Fellowships

The 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed December 2022, amended the name to the Samya Rose Stumo National Air Grant Fellowship Program to commemorate and recognize the lives loss onboard the Lion Air Flight 610 (Oct. 29, 2018) and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 (Mar. 10, 2019) airplane crashes. On December 27, 2020, the President signed the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act, which enacted the National Air Grant Fellowship Program. The Air Grant Fellowships offer an opportunity for students at the graduate level of education in fields related to aerospace to gain experience in how aviation legislation and policy are developed.

The application period for the 2024 fellowship cohort is now closed. The next application period takes place from March 1 to March 31, 2024. Stay tuned for more information.

Samya Rose Stumo National Air Grant Fellowship

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) welcomes your interest in the Samya Rose Stumo National Air Grant Fellowship (NAGF) program. The program offers an opportunity for graduate students in aerospace engineering and related fields to gain experience in how aviation legislation and policy are developed.

Eligibility

Each Fellow will spend a year within either a Congressional office that has jurisdiction over the FAA, or within an office in the executive branch of government. A fellow may serve as an expert liaison and researcher for a Congressional committee or may participate in FAA program activities to further develop their knowledge and skills.

• Air Grant Fellowship job description
• Air Grant Fellowship program curriculum

The program is designed to offer people with technical aerospace education a hands-on experience at navigating public policy issues related to their field of expertise. FAA seeks participants in the fields of study that include:

To apply, you must be a U.S. citizen, have an undergraduate degree and be pursuing an M.A. or PhD degree in a related field as listed or be within a year of completion of the post-graduate degree. You must also meet position-specific qualifications.

The annual application schedule takes place every spring. For eligibility and application instructions, visit our How to Apply section. 

Fellowship Award Information

The Samya Rose Stumo National Air Grant Fellowship program anticipates supporting multiple fellowships each calendar year.

• Length: 12-month, non-renewable fellowship assignment
• Start date: January of cohort year
• Salary range between $61,000 to $112,000

How to Apply

The FAA will accept applications for the 2025 Air Grant Fellowship Cohort between March 1, 2024 and March 31, 2024.

Interested candidates must email 9-APL-NAGF@faa.gov the following documentation that demonstrates interest in, and qualifications for, the Fellowship, including:

1. Résumé
2. Statement by the applicant describing areas of interest in aviation policy and how the Fellowship experience will be important to individual career goals.
3. Letter of nomination from applicant's academic advisor, or other appropriate academic faculty, stating the applicant's suitability for such Capitol Hill experience.
4. Second letter of reference from another appropriate official, which can be another academic faculty member.
5. Writing sample – a brief issue paper or memo by the applicant on any subject demonstrating the applicant's ability to communicate well.
6. Transcript(s)