The Stephenson Exploration Advancement (SEA) Program

Who can apply: College undergraduates, graduate students, or independent explorers conducting fieldwork focused specifically on marine research. This is the only one of the Club’s grants that names undergraduates and graduate students together, and the only one restricted to a single subject area. The page prints no nationality… What is funded: A fixed award of USD 10,000 for projects that expand what is known about marine ecosystems and make a tangible difference for them and for the communities that depend on them. Field costs only; the Club excludes visas, immunisations, tuition, salaries and institutional overhead. No application fee. Deadline: 2 October 2026, 6:00 pm ET. Round: 2027 field season cycle.

Read the full call and apply on the official page: The Explorers Club and the Philip Stephenson Foundation, official page.

Who can apply

• College undergraduates, graduate students, or independent explorers conducting fieldwork focused specifically on marine research. This is the only one of the Club's grants that names undergraduates and graduate students together, and the only one restricted to a single subject area. The page prints no nationality rule, so none is asserted here. The Explorers Club states that its grants do not pay for visas, immunisations, tuition, salaries for students or faculty, or institutional overhead. Two letters of support are required and the Club will not accept them by email; the letter writers must upload them through the application form itself, and an application missing either letter is not reviewed. A written report and a statement of expenses, with copies of major receipts, are due no later than six months after the fieldwork ends.

Stage dates

Dates come from the funder's page for this round. When a round closes, the next round's dates replace these once the funder publishes them.

See all current funding opportunities