Applicant Eligibility
Our goal at the RAY Fellowship Program is to increase opportunities for emerging leaders to learn about, engage with, and enter the conservation and clean energy sectors by way of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) and various federal agencies. We know there is no one right way to do this work, but we understand how much the environmental field can benefit from the contributions of our points of view and life experiences. In this spirit, we are excited to announce that we now invite applicants who are within THREE years of having received their undergraduate degree, meaning that applicants for the 2026-2028 Cohort (Cohort 10) must have graduated between April 2023 and June 2026. Historically, we have required a maximum of one year post-graduation at the time of applying. This decision will widen the applicant pool, allow applicants to apply more than once if they are not selected for the previous cohort, and help us meet the needs of a wider community with a variety of life experiences.
Eligible RAY Fellow applicants:
- Have a strong interest in the conservation and/or clean energy field(s).
- Demonstrate a commitment to equity, environmental justice, racial justice, and social change.
- Be within THREE years of having received their undergraduate degree (must have graduated between April 2023 and June 2026).
- Have not had a full-time job in conservation or clean energy.
- Have not started a graduate degree.
- Have the ability to work in the United States and commit to the entire two-year fellowship.
The RAY Fellowship stands with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. Learn more about DACA, the Dream Act, and what we stand for by reading this press release from the incredible folks over at Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS): https://www.sacnas.org/2018/02/26/sacnas-stands-with-our-dreamers_daca/.
Whether applying for a position through us or elsewhere, we encourage you to know your rights if you are a recipient of DACA. Please visit the National Immigration Law Center website for information on what you are and are not required to share with employers: https://www.nilc.org/issues/daca/about-daca-and-employment/.
Our eligibility requirement is that applicants must have the ability to work in the United States and commit to the entire two-year fellowship. RAY Fellowship applicants are not required to be US citizens, but must be able to work in the US, including completing an I-9 form to verify work eligibility. This could be through a visa (eg: OPT), DACA, permanent residency, or any other agreements allowing work authorization that will allow a RAY applicant to work in the US for a US-based organization. RAY Host Organizations will not, at this time, sponsor visas for international applicants.