Conservation Scholarships | 500+ funding opportunities for conservationists
Do YOU have BIG plans for pursuing or growing your conservation career?
But are YOU faced with a BIG barrier…money?
At Conservation Careers we’re on a mission to help conservationists achieve career success, and create a world where wildlife thrives. We believe all conservationists should be able to pursue training, gain experience, conduct meaningful research and lead conservation projects to create fulfilling, impactful careers.
But we know that money can be a big barrier, and sometimes even prevent talented students, career switchers and professionals from starting or progressing their careers.
That’s why we’re building the biggest Conservation Scholarship Board for conservationists.
Explore 500+ conservation scholarships (and our top tips for applying)!
Introducing Conservation Scholarships
Our Conservation Scholarships Board is a growing global database of over 500 funding opportunities for conservationists – including scholarships, grants, awards, bursaries, fellowships and more.
These include funding for Training & Study, Research & Projects and Experiences & Expeditions, with a focus on career-boosting funding for individual conservationists.
Funding for conservationists often seems scarce, but in reality, most funding opportunities are just hidden (particularly if organisations lack resources to advertise them). There is more funding available than you might imagine.
By sharing conservation scholarship opportunities in one place, we can help more aspiring and professional conservationists worldwide create greater conservation impact. Start exploring here and help us spread the word!
What do Conservation Scholarships fund?
You know your dreams and goals best, so we’ve sourced three different types of conservation scholarships to help you take the next step in your career. They are:
Training & Study | Explore funding that helps build your skills or knowledge – whether via a short course, undergraduate degree, master’s or PhD. Explore Conservation Scholarships for Training & Study.
Research & Projects | Explore funding that helps you carry out research or conduct a project – whether in the field or at your desk, locally or abroad. Explore Conservation Scholarships for Research & Projects.
Experiences & Expeditions | Explore funding that helps you gain real-life experience – such as volunteering, internships, traineeships and expeditions. Explore Conservation Scholarships for Experiences & Expeditions.
Formal education is just one path that conservation scholarships fund. There is also funding for other types of training, research and projects, and experiences and expeditions.
Conservation scholarship success stories
To inspire you, we thought we’d share some of our own stories as scholarship recipients.
Nando working alongside Conservation Officers after receiving a Natural World Scholarship (in Spanish).
“For almost 3 years I was working alongside these Environment Officer professionals in a region in Northern Spain, helping them in all their daily activities and learning a LOT. It was fantastic. Perhaps what I enjoyed the most was the feeling that for once I was more of a professional rather than a student. And this is a very, very important step that a scholarship can help you with” – Fernando Mateos-González, Head of Community, Conservation Careers.
“I was able to complete a master’s in Conservation Biology in Australia thanks to a Rotary Foundation Global Grant. One of the best parts was the international perspective – learning about conservation in places like the Great Barrier Reef and the outback, and learning alongside people from all over the world” – Kristi Foster, Head of Engagement at Conservation Careers.
“…these awards help me to gain two degrees in two countries, make valuable professional connections, and build a credential as the first conservation leader from Burma to get admission [to the Master in Conservation Leadership at the University of Cambridge in the UK]” – Leo Nyein Zaw Ko.
Olena on DESMAN, thanks to a scholarship from Durrell Conservation Academy and a Leadership Development Grant from the JWH Initiative.
“The skills and connections I got from the [Durrell Endangered Species Management Graduate Certificate (DESMAN)] opened many doors for me later in my career. The sheer experience of being there and interacting with world-renowned conservation experts, learning from them and expanding my professional scope is difficult to describe. I still consider it one of the best conservation training experiences for me so far. It was very gratifying, and I am still in touch with several alumni and tutors, all of whom are great people apart from being strong professionals” – Olena from Ukraine.
How do you stand out when applying for a scholarship?
Kristi spotting a reef shark between coral reef surveys on Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef. Credit: Marina Richardson.
“If I had one piece of advice… it was narrowing down. I was very selective. I could have applied for seven opportunities at the time, but I decided only to apply for the flora and fauna one – a very specific opportunity that was very fitting to my own skills. And I think that made the difference.” – Fernando Mateos-González, Head of Community, Conservation Careers.
“Applying for a grant took a LOT of being proactive, persistent, patient and passionate. Lots of scholarships ask for qualifications and experience, but those personal qualities were just as valuable as any degrees or achievements” – Kristi Foster, Head of Engagement at Conservation Careers.
“I got too many rejections in my applications over the years that I can’t even count anymore. Many schoolmates here [in Burma] also failed multiple times in their applications too. But they learn from their mistakes and they tried again and again. Some needed to apply for a few years to finally get a scholarship. Resilience is a defining characteristic of any scholarship winners. So, my biggest tip for any scholarship applicant is NEVER EVER GIVE UP” – Leo Nyein Zaw Ko, awarded a scholarship to study the Master in Conservation Leadership at the University of Cambridge, UK.
“The Conservation Career Kick-Starter and some free materials from the Conservation Careers website can give you some excellent tips :)” – Olena, an environmental consultant in Ukraine.
“Approach an opportunity with a clear goal in mind. Why do you need this scholarship? Is the foundation’s scope aligned with what you aim to obtain from a course/programme/internship/etc.? For instance… it might seem counterintuitive for some people that a leadership-focused scholarship would pay for an endangered species management course.
“However, once you connect the course and your desired areas of professional growth – it is quite easy to explain how leadership skills play a big role in the ESM. So, think about the connections, justify them in your mind first, and check with friends and colleagues for advice if needed.
“Have glowing recommendations to stand out from an applicant pool. Be a nice person apart from being an outstanding learner/researcher/etc. Truly care about your quality of work and about how you treat people around you. But never fake it. Just try being open-minded and open-hearted – such personal traits help you grow and show your true self in all aspects.
“Devote enough time for creating a high-quality application package. It is all about details – resolution of document scans (clear and readable), succinct yet informative text, referees’ contact information that is up to date, answering ALL required questions, language specifics. For instance, I am not a native English speaker and do not always feel the language in a way a native speaker does. However, I can ask someone to help me with this shortcoming by checking my motivation letter.
“…if you have doubts about what to respond to a certain question there is a contact person from the foundation’s side to consult with. Use this opportunity. Asking questions does not make you look ignorant or inept – quite the opposite, it means you show effort to prepare an excellent application” – Olena from Ukraine, recipient of a grant and scholarship to take the Durrell Endangered Species Management Graduate Certificate.
Check out all our top tips to stand out when applying for a conservation scholarship.
Take your next career step with a Conservation Scholarship!
Thank you!
Thank you to everyone who helped make our Conservation Scholarships Board possible. This includes our scholarships Researchers, Job Posters, Social Media Officers and others whose passion and support made this project possible.