National Geographic Scholarship and Grant Opportunities: Inspiring Explorers and Storytellers
For 134 years, National Geographic has fueled the spirit of exploration through captivating storytelling, showcasing the work of leading scientists, explorers, photographers, and filmmakers. Recognizing the power of storytelling to spark curiosity, address critical issues, and expand the boundaries of knowledge, National Geographic offers a range of scholarship and grant programs. These programs support individuals passionate about the planet, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment for discovery and impactful communication.
National Geographic Content Scholarship for HBCU Students
The National Geographic Content Scholarship is a competitive program designed to provide students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) with opportunities to explore careers in factual storytelling and media. This scholarship aims to cultivate the next generation of diverse voices within the field.
Eligibility and Benefits
The scholarship is open to junior and senior students enrolled in HBCUs. Recipients receive a monetary award of $5,000, providing financial support for their academic pursuits. Furthermore, the program includes a one-week immersion experience at National Geographic headquarters, offering invaluable exposure to industry experts and a global brand with a rich history of scientific discovery and exploration. Each recipient is also assigned a National Geographic mentor who provides guidance and support as they transition into the workforce.
Ideal Candidates
National Geographic seeks candidates who are passionate about the planet and eager to contribute to a collaborative and inclusive environment. Students interested in crafting compelling factual stories are strongly encouraged to apply.
Fulbright-National Geographic Award Program
In partnership, the Fulbright Program and the National Geographic Society offer the Fulbright-National Geographic Award Program, a unique opportunity for Fulbright applicants. This program is tailored for individuals whose proposed projects align with the missions of both organizations and who demonstrate a strong commitment to communicating their work to a broad audience.
Read also: Learn about FSU's National Merit Program
Enhancing Fulbright Research with Storytelling
The Fulbright-National Geographic Award Program serves as an enhancement to the applicant’s Fulbright Open Study/Research project. Student Program participants can apply for the Fulbright-National Geographic Award and request up to $20,000 in additional grant funds to support in-depth research on globally relevant issues. Successful applicants articulate the significance of this funding for storytelling, research, conservation, education, or technology. They should also demonstrate how their previous experiences make them well-suited for the proposed project.
Application Process
Semi-finalists who express interest in the Fulbright-National Geographic Award Program in their initial Fulbright application are invited to submit additional materials in late January/early February 2026. These materials are submitted through an invite-only application portal hosted by the National Geographic Society. Those selected in the first round of the National Geographic spring selection process will then complete a second stage of the application, which includes a detailed budget.
Project Focus
The Fulbright-National Geographic Award Program seeks proposals across research, technology, education, and storytelling that delve into a globally relevant issue. These projects aim to communicate powerful narratives that mobilize global communities, foster mutual understanding, and contribute to a more peaceful world.
Examples of Fulbright-National Geographic Projects
- Amrit Tamang: Conducting an ethnographic study of the labor and migration experiences of Indigenous Tamang porters in Nepal’s trekking industry. His project describes the contributions and historical realities of these porters, who form the backbone of the industry.
- Katie Vyhnal: Researching parasitic Ophiocordyceps fungi and their ant hosts, commonly known as “zombie ants,” in Mulu National Park. Her research involves collecting specimens, identifying ant and fungal species, and determining if a dominant host species exists.
- Priya Talreja: Developing a geospatial mapping tool to identify optimal EV charger locations to support the development of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure in the Azores islands of Portugal.
- Taylor Bratton: Investigating the future of Tanzania’s sea cucumber economy, focusing on the impacts of recent CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species) listings on local livelihoods and trade. Her project will combine research with photo-based storytelling to document how these new regulations reshape local dynamics.
- Kyrin Pollock: Researching the Arctic’s wild soundscape and how it is affected by the increasing industrial noise of propellers, engines, seismic airgun blasts, drilling, and oil and gas exploration. Her work aims to integrate Inuvialuit knowledge with marine conservation to address the impacts of noise on marine life, especially bowhead whales.
- Henderson: Researching the marine stromatolites of Shark Bay in Western Australia, studying the effects of sea level rise on the world’s oldest living microorganisms. Henderson's project will include the voices of the Malgana people - traditional custodians of Gatharragudu, the Malgana name for Shark Bay - who provide perspectives on marine stromatolites that are essential to our understanding of both early conditions on Earth and the potential for life on Mars.
