grant programs

After their fellowship year, Switzer Fellows have access to other grant programs aimed at supporting and enhancing their leadership skills and professional development including Leadership grants and Professional Development Fund grants.

Eligibility

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, or a refugee or asylee according to the definition provided by the United States Department of Homeland Security (international students are ineligible.)
Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited graduate institution in California or one of the six New England states (ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RI) and plan to be enrolled as for the entire 2025-2026 academic year. Students in online programs are not eligible to apply.
Applicants must have strong academic qualifications, with academic and career goals focused on environmental improvement.
Master’s degree candidates (including J.D. students) must have completed at least one semester or quarter of course work to apply, and they must be seeking a Master’s as their terminal degree.
Master’s degree students planning to pursue a Ph.D. are advised to wait until they are in their Ph.D. program to apply.
Individuals enrolled in one-year Master’s degree programs may apply prior to enrollment, but must be formally accepted into their program to be eligible for a Switzer Fellowship interview (held in May).
Ph.D. candidates must have completed at least three years of doctoral work or plan to have passed their qualifying exams by July 1, 2025.
Mid-career students are encouraged to apply and must demonstrate how their academic program will enhance their effectiveness as an environmental leader.

Fellowship Guidelines and Deadlines

Criteria for selection

Fellowship applicants are evaluated based on their leadership and commitment to environmental problem-solving. Successful applicants also demonstrate commitment and competency to advance social equity as a fundamental part of their environmental problem-solving and clearly articulate how their environmental work affects human communities.

The foundation selects Master's- and Ph.D.-level candidates with a clear vision of how they will apply their skills and experience to practical environmental issues. Ph.D. applicants should have a well defined research focus and be clear about how their academic goals will contribute positive change to applied problems.

Black, Indigenous and students of color, first-generation college students, and individuals from groups traditionally underrepresented in environmental graduate programs are strongly encouraged to apply. We encourage applications from a wide variety of universities, including state universities, in New England and California.

Applications are reviewed using the following criteria. Please see the evaluation rubric for more detail on each of these criteria:

Environmental commitment
Applied focus
Innovative problem-solving
Leadership potential
Collaboration and engagement
Social equity awareness and experience
Communication skills

Application review process

Each year, twenty fellows are selected from hundreds of applicants. Applications in New England and California are reviewed separately; ten fellowships are awarded per region.

Application review is conducted in two rounds by Switzer Fellowship alumni, selected to be broadly representative of the Switzer Network by race, gender, educational background, degree program, sector, cohort, and geography. Engaging alumni in this process brings in a diversity of perspectives and involves the network in decision-making.

We track demographic information at the group level through all stages of application review to ensure we maintain representation of groups traditionally underrepresented or marginalized in environmental graduate programs, including Black, Indigenous and students of color, first-generation students, and students who identify as trans or non-binary.

In May, selected applicants meet for a virtual panel interview with Switzer Foundation fellows and representatives. All candidates interviewed are notified of award decisions in writing within two weeks after the interviews.

Deadlines and dates

Completed applications (including all supporting documents) are due by 11:59 p.m. PST on Monday, January 6, 2025.

Interviews are held virtually on May 9 and May 16, 2025. Award notifications take place in June.

Fellowship Award Requirements

Attendance at retreats

All fellowship awardees are required to attend two multi-day, in-person retreats in September and March of their fellowship year. Retreats focus on cohort-building, networking, and equity-centered leadership and skills development.

Engagement with the Switzer Network

The foundation expects that all awardees will be active members of the Switzer Network during and beyond their fellowship year. Examples of this include attending or hosting networking events, engaging in listserv conversations, coaching an earlier-career fellow, becoming a member of the Fellows Advisory Committee, or participating in the selection of new fellows.

Use of fellowship funds

The entire grant may be applied to one or more of the following: tuition, matriculation and other university fees, living expenses, education- or research-related expenses. To the extent that the fellowship is not used for these purposes, it may be considered income and the fellow may be liable for income tax.

Reporting

Switzer Fellows are required to submit a brief written report at the conclusion of their fellowship year. An optional interim report will be invited in January.

Exclusions

Employees and trustees of the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation and their family members are not eligible to apply. The foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender expression, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin in the selection of fellows.

Apply for a Switzer Fellowship

How to Apply

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of candidate is the Selection Committee looking for?

We are looking for applicants with demonstrated dedication to environmental improvement, outstanding leadership skills or potential, and vision for how they will apply their skills to create positive change. They should possess solid communication skills, commitment to leadership development, and strong academic credentials. Non-academic work and community-based experience is highly valued.

