Young white female in lab coat and stethoscope around neck kneels down in indoor pig pen, surrounded by 8 young white pigs Young white female in lab coat and stethoscope around neck kneels down in indoor pig pen, surrounded by 8 young white pigs

2025 FFAR Veterinary Student Research Fellowship

Open Opportunity

Contact

Nikki Dutta
ndutta@foundationfar.org

Grants Team
grants@foundationfar.org

Applications are under review

About the 2025 FFAR Veterinary Student Research Fellowship

Livestock producers are grappling with devastating diseases like H5N1 influenza (bird flu), African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease, as well as animal welfare concerns and antimicrobial resistance. These challenges are intensifying as the United States experiences a critical shortage of veterinarians specializing in livestock and poultry, threatening public health, food safety and the economic vitality of agricultural communities. 

To support future veterinary researchers, the FFAR and the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) established the FFAR Veterinary Student Research Fellowship (FFAR Vet Fellows) in 2018. The Fellowship prepares veterinary students for multi-faceted careers in science and public service. The Fellows complete their research with a qualified mentor at an AAVMC member institution and present their findings at the annual Veterinary Scholars Symposium

The FFAR Vet Fellows is accepting applications for the 2025 cohort and has expanded its scope, eligibility and impact.

Research Focus Areas
The FFAR Vet Fellows program supports quantitative and qualitative student research, including, but not limited to:

  • Advancing animal (i.e., livestock/production animals) welfare
  • Advanced technologies including gene-editing, precision breeding and microbiome/metagenomics in food production
  • Agricultural and environmental economics, socioeconomics, spatial analysis and computational modeling
  • Antimicrobial stewardship (must have a food and agriculture interface)
  • Improved environmental outcomes of agriculture
  • Nutritional security and food access
  • One Health (FFAR & AAVMC recognize One Health as “a holistic, ecosystem-based approach to human, animal and environmental health” described here.)
  • Veterinary occupational, health and safety and environmental (OHSE). Zoonosis, injuries, trauma and psychological risks associated with handling and/or working with animals.
  • Zoonotic diseases and pandemic prevention (must have a food and agriculture interface) 

Student Eligibility & Award Funds

The Fellowship provides up to 15 students a $16,000 stipend each — a $6,000 increase from 2024. This opportunity is open to domestic and international students currently enrolled in Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or Veterinariae Medicinae Doctoris (VMD) degree program. New this year, students enrolled in or who have completed an advanced research or non-research degree, such as an Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Public Health (MPH) or graduate certificate, are eligible to apply. Students do not need to have prior research experience, and matching funds are not required for this opportunity.

Each application must include a letter of support from a program director or department chair.

Application Guidelines

Am I eligible to apply?

The program is open to domestic and international students currently enrolled in DVM or VMD degree program. New this year, students enrolled in or who have completed an advanced research or non-research degree, such as an MS, MPH or graduate certificate, are eligible to apply.

There is no limit to the number of students/applicants per institution.

Are matching funds required?

Matching funds are optional for this program. Funds will be provided at the start date of the award and must be used specifically for the designated student’s stipend, supplies and participation in the Veterinary Scholars Symposium (including, but not limited to, registration, travel and accommodations). Funds may be used anytime within one year of the project start date; any remaining funds one year later must be returned. Funds will be dispersed directly to the institution of the selected student by AAVMC.

For fellowship funds and funding distribution questions, please contact Brooklind Norman, AAVMC program coordinator, at BNorman@aavmc.org.

How do I apply?

All applications must be submitted by the deadline date through FFAR’s online application Grant Management System. Applications submitted outside of this System will not be considered.

To start a new application, please click here. If you are a new user, register for an account by clicking the “Create Account” button located under the email address field on the left side of the home page. Once you log in, you may begin working on your application. Please be sure to save your work often by clicking on “Save and Finish Later.” To access a saved application, please do so through your Grant Management Account.

Only applications submitted by the deadline through FFAR’s Grant Management System will be accepted and considered eligible for evaluation. To be fair to all applicants, FFAR will not grant extensions to applicants who missed the deadlines posted in the Key Dates section.

Applications are reviewed by an ad-hoc advisory committee, which may include program sponsors, on proposal merit, feasibility and completeness. Final selections are made by FFAR and AAVMC using the advisory committee’s recommendations.  All external reviewers must agree to and adhere to the terms outlined in FFAR’s Conflict of Interest Policy and Non-Disclosure Agreement. FFAR makes reasonable efforts to ensure that applications are not assigned to reviewers with a potential conflict with the applicant, institution or project personnel. Reviewers with a conflict of interest are recused from evaluating or participating in the related discussions. Each stage of the review is conducted confidentially, and as such, FFAR is responsible for protecting the confidentiality of the contents of the applications.

Whom do I contact for assistance?

For programmatic questions, please contact Nikki Dutta, Scientific Program Officer, at ndutta@foundationfar.org.

For questions about the online submission system, please contact FFAR’s Grant Management team at grants@foundationfar.org.

For fellowship funds and funding distribution questions, please contact Brooklind Norman, AAVMC Program Coordinator, at BNorman@aavmc.org.

FFAR strives to respond to inquiries within two business days, but our response time depends on the volume of questions received and the complexity of the questions asked.

Please note that we do not monitor mailboxes on evenings, weekends or federal holidays.