Apply Now: FFAR Fellows Program (US and Canada)

In partnership with North Carolina State University, FFAR launched the FFAR Fellows Program to provide career guidance to the next generation of food and agriculture scientists. Unique to this program, they prepare a career ready STEM workforce by breaking down the disciplinary silos and focusing on professional development and soft-skills.

Categories

• Stipend/Professional Development Fellows
• Professional Development Fellows

Funding Information

• Sponsorship is matched equally by the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) and matching funds from industry, NGOs, commodity organizations, or other sources of non-federal funds. Match sponsorship from several of these sources can be combined to support a student. Match sponsorship for the three-year program is US$97,500 for Stipend/Professional Development Fellows and US$15,000 for Professional Development Fellows. In-kind sponsorship (e.g., time, supplies, etc.) is not allowable. Applicants must have a committed match sponsor(s) to submit a full application and be eligible for consideration.
• Stipend/Professional Development Fellows: Students accepted into the Stipend/Professional Development category will receive $49,500 each year to cover tuition, fees, stipend, and related costs. Students applying to this category should already have a defined research project and an industry or analogous sponsor. The sponsor(s) will commit $32,500 per year to the Fellowship, matched equally by FFAR. The total of $65,000/annually is distributed as follows: $49,500 for student stipend tuition, fees, etc.; $5,500 for recipient’s university overhead; and $10,000 retained by the FFAR Fellowship Program lead institution, North Carolina State University, for program management and costs of the professional development training.
• Professional Development Fellows: Students accepted into the Professional Development category are full members of the cohort and take part in all professional development activities. Sponsors are invoiced for $5,000 per year for each of the three years of the program. Sponsorships cover the costs of participation in the program. Students do not receive direct payments.

Eligibility Criteria

• Completion of a MS degree or one year of a PhD program by August 2025
• Acceptance in a PHD program by May 1, 2025
• Three years remaining in the degree program (Fall 2025 to Spring 2028)
• A confirmed PhD faculty advisor
• Confirmation of a financial sponsor (sponsors can include companies, foundations, NGOs, grower organizations; university departments can also sponsor students using non-federal funds). Sponsors provide funding for 50% of the costs of the fellowship, with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research providing 50%. Total sponsorship costs for the three-year program are US$97,500 for Stipend Fellows and US$15,000 for Non-Stipend Fellows. All fellows receive equal training as part of their cohort
• Residency or study visa
• Availability to attend the full orientation week at NC State University in Raleigh, NC, August 3 – 9, 2025
• Eagerness to participate in the FFAR Fellows and ability to spend the equivalent of a 1-hour course each semester on fellows training and activities

Application Requirements

• Statement of interest in being a member of the FFAR Fellows Program (3 application essay questions)
• Student CV
• Faculty adviser CV
• Three or four reference letters
• For students already in a PhD program, three letters are required, one of which should be from the current advisor. For students with an MS but not currently in a PhD program four letters are required, one of which is from the MS advisor and one from the future PhD advisor. Letters should speak to the candidate’s capacity and desire to engage in a cohort-based professional development program that complements their research activities. As mentioned earlier, fellows spend the equivalent of a 1-hour course each semester on fellows training and activities and should be not only willing, but eager for this engagement. Applicants are highly encouraged to supply a letter of recommendation from their sponsor.
• Undergraduate and graduate transcripts. Unofficial transcripts are allowed. Official transcripts may be requested if the applicant is selected.
• Letter of financial commitment from the financial sponsor(s) (must be a non-federal source of funds)

Deadlines

• February 22 for the Stipend + Professional Development Category (candidates notified of acceptance by March 15)
• April 15 for the Professional Development Category (candidates notified of acceptance by May 15).

For more information, visit FFAR.