The Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs and PhD Plus are sponsoring two (2) UVA graduate students to serve as 2027 Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering and Science (COVES) Fellows. Eligible applicants are current graduate students from the Engineering, Medicine, or Science fields. Awardees must be current graduate students at the time of the fellowship. Students graduating in May 2027 are unfortunately ineligible to apply. If you are an F or J student visa holder, you must consult with UVA’s International Studies Office before applying to confirm your eligibility, as there may be additional restrictions or limitations, and to request a signed International Student Eligibility Confirmation Letter (see below) to include as part of your application.
The application deadline for the 2027 COVES Policy Fellowship is Tuesday, December 1st at 11:59 PM. See below for more information about the fellowship program and submission instructions.
ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP
The COVES Policy Fellowship is a 12-week fellowship program of the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (VASEM) designed to strengthen connections between the scientific community and state government in the Commonwealth of Virginia while preparing early-career scientists and engineers to engage effectively in public policy. Fellows are placed in legislative offices, executive agencies, and nonprofit organizations, where they apply their scientific and technical expertise to policy-related work and gain firsthand experience with policymaking in the Commonwealth. In addition to their Host Office placement, Fellows participate in orientation and training, professional development, meetings, field trips, and other VASEM-sponsored activities throughout the Fellowship.
Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine
The VASEM is a resource for independent expertise to inform and assist with science and technology policy matters facing Virginia. VASEM is composed of elected members of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine and other leaders in science, engineering, medicine, and technology who live and work throughout Virginia. Its nonpartisan network of experts provides rigorous analytical and scientific expertise to inform policy decisions that are critical to the future of the Commonwealth.
Fellowship Commitment
The COVES Policy Fellowship is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week commitment. Fellows are expected to spend approximately 36-38 hours per week working with their Host Office and approximately 2-4 hours per week participating in required VASEM meetings, professional development activities, field trips, and other fellowship programming. The COVES Policy Fellowship is an in-person fellowship. Fellows must be available and willing to work on-site at their assigned Host Office and may be required to relocate based on the location of their placement temporarily. Remote or hybrid placements are limited and are not guaranteed. Fellows are responsible for securing and paying for their own housing, relocation, and transportation expenses associated with participation in the Fellowship.
Because it is a full-time commitment, Fellows are expected to be released from their regular academic and research responsibilities for the duration of the program. Fellows may not simultaneously participate in coursework, research, other employment, internships, or similar academic or professional commitments without prior approval from VASEM. Fellows must also participate in VASEM programming and complete all Fellowship requirements, including weekly VASEM meetings, professional development activities, field trips, weekly journal entries, required final deliverables, and the COVES Policy Fellowship Forum.
2027 Fellowship Timeline
- Application Deadline: December 1, 2026
- Applicant Interviews: Early January, 2027
- Fellowship Offers: by January 16, 2027
- Fellow Agreements: due January 30, 2027
- Host Office Interviews: Mid- to late March 2027
- Host Office Matching: By April 9, 2027
- Mandatory COVES Orientation (in Richmond): May 20-21, 2027
- Host Office Placement: begins May 24, 2027
- COVES Policy Fellowship Forum (in Richmond): August 13, 2027
- Host Office Placement Ends: August 13, 2027
- Final Deliverables Due: August 31, 2027
Please note: the COVES Fellowship program has announced that they will be hosting interviews with finalists this year. The tentative dates and times have not been announced yet, but please check the COVES Fellowship website (https://vasem.org/strengthening-policymaking/) for additional information leading up to the deadline.
HOW TO APPLY
In addition to completing the 2027 Fellowship Application Form (see below), UVA applicants must also include the following attachments, which are describe in more details on the application form.
- Resume/CV (not to exceed three pages)
- References (name and email address of one professional reference)
- Advisor Letter of Support:
- Personal Statement (one page or less)
- Science Policy in Virginia (one page or less)
- Placement Interest (one page or less)
- International Student Eligibility Confirmation (if applicable)*
* Please note: If you are an F or J student visa holder, you must consult with UVA’s International Studies Office before applying to confirm your eligibility, as there may be additional restrictions or limitations, and to request a signed International Student Eligibility Confirmation Letter to include as part of your application.
Submission Instructions
The application forms and a detailed list of the required COVES Policy Fellowship application materials (including the Advisor Letter of Support and International Student Eligibility Confirmation Letter forms) can be found HERE.
All interested UVA graduate students must submit their application materials directly to VASEM using the submission portal on the COVES Fellowship website (https://vasem.org/strengthening-policymaking/), or directly via the application portal HERE.
ALL MATERIALS ARE DUE BY DECEMBER 1, 2026 AT 11:59 PM.