Scholarships
FPI Scholarships
Applications for 2026 Scholarships are OPEN!
Three Scholarship Types:
1.
The Future Black Scientists scholarship is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Roger Arliner Young, the first African-American woman to receive a doctorate in zoology. You can read about her here.
2.
Local Opportunity scholarships are dedicated to the memory of Dr. Tab Rasmussen, noted anthropologist and beloved mentor to many of us. You can read about him here.
3.
Global Studies scholarships are dedicated to Dr. Robert Sussman, pictured above with his book on the dangers of racist thought in history and today. You can read about him here.
2026 RAship Scholarship Application
Application Instructions
We believe that wildlife field research, and supporting students and early career professionals in participating in this work have immense value. However, it can be challenging to convince both the scientific community and the general public to support these opportunities.
This year, the Research Assistant (RA) Scholarship will be awarded to one or more candidates who can create an engaging video, reel, or recorded presentation that helps communicate what we know to be true: affordable opportunities to participate in wildlife research programs matter. Submissions may approach this idea from any perspective, including a personal story, a conservation need, or a scientific viewpoint. We are looking for work that is original, clever, and engaging. There is no strict time limit, but applicants should keep in mind that messages that take too long to deliver are often overlooked.
For your application to be complete, you must:
- Submit your application below.
- Upload your video to a link that can be viewed by us. Ensure you include this link in your application. This can be a shared Google Drive link, a Vimeo link, or any other way that works for you. We MUST be able to view your video to consider your application. If your link requires an email address for sharing, please use info[at]fieldprojects[dot]org.
- You do not need to submit an application for a field research assistantship when applying for a scholarship. However, if you are planning to apply for the field program even if you do not receive a scholarship, we recommend submitting your application anyways, since there is no other way to reserve your space on the field team. If you have been accepted to a research assistantship and you win a scholarship, any fees, including your down payment, would be refunded to you in full.
- If you do not win a scholarship, but still want to join our field team, you will have roughly one week after the announcement to pay any outstanding fees.
- All applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of attending any activities/research projects with FPI.
- You must be able to get to the local contact point. The scholarship does not cover transportation costs from your hometown to this point, or back to your home. It also does not cover personal gear, such as clothes, backpacks, or binoculars.
- Each candidate must demonstrate at least average competence in written and spoken English, as our field team operates primarily in English. Many non-native English speakers have successfully joined our team in the past. If any of the instructions on this page are confusing to you, please do not hesitate to contact us at info[at]fieldprojects[dot]org.
- Each candidate can only win one scholarship per round of applications. Do not submit more than one application.
The Application Process
- Before submitting a scholarship application, please make sure that you satisfy the eligibility requirements for that scholarship. If you submit an application and pick a scholarship you are ineligible for, we will have no choice but to cancel your application.
- How to determine eligibility: Whether you are a local or global scholarship is dependent on your citizenship status. For example, if you are a US citizen and you pick a Local Opportunity Scholarship for a program in Peru, we will have to cancel your application because you are not a Peruvian citizen. Simply put, local scholarships are afforded only to citizens of the country in which the program is happening.
- Scholarship winners will be invited to join a brief online video call to confirm their fluency in English and their ability to accept the scholarship for the relevant field program.
- All scholarships are contingent on the programs actually making minimum enrollment. We will notify you once it is safe to purchase your plane tickets.
- Please note that you are only able to receive one scholarship per year.
The Review Process
- Applications are evaluated by a diverse committee, who do not have access to each other’s scores or remarks.
- Applicants are scored with the same rubric by the FPI scholarship committee.
- It is the video alone that determines an applicant’s score (applicants are not judged based on their CVs, financial backgrounds, or motivations). The content of your video, its originality, passion, factual rigor, and logical prowess are our focus.
- Your video must be narrated and captioned in English, but we make considerable allowances for grammatical and stylistic errors or choices in order to remain unbiased against non-native English speakers.
- Applications are checked for plagiarism and use of AI. If we detect plagiarism or content generated by AI in any part of your application, you will be disqualified from the competition.
All Scholarships Cover:
- Meals and lodging at the field station
- Equipment/technology used to work in the field (not including personal items/gear/laptop/etc)
Scholarships Do Not Cover (unless specifically noted):
- Transportation to the local contact point.
- Binoculars, boots, basic medications, backpacks, or other personal items
- Vaccinations and medical insurance. All participants must provide proof of medical insurance before travel.
Frequently Asked Questions about FPI Scholarships
It is recommended to apply and make the down payment only if you know that you will attend whether you win the scholarship or not. This way a spot will be held for you in case you do not win and your desired program or course fills.
If you make a program down payment then later win a scholarship, that money would be refunded to you.
For those who can only attend if they win a scholarship, there is no need to enroll in a program before winners are announced. If you win, you will be enrolled after the results are announced.
No problem. Simply email us and let us know your citizenship and country of residence, as well as any specific concerns or questions, and we can email you back a list of scholarships that you are eligible for this session. Send these emails to info[at]fieldprojects[dot]org
There is no time minimum or maximum for your video, but bear in mind that most videos on social media aren’t much longer than 5 minutes.
If you reference work that is not your own, yes you must cite the work. Please use APA citation. Just in-text citations and a bibliography at the end will suffice.
Our evaluation committee will give extra consideration to applications which demonstrate some amount of research or thought has gone into the answer (ideas and facts should all be supported with citations). Originality, passion, factual rigor, and logical prowess are key elements.
