Schneider Sustainable Energy Fellowships

Summer Quarter Program

Fellows receive a stipend of $11,500 for a 12-week summer fellowship plus additional funding of up to $1500 for fellowship-related travel.

One-Year Program

Fellows work at a Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) office for one year, tackling the world’s economic, environmental, social, and technical challenges associated with harnessing energy resources to deliver energy services. Fellows receive a competitive salary with benefits as an employee of the NRDC. For more information, see the Schneider One-year Fellowship program page.

Fellowship History

The program is named in honor of Stephen H. Schneider (1945-2010), an internationally renowned expert on climate science and a leader in promoting solutions to address climate change. Stephen Schneider pioneered interdisciplinary research and policy analysis that underpinned many influential climate science publications, including the first four annual reports of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. For 18 years he served as a professor at Stanford University, where he had a lasting impact on countless students and alumni.

Eligibility

The Schneider Fellows program is open to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students. Fellows commit to working 12 weeks for the summer program or one year at their host NGO. Generally, summer fellowships begin in June and the one-year fellowships begin in September.

The NGOs will receive and screen candidate applications. There are no limits to the number of fellowships to which applicants may apply.

Information Sessions

Come to the DK Room at the Haas Center for Public Service to hear from former Schneider Fellows and host organizations. RSVP HERE (lunch provided)

Wednesday, November 12, 2025 12-1pm (featuring representatives from Natural Resources Defense Council)
Thursday, December 4, 2025, 12-1pm (featuring representatives from the Environmental Defense Fund and the U.S. Green Building Council)

Come to a joint Schneider Summer Fellowship and Shultz Energy Fellowships information session on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 from 12-1pm (lunch provided) at Y2E2, 382. RSVP HERE.

Summer 2026 Fellowship Opportunities

Environmental Defense Fund - 9 positions

Applicants can rank up to three positions on the EDF Schneider application:

Fellowship 1: Methane Activity Data
Fellowship 2: Livestock Methane Reduction
Fellowship 3: Mesopelagic Fisheries Ecology
Fellowship 4: Community Air Monitoring
Fellowship 5: Climate Science & Communication
Fellowship 6: Voluntary Carbon Pricing
Fellowship 7: Economics Research
Fellowship 8: Agriculture & Water Communications
Fellowship 9: Japan Fisheries & Oceans

RMI - 2 positions

Students can choose to apply to up to two focus areas at RMI:

Finance / Accounting
Policy Innovation and Impact
Sustainable Buildings and Design
Urban and Community Engagement
Sector Research and Insights
Data Analytics and Visualization
Technology Systems and Solutions
Project and Operations Management
Media Relations and Communications

Union of Concerned Scientists - 2 positions

Ensuring a Just and Equitable Transition to Clean Energy in the United States (2 Fellows)

U.S. Climate Alliance - 2 positions

Fellowship 1: Research and Analysis Fellow
Fellowship 2: Climate Policy Fellow

U.S. Green Building Council - 3 positions

Fellowship 1: Technical Development Fellow
Fellowship 2: Product Management Fellow
Fellowship 3: Public Policy Fellow

Natural Resources Defense Council - Positions to be posted in mid-November

Meet the Schneider Fellows

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for more than one Schneider Fellowship opportunity?

Yes! You can apply to any of the opportunities that interest you and seem like a potential fit. If you apply to opportunities at multiple organizations, you will need to submit application materials for each opportunity. Review the application requirements and process for each opportunity as they may vary.

Can I apply for both the summer and year-long opportunities?

Yes! However, if you are offered both a summer and year-long fellowship, you will only be able to accept one of the opportunities.

Can I apply if I previously received a Schneider Fellowship?

If you have already engaged in a summer Schneider Fellowship experience you will have lower priority for the current summer program. You can apply, and be fully considered, for a year-long opportunity regardless of whether you have previously completed a summer fellowship experience.

Who should be my reference or write my recommendation letter?

Summer opportunities: Recommendation letters are NOT required for the summer fellowship opportunities, but you may be asked to provide the name and contact information of one reference. References will only be contacted if the host organizations require additional information about your application. References can include Stanford faculty, staff, lecturers, graduate teaching assistants (for undergraduates), residence fellows as well as former employers or internship supervisors.

Yearlong opportunities: Two letters of recommendation are required. One should be an academic reference–feel free to ask faculty, lecturers, graduate teaching assistants, etc. from Stanford or from a previous institution. Your second letter should be a professional reference: former and/or current employers, internship supervisors, principal investigators, residence fellows.

For both opportunities: Peers should not serve as references or recommenders. Best advice is to select someone who knows you best and can speak to your candidacy for the fellowship opportunity. Be sure to ask them early and give them plenty of time to submit your recommendation letter by the deadline.

What should I include for my writing sample?

If your fellowship application requires a writing sample (not all organizations require this), plan to include a 3-5 page piece you have completed for a past course or work experience. If the piece is related to the sustainable energy arena that is ideal, but not required. A policy-related piece would also be appropriate to submit.

How are Schneider Fellows selected?

All submitted applications that are fully completed will be sent directly to our partner organizations just after the application deadline. Each fellowship supervisor will review all applications and determine interviews and final selections.

When will Schneider Fellows be selected and notified?

Fellowship supervisors will evaluate the submitted applications and conduct interviews for selected applicants in February. Final selections will be made and students are notified by March.

How competitive are the Schneider Fellowships?

Application numbers for each fellowship opportunity do vary from year to year, but overall it is a popular program since all degree levels can apply. We do encourage all interested students to apply and to submit thoughtful application materials. Since the number of fellows selected each year is limited, we encourage students to consider applying to other related campus opportunities as well. Other opportunities to consider include:

To explore additional energy-related opportunities visit Explore Energy.

What are the tax implications of the Schneider summer fellowship stipend?

Fellows do not receive tax forms from Stanford for their summer stipends and are responsible for paying and filing for all applicable taxes. Financial Aid's tax information page and the Mind Over Money program may be helpful resources. Graduate students can review these FAQs for Grad Students with funding. If you are an international graduate student, your Schneider summer stipend may be subject to tax withholding.

Cardinal Service Dimension:

Cardinal Careers, Cardinal Quarter

Placement type:

Prearranged

When:

Other, Summer

Location:

United States

Time Commitment:

Quarter-long full-time

Open To:

Co-term, Freshman, Junior, Master's, PhD, Postgraduate, Senior, Sophomore

Application deadline:

Winter

Environmental Sustainability

Contact Name:

Valerie Chow (Summer Program) (vychow@stanford.edu) & Ben Weissman (One-Year Program) (benidw@stanford.edu)