- McMaster: Working alongside the island's last remaining traditional potters to learn and preserve their techniques and oral histories. McMaster produces work primarily using coil building and sculpting techniques with low-fire clay and traditional finishes.
- Wilson: Evaluating how a Marine Environmental Education Program in Papua New Guinea (PNG) effectively encourages all types of students from all backgrounds to participate in marine conservation through educational, cultural, technological and personal experiences.
- Vlasis: Producing an immersive audio story called “When Glaciers Sing," which traces the human ecology of glaciers in Iceland through natural sounds, cultural songs, and local voices. As he learns more about Icelandic peoples’ relationship to glaciers, Vlasis aims to uncover untold stories related to the history of these icy landscapes, and the ways that music remains a crucial source for environmental knowledge.
- Venkatesh: Understanding the complex relationship between elephants and farmers in Sri Lanka. Through camera traps, audio recordings and drone mapping, he will demonstrate how a greater understanding of both human and wildlife experiences is essential to developing mutually beneficial sustainable solutions.
Young Explorers Grants
The Young Explorers Grants program provides funding to individuals undertaking projects in science, conservation, storytelling, education, and technology that align with National Geographic's focus areas. These grants support a diverse community of changemakers, known as National Geographic Explorers, who are working to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world.
Grant Amounts and Eligibility
Young Explorers Grants vary in amount depending on the significance of the project, though most range between US $2,000 and $5,000 at the maximum. Applicants are not required to have advanced degrees, and foreign nationals are welcome to apply.
Read also: Eligibility for National Awards
Application Process
The application process begins with the submission of a pre-application form online. The Young Explorers Grants Program accepts pre-applications throughout the year. It is recommended to submit the pre-application at least eight months prior to the project's field dates, or at least six months for projects involving the Expeditions Council.
General Grant Requirements and Considerations
Age Requirement
Applicants must be 18 years or older to apply for a National Geographic Society grant.
Project Timeline
Project start dates should be a minimum of six months after the submission deadline to ensure that awarded funds are received in time.
Connection to Local Context
The ideal candidate has a strong understanding of, and connection to, the local context in which they are conducting their work. Many National Geographic Explorers are members of their local communities, live in or near the areas where they conduct fieldwork, speak the local languages necessary to implement their projects, and have strong relationships with stakeholders who can impact or are impacted by their work.
Application Restrictions
An individual may submit a proposal as the project leader for only one project at a time. Furthermore, applicants must submit a final report and media from any previous National Geographic Society grants for which they were the leader before applying to lead a new project. The individual responsible for carrying out the project should write the application and be listed as the project leader.
Read also: Explore accessible education at National University
Legal and Ethical Compliance
Grantees must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the U.K. Bribery Act, and regulations from the Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Controls (OFAC) and the Department of Commerce. Grantees may not offer or give anything of value to a government official or any other person as an incentive to, or in exchange or as a reward for, obtaining an improper advantage for National Geographic; or give, offer, solicit or accept anything of value that is intended to induce the recipient to violate his/her duty of loyalty to his/her employer. If any work under the proposed grant will be performed in countries including but not limited to Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea, and Crimea, you must consult your legal counsel to ensure that an appropriate general license is available, or a specific license has been obtained, allowing the grant activity to take place. The Department of Commerce must be notified when certain items are exported (including encryption software standard on all computers). You must consult with your legal counsel and comply with all export requirements applicable to the grant work.
Supporting the Future of Learning
Recognizing the rapidly changing environmental and societal challenges facing the world, the National Geographic Society is committed to supporting projects and research that imagine and enact the future of learning. These initiatives aim to cultivate in learners of any age and in any context the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to take action in ways that benefit the planet and its people. The Society supports projects that focus on designing for a future where learners are equipped to learn about, care for, and take action to protect our world.
Schmidt Ocean Institute - National Geographic Society Early Career Ocean Scientist Program
The Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) and the National Geographic Society have partnered to provide early-career ocean scientists from around the world with the opportunity to lead impactful projects that will explore, understand, and inform the protection of the ocean.
tags: #National #Geographic #scholarship #requirements