We seek candidates from a variety of approaches to environmental change, life experiences and perspectives as well as representation across schools, academic programs and fields of study. This includes applicants coming from non-environmental fields with transferable skills that make their shift to environmental work compelling.

Individuals who have work experience between undergraduate and graduate study are often more competitive candidates due to a greater understanding of how positive change is made within complex systems. In addition, we recognize that an individual who has had to overcome financial obstacles by choosing non-environmental work can be just as committed as someone who has had the privilege of volunteering at environmental organizations to gain experience.

Please see the profiles of our current or past fellows for an idea of the diversity of expertise and backgrounds of Switzer Fellows. Refer to the evaluation rubric for more detail about specific qualities we are seeking. You can also watch a recorded information session to learn more.

Do I need to be studying in a specific field to compete successfully?

Is the Switzer Foundation interested primarily in applicants working in environmental justice, or from a variety of environmental issues?

We are seeking fellows from any issue area, including environmental justice, as long as their ultimate aim is environmental improvement. Within any given environmental issue area, we are looking for emerging leaders who demonstrate commitment and competency to advance social equity as a fundamental part of their environmental problem-solving. This may come from individual identity and lived experience, academic training and professional experience, meaningful engagement with affected communities, or a combination of these. Successful applicants must be able to articulate how their environmental work affects human communities, particularly those communities that have been traditionally marginalized and underrepresented in environmental policies.

Are you looking for established or emerging leaders, or both?

What is the most important factor in submitting a successful application?

Preparation. It may seem obvious, but a thoughtful application makes a difference. Carefully read all program guidelines to understand the objectives of the Switzer Fellowship. The written materials, especially your essay and your resume, are the primary means by which your application will convey a sense of your aspirations and motivations.

We encourage applicants to talk with a Switzer Fellow alum for perspective about the application review process and guidelines. Applicants may look in the Fellow Directory to find fellowship alumni from your school or discipline, or request to be connected with a past fellow.

You can also learn from recent fellows in a recorded information session.

How should I prepare the content and format of the essay?

Please read the essay requirements. The essay is the most critical component of your application for the initial screening and is the best way to convey your commitment to environmental change. We are not looking for a precis of your Master's or doctoral thesis. The essay must not exceed the 10,000-character limit in the online application. (This equates to approximately three pages, single-spaced, at 12 point font.)

When talking with past fellows about the application process and Switzer Fellowship experience, applicants should refrain from requesting to see a past fellow’s written essay, as they often contain highly personal information.

Can I receive additional guidance or feedback on my application?

We cannot offer 1:1 feedback and support due to the high applicant volume and the small size of our team, but we do offer several resources to support your application process:

Check out our evaluation criteria rubric to see how applications are scored. We recommend sharing your application and this rubric with a mentor or friend and asking them where you might strengthen your application according to the rubric.
Review this year's recorded information session.
Read through all of the Application Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions on this webpage.
Submit a request to be connected with a Switzer Fellow for their support in the application process. (Deadline: December 18)

Who should write my two letters of recommendation?

Letters of recommendation have substantial weight in the evaluation of your application. Obtain recommendations from individuals who can provide an overall perspective on your leadership and professional potential, abilities, and dedication. It is advisable to obtain letters from people who know you and your motivations and experience well, and can provide specific examples. Especially for Ph.D. students, it is helpful for one of the two letters to be from an academic advisor, committee member, or academic colleague.

Your second recommender need not be from academia. You may choose former employers, community leaders or colleagues as references. Most importantly, it should be an individual familiar with your work who can speak to your strengths. It is less advantageous to ask a peer to write your letter since it is harder to evaluate leadership potential when compared with other applicants.

You may only submit two letters. Letters must be submitted by the application deadline, along with all other application materials. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure letters are submitted successfully and on time. See How to Apply for additional guidance and instructions for recommenders.

How important is financial need in determining Switzer Fellowship awards?

I will complete my studies before the end of the academic year 2025-2026. May I still submit an application for partial funding?

Can mid-career students compete successfully for Switzer Fellowships?

Yes. The Switzer Fellowship program is interested in candidates in all stages of their careers, as long as they have a clear focus on how their graduate education will position them to have greater influence on environmental issues and outcomes. The fellowship is intended to support both accomplished leaders as well as those for whom the fellowship can significantly advance their career.

Can students at institutions outside of New England or California apply for the Switzer Fellowship?

Do I need to submit an official academic transcript along with my application?

I am not a U.S. citizen, but I am living in the U.S. while I attend graduate school. Can I apply for the Switzer Fellowship?

I am interested in the Switzer Fellowship, but I am financially independent and I do not need the fellowship funds. Can I apply for the fellowship but decline the funds so that they can be used for someone else?