The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has opened applications for its 2026/27 Ocean Stewardship Fund grant round — and postgraduate students working on fisheries research can apply for a Student Research Grant of up to £10,000. This is a genuinely open window: applications are being accepted now, with a deadline of 28 February 2027.
What Is on Offer
MSC’s Student Research Grants support postgraduate students who carry out research with fisheries that are engaged with, or working toward, the MSC Fisheries Standard. In plain terms: if your research helps a fishery understand, improve, or maintain sustainable fishing practices, this grant is designed for you.
- Funding amount: up to £10,000
- Duration: up to 12 months
- Status: open for applications now
- Deadline: 23:59 UTC, 28 February 2027
Who Can Apply
The grants are aimed at postgraduate students whose research connects directly with a fishery engaged with the MSC programme — whether that fishery is certified, in the MSC Improvement Program, or working toward the MSC Fisheries Standard. Projects that help fisheries overcome sustainability barriers are a particularly good fit.
How to Apply
Before applying, MSC asks candidates to review the eligibility, deadline and application guidance for the fund on the official funding page. Practical tips:
- Read the official guidance first — the MSC funding page carries fund-specific eligibility notes for every round.
- Contact your local MSC representative for guidance before submitting; MSC explicitly encourages this.
- General questions can go to the Ocean Stewardship Fund team.
- Start early — a 12-month research grant application benefits from a clear project plan, supervisor support, and a confirmed link to the fishery involved.
Also Open: Transition Assistance Fund
Alongside the student grants, MSC’s Transition Assistance Fund is also open in this round — it supports fisheries verified as improving toward MSC certification through the MSC Improvement Program, with up to £50,000 over up to two years. Its deadline is 23:59 UTC, 1 December 2026, so organisations interested in that fund have less time.
Why This Matters for Fisheries Students
Research funding that connects postgraduate study directly with working fisheries is rare. The Student Research Grant does two things at once: it funds the student’s research costs, and it gives fisheries practical evidence they can use on their sustainability journey. For fisheries science, marine biology, and aquaculture postgraduates looking to add real-world impact — and a globally recognised name — to their CV, this is one of the strongest open opportunities right now.
Apply through the official MSC funding page and keep the 28 February 2027 deadline in view. Source: Marine Stewardship Council, “Apply for fisheries funding” — verified open with the stated deadlines on 21 October 2026.