Opportunities
Finding opportunities as a young person can be challenging, especially in the marine and environmental fields where information is often scattered or hard to access. This page is updated every month to make the search easier by sharing carefully curated opportunities for youth.
It includes internships, fellowships, scholarships, conferences, and other programs designed to support young people interested in ocean, climate, and environmental work. Whether you are looking to learn, develop skills, or grow your impact, this page is here to help you find the pathways that fit your goals.
ACTIVE: Currently Open Opportunities
Nat Geo & The Nature Conservancy – Marine & Community Conservation Externship
A 6–8 week remote externship (June 1 – July 27) for ages 18–25 interested in marine and community conservation. No prior experience required. Includes workshops, speaker series, and a conservation project. $500 stipend available.
Wild Wonder Foundation – Club Micro Grant
A micro grant supporting the establishment and growth of Nature Journaling Clubs around the world, with a focus on bringing nature connection to underserved communities. The Wild Wonder Foundation uses art, science, curiosity, and community to encourage conservation.
2026 Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC)
A global challenge for ages 15–30 to submit innovative marine and ocean conservation solutions. Winners receive a $1,000 USD prize and a fully funded trip to Taiwan to present at an international forum.
Audi Environmental Foundation Scholarship 2026
A fully funded scholarship for 10 young leaders (ages 18–30) working on climate solutions including marine ecosystem protection. Covers flights, accommodation, meals, and transport to the One Young World Summit in Cape Town, plus access to an exclusive pre-programme.
2026 Ocean Awareness Contest
The 2026 Ocean Awareness Contest – Your Story, Our Ocean – invites you to explore how the ocean sustains, protects, and inspires us all. Share your personal connection to the ocean through art, writing, performance, film, or multimedia.
ICMM Young Leaders Scholarship 2026
A fully funded scholarship for young leaders (ages 18–35) driving impact in biodiversity conservation, decarbonisation, or sustainability. Scholars attend the One Young World Summit in Cape Town and gain lifelong ambassador membership, mentorship, and leadership training.
2026 Scuba Diving – Through Your Lens Photo Contest
Scuba Diving magazine's annual underwater photo contest celebrating the beauty, drama, and personality of the underwater world. Categories include Wide-Angle, Macro, Behavior, Sharks and Rays, and Compact/Smartphone. Prizes include liveaboard trips, dive gear, cash prizes, and potential magazine features.
Youth Empowerment Forum (YEF) 2026
A fully funded global leadership forum gathering 250 young changemakers (ages 16–46) in Geneva for policy dialogues, leadership workshops, and networking with global participants. Open to all nationalities.
Beasiswa Perempuan Inovasi 2026
A free digital skills scholarship for Indonesian women by Perempuan Inovasi GENerasi AI in collaboration with IBM SkillsBuild. Covers AI, technology, and career readiness training. Open call: March 18 – May 30, 2026.
Leadership Certification in Global Diplomacy 2026 (HISA)
A 4-day executive certification program in Brussels covering diplomatic practice, EU governance, negotiation, and policy labs. Open to all nationalities. Fully funded and partially funded scholarships available — note: a $9.99 application fee applies and most categories beyond the scholarship involve participation fees.
Save Our Seas Small Grant
Grants (~$5,000) for early-career shark and ray researchers.
GUE NextGen Scholarship
A fully funded one-year diving scholarship for divers ages 21–30. Includes tuition-free GUE training, a travel budget, Halcyon gear, and a dedicated mentor. Requires Advanced Open Water certification and 20+ dives.
Global Youth Festival 2026 – Paris (HISA)
A flagship international youth leadership summit bringing together 500 delegates from 120+ countries for workshops, policy dialogues, and cultural exchange. Ages 18–40. 350 scholarships available across fully funded, partially funded, and festival pass tiers — note: a $9.99 application fee applies and most categories beyond the scholarship involve participation fees.
Youth Advisory Council (YAC) – Jane Goodall Institute Canada
A youth leadership council run by the Jane Goodall Institute for people aged 18–30 living in Canada who want to shape environmental initiatives and advocate for a sustainable future.
GEF Small Grants Programme 2026
A UNDP funding opportunity for NGOs, CSOs, and community groups delivering local climate and environmental action projects. Supports grassroots-led initiatives that address biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, and international waters.
Young Climate Prize 2026
A global prize and accelerator for young people (ages 13–25) actively leading climate projects. Selected finalists join the "25 Under 25" cohort and receive mentorship from global experts, workshops through the Design Academy, and the opportunity to present at The World Around Summit in New York City.
ASEAN Youth Sustainability Forum 2026
A regional forum bringing together young leaders (ages 18–35) across Southeast Asia to collaborate on sustainability and climate action. Hosted by the ASEAN Youth Organization.
OceanLove Innovation Awards 2026
Endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade, this global ocean innovation award offers seed funding up to $10,000 and a bootcamp for selected finalists. Three categories: the Wavemakers Award (educators and youth spreading awareness), the Living Sea Award (innovations protecting marine ecosystems), and the Blue Circle Award (circular economy and cleanup innovations).
RestorLife Awards 2026
Two award categories: the NGO Award (up to $15,000 in a matching pool plus a $10,000 G20 Land Initiative Grand Prize and a trip to UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia) and the Responsible Businesses Leadership Award (a prestigious honorary G20 GLI Leadership Award). Supported by @maearthstudio and @g20landinitiative.
KEEP A LOOK OUT FOR THESE!
ROLLING YEARLY OR NOT OPEN YET
Blue Corner Marine Conservation Internship
Hands-on marine conservation internship with training in coral ecology, reef monitoring, and coral restoration.
Bimini Shark Lab – Internship & Doc Gruber Memorial Scholarship
A 2–4 month internship at the Bimini Biological Field Station for early-career marine scientists. Interns join shark and ray fieldwork, education initiatives, and Florida Keys research trips. The Doc Gruber Memorial Scholarship (supported by the McPZ Foundation) offers partial or full funding covering accommodation, meals, field activities, and training. Competitive — apply via the internship application form.
Ocean Culture Life – Storytelling Grant Programme
A grant supporting storytellers, filmmakers, and creatives using narrative, media, and art to inspire ocean conservation and cultural connection to the sea.
Women Divers Hall of Fame – Scholarships & Grants
Grants and scholarships supporting women in diving, scientific diving, marine conservation, and diver medical education.
ReShark Internship Programme
A hands-on internship with ReShark, the world's first shark nursery, focused on shark and ray conservation, fieldwork, and community engagement in Indonesia.
OceanX Ocean Futures Fellowship (IIE)
A paid six-month fellowship by OceanX and IIE for ocean professionals aged 21+. Choose from six tracks: AI, Digital Correspondent, Immersive Media, Marketing, Partnerships, or Digital Archives. Includes a stipend, mentorship, and a potential trip aboard the OceanXplorer.
Coral Catch Scholarship
9-week program empowering Indonesian women in coral restoration with 50+ dives, leadership training, mentorship.
Legend Diving Divemaster Internship
18-month free scholarship for qualified Indonesian divers. Includes training, salary, and all PADI-related costs.
Blue Corner PADI Women's Day Scholarship
Zero to Hero scholarship for Indonesian female divers. Two-month professional training + job placement support.
GoPro Lembongan Scholarship
24-month program for 3 Indonesian citizens. Includes salary, training, equipment, and food allowance.
Indo Ocean Project – Divemaster & Research Internships
Intensive divemaster and marine conservation internships featuring workshops in research, rescue, and underwater skills.
Aquamarine Diving – AMD-B 2026 PADI Divemaster Internship
Professional-level dive training with one of Bali's most established dive operators, focusing on safety, guiding, and real-world dive operations.
Amare Divers – Zero to Hero Dive Program
A Zero to Hero dive program taking participants from beginner to professional level, with hands-on experience in marine conservation and reef-based dive operations.
The Purple Grant (Marine Science Research)
Supports Indonesian women in marine science research. Awarded twice a year with funding and mentorship.
Two Fish Divers – PADI Divemaster Internship
A professional Divemaster internship at multiple Indonesian dive destinations. Ideal for aspiring dive professionals seeking hands-on training in diverse marine environments.
Ocean Gardener – Coral Restoration Scholarship
A scholarship for Indonesian citizens to train as coral restoration practitioners. Choose a 4-week Full Coral Restoration Certification (40+ dives) or a 2-week Acropora Identification Course (20 dives). Requires Advanced Diver cert and 50+ logged dives.
One Young World Summit Scholarships
Multiple fully funded scholarships each year for One Young World's global leadership summit, covering environment, sustainability, and social impact. New scholarships open at different times — worth checking regularly.
The Iris Prize 2026
A prize for youth-led nature conservation projects, open to ages 14–24. Three tiers: Seed ($5,000), Stem ($10,000), and Iris Prize ($15,000). Applications accepted in any language.
The Y. Eva Tan Conservation Reporting Fellowship
A Mongabay reporting fellowship for early-career journalists from tropical biodiversity hotspots. Fellows receive training and editorial mentorship, publishing across English, Spanish, Bahasa Indonesia, and Portuguese — with a dedicated ocean reporting track for Southeast Asia.
Nat Geo & The Nature Conservancy – Freshwater & Community Conservation Externship
A 6–8 week remote externship for ages 18–25 focused on freshwater and community conservation. No prior experience required. Includes workshops, expert speakers, and a hands-on project. $500 stipend available.
Nat Geo & The Nature Conservancy – Community Conservation, Data Visualization & Mapping Externship
A 6–8 week remote externship for ages 18–25 focused on community conservation, data visualization, and mapping. No prior experience required. Includes workshops, expert networking, and a data-driven conservation project. $500 stipend available.
MERO Foundation – Marine Research & Conservation Internship
A hands-on internship for university students in marine science or related fields. Four tracks available: Marine Research, Ecology & Conservation, Social & Science Education, or Digital Media. Durations range from 1 week to 6 months. Note: a program fee applies.
Planet Indonesia Internships
Internships in environmental education, grant writing, and donor relations for those interested in conservation management.
Karang Divers – Divemaster Scholarship & Coral Conservation Program
A 6-month Divemaster scholarship combining professional dive training with hands-on coral reef restoration using natural rock and specialized coral adhesive, starting January 2026.
Maldives Manta Conservation Programme – Research Internship
A research internship working on manta ray conservation, fieldwork, and community outreach across the Maldives. Interns assist with data collection, oceanographic research, and conservation storytelling.
Save Our Seas Foundation – Keystone Grant
A biennial research grant averaging $25,000 USD per year for projects focused on sharks, rays, skates, sawfishes, and chimaeras. Open in even years — look out for the 2028 cycle.
HISA – Headway Institute of Strategic Alliance
HISA runs international youth conferences, forums, and leadership programmes across cities worldwide each year, including Paris, Brussels, Budapest, Sydney, and more. Fully funded and partially funded scholarships are available for most events — worth checking regularly if you're interested in global leadership and diplomacy. Note: a small non-refundable application fee ($9.99) applies, and participation categories beyond the scholarship involve fees.