Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowships

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is offering the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) program for the 2026 fiscal year. The program provides institutional grants to fund full‑time graduate students (master’s, DVM, or doctoral) in food and agricultural sciences. Eligible institutions must be land‑grant or other accredited colleges/universities with capacity to confer graduate degrees. Fellows must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents and must be new to the program (no more than one semester completed). Funding supports tuition waivers, stipends, and related costs for up to 24 months (master’s) or 36 months (doctoral) within a total award period of 30 or 42 months respectively. A total of 28 fellowships are anticipated, with award amounts ranging from $78,000 to $705,000 per institution, for a total program ceiling of $14 million. Institutions must select and award fellowships within 18 months of the award start date. • Eligible applicants: accredited U.S. colleges/universities (including land‑grant institutions) and their research foundations. • Eligible students: full‑time graduate students (master’s, DVM, doctoral) who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents and are new to the program. • Funding: Institutional grant covering stipend, tuition waiver, and related expenses; award range $78,000–$705,000. • Duration: Up to 30 months for master’s fellows, up to 42 months for doctoral fellows. • Number of awards: 28 fellowships (≈70 applications expected). • Submission deadline: October 15, 2026 (electronic application). • Contact: Yamilis Ocasio, [email protected], (689) 263‑0095.