Application Status
The Nebraska Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program applications are now closed for the 2026 season. We will open the applications for the 2027 training season in mid-September.
Classes are offered twice a year, starting in late January or September, depending on location. To find the closest training location, please get in touch with your local county extension office. Please note that enrollment may be limited based on available space.
As a Nebraska Extension Master Gardener Volunteer (NE-EMGV) Student, you are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of education. Once you fulfill this requirement and pass an open-book test with a score of 70% or higher, you will be classified as a NE-EMGV Trainee. After completing an additional 40 hours of volunteer activities, you will officially become a Volunteer in the Nebraska Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program. This title will remain with you until the next training sessions begin the