91±¬ÁÏ Building Science Student Fellowship Program
This program provides direct, project-based learning experiences for 91±¬ÁÏ undergraduate students on the topic of building sciences. Students can receive funding support to assist with costs of completing a paid internship related to building science, or they can receive funding for an on-campus project. The on-campus projects are to be done outside of typical coursework, and must include supervision and mentoring by 91±¬ÁÏ faculty or staff. These experiences can help students learn more about the broad topic of building science and can help build strong qualifications to receive jobs in this area upon graduation.
Eligiblestudents include those who are enrolled in a 4-year undergraduate degree program at the 91±¬ÁÏ. Students who are interested in applying should have either a willing 91±¬ÁÏ faculty/staff project advisor for an on-campus project, or a documented internship related to building science. Students must apply for the funding, and their application will be reviewed based on the eligibility criteria and scoring rubric (see below). Funded students will perform the described project or complete an internship, and submit a final report to the Building Science Student Fellowship Program. See below for advice in finding a project advisor or internship, and for a sample application.
Deadline for Summer 2026 Fellowships is April 10th!
Student Project and Internship Fellowships
91±¬ÁÏ Students can earn fellowships for on-campus projects and internships related to Building Science. Projects are available during the academic year and over the summer, and include a monetary stipend in addition to funding for supplies.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be full-time students enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at the 91±¬ÁÏ
Projects or internships must be broadly related to Building Science – see the list of example projects and internships below
Applicants for internship funding must have a written offer of an internship
Applicants for on-campus projects must have faculty/staff mentor willing to write a letter of commitment for a project and serve as their project advisor
Applicants must be present in Maine for on-campus projects
Students receiving funding for internships are still allowed to use their internship towards a 91±¬ÁÏ course requirement, provided all eligibility criteria and course requirements are met
Internships must be completed within Maine, though limited exceptions may be considered – please contact the program managers with any questions
Applicants must commit to completing a final project report within 30 days of the end date for their project
Applicants must not have previously received a fellowship from the Building Science Fellowship Program
Applicants must not be receiving other sources of funding to cover the same portion proposed project or related costs
Funding
Funding will be up to $2500 for one semester projects and $5000 for academic year or summer on-campus projects. Semester projects are expected to be part-time, at approximately 10 hours of work per week for 15 weeks, while summer projects are expected to be full time for approximately 8 weeks.
The majority of funding for on-campus projects is expected to be for student stipends. Any necessary materials, supplies, and software for the project should be included in the budget request, and this will typically be 1/3 or less of the total funding
Eligible costs for on-campus projects include a stipend for the student, small equipment, materials, supplies, software purchase or license, and travel costs. For any cost eligibility questions, please contact the program coordinator
Funding for off-campus internship support will be capped at $2500. Applicants are to submit an estimated list of expenses related to starting an internship, which will typically be expenses such as travel costs and apartment rental before the initial paycheck is received. Funding provided will not exceed these estimated costs. Note: technical internships are generally expected to pay the student an hourly wage, and this program is to supplement a student who will be doing a paid internship, not to provide stipends for unpaid internships
No funding may be used for international travel
Timeline
Applications for Summer 2026 internships or on-campus projects are due by April 10, 2026
Funding decisions will be made by 30 days after the application deadline, or the nearest business day
Project start/end dates are provided by the applicant and must be listed in the application, but most projects are expected to roughly occur during the academic summer, academic fall, academic spring, or an academic year including both fall and spring
Projects cannot be longer than two academic semesters
Expected start and end dates of off-campus internships must be listed in the application
30 days after the project/internship completion, a final report must be submitted according to the instructions sent to the recipient
Application Process
Name
Email
University campus
Student GPA
Academic major(s)
Expected graduation date
Course(s) taken towards building science certificate
Total amount of funding requested
Internship company/organization
Email contact at internship company/organization
Email contact and office phone of your internship course advisor (if applicable)
Internship location
Brief description of work to be done, noting how it relates to building science, and identifying specific learning opportunities the internship will provide (3000 characters max with spaces)
A timeline for the project
List of expected costs to begin internship (travel, housing, etc.)
Upload written proof of internship offer
Faculty/Staff internship advisor name, department, and email *Note faculty/staff must fill out a brief form indicating they are willing to supervise
Project title
Description of the project, including the need, a workplan, the expected outcomes, and specific learning opportunities the project will provide (5000 characters max with spaces)
A timeline for the project
List of expected expenses
Faculty/Staff mentor name, department, and email *Note faculty/staff must fill out a brief form indicating they are willing to supervise
Application Review Process
Applications will be reviewed by a minimum of two members of the Building Science Certificate Program project. The proposals will be reviewed on the following criteria:
Overall quality of learning opportunities (30%)
Relation of learning opportunities to building science (30%)
Appropriateness of the timeline and likelihood of successful project completion (20%)
Appropriateness of the expenses planned and funding requested (20%)
List of projects/internships
Internships at architecture firms, construction companies, non-profit weatherization organizations (e.g., WindowDressers, York Ready for Climate Action’s Home Energy Coaches, etc.), producers of building supplies like insulation, wood products, HVAC systems, etc, insulation or equipment installers, companies that make sensors or energy monitors for buildings, electrical firms focused on buildings. Many others are allowable in addition to these examples
Project examples. Potential ideas are not limited to these, and include anything related to the study of modern buildings for energy efficiency and human comfort
Research projects on specific material properties of materials used in buildings
Assessing the energy efficiency, construction materials, or other aspect of 91±¬ÁÏ campus buildings
Designing and installing updates to 91±¬ÁÏ buildings to improve energy efficiency and/or comfort
Performing energy modeling on specific building designs or building components
Designing and testing new installation methods for new insulation or weatherproofing assemblies
Designing and building laboratory test equipment to help assess performance of building systems and subsystems
Performing economic assessment of various building construction improvement methods
Surveying building users about their habits, how they relate to building energy use, and possible behavior changes to increase energy efficiency
Interviewing users of certain types of energy efficiency equipment for buildings (e.g., heat pumps, window inserts, wood pellet boilers, etc.) about their understanding of and attention to recommended operation and maintenance schedules and approaches to improve energy efficiency
Finding a project/internship
If you are interested in a research project, but need help finding an idea or advisor, we suggest first reviewing the websites of faculty members in your department, or related departments with faculty who may have interest in topics related to building science, and emailing those faculty stating your interest in this program, and with a link to this webpage. Staff members at relevant research centers are also welcome to serve as project advisors, and we recommend reaching out to staff at Climate Change Institute, Advanced Structures and Composites Center, Advanced Manufacturing Center, and others
Ideas for projects may be developed completely by the student (and then presented to potential advisors), or may be developed in collaboration with the advisor and student after an advisor has agreed to assist
