Who can apply?
- Fellowships go to undergraduates who will have completed their junior year by the start of the fellowship; students who will graduate before it begins are not eligible.
- Applicants may study any field of science or engineering, including biology, chemistry, engineering, geology, geophysics, mathematics, meteorology, physics, oceanography and marine policy.
- International students may apply but must handle visa requirements — F-1 students at US schools discuss CPT or OPT with their school — and 14% US federal income tax is withheld from their stipend, travel allowance and the value of WHOI housing.
The fellowship is meant for the last summer of college: you must have completed junior year by the start, and anyone graduating before it begins is ineligible.
Dates, pay & program timing
The fellowship is a 10- to 12-week residential program. For summer 2026, WHOI paid a stipend of $721 a week and a travel allowance of up to $720, and provided shared institution housing; 2027 figures were not yet published at review. The 2026 cycle's applications were due February 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EST, with decisions in mid-March, and WHOI selects 25 to 30 fellows each summer. Check the admissions page for the 2027 timeline.
View the deadline calendarThese details reflect the sources at the review date. An overview is not a live job offer. Check the official page for today's application status and the selected opening's written terms.
How to apply to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
- Confirm you will have completed your junior year, and not graduated, by the start of the fellowship.
- Prepare a CV or resume, an unofficial transcript as a PDF, two letters of recommendation (you may name a third recommender) and answers to five essay questions of up to 200 words each.
- Submit by the published deadline; the 2026 cycle closed February 1 at 11:59 p.m. EST. WHOI then matches fellows with staff scientists whose research fits their interests.
You leave FirstInternships to apply. We do not accept applications, offer referrals, or represent the employer.
Our editorial advice · not employer requirements
How to prepare a stronger application
Five essays of 200 words each leave no room for a general opening. Give each answer one specific example — a field trip, a lab measurement, a model you ran — and say what it taught you about doing research, rather than restating your interest in the ocean.
WHOI matches you with a scientist whose work fits your interests, and projects are agreed jointly. Read a few WHOI researchers' recent work and name the kinds of questions you want to pursue, so the match has something concrete to go on. This is our suggestion, not a WHOI requirement.
Your preparation, on this device
Make it a plan.
Checking an item saves this program. These are planning prompts, not a substitute for the employer's full requirements.
Add a stage & next actionOfficial sources & update notes
We reviewed these publisher pages on . They establish the program facts above; our preparation suggestions are independent editorial guidance.
- Admissions page: eligibility, fields, required materials and the 2026 deadline
- Program overview: length, 2026 stipend, housing and travel allowance
- FAQs: international students, tax withholding, advisor matching and number of fellows
We do not infer deadlines, remote eligibility, or guaranteed offers from older recruiting cycles. Read our editorial process.