A number of graduate opportunities are offered at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Each year, the Institute holds a Fundamentals of Ecosystem Ecology (FEE) course. An intensive immersion in ecosystem science, with lectures taught by Institute scientists, the FEE course attracts an audience of international participants. Drs. Charles D. Canham and Maria Uriarte's Likelihood Methods in Ecology course is an excellent primer for students interested in using statistics to inform experimental design and enhance data interpretation.

In addition to on-site course offerings, Institute ecologists sit on thesis committees and serve as graduate advisors. Advantages to graduate study include immersion in a group of energetic, communicative scientists, and opportunities to work as part of multi-disciplinary teams tackling important questions. Graduate students hail from a range of parent institutions, from Cornell University to Israel's Ben Gurion University of the Negev. Students interested in working with an Institute ecologist should contact scientists directly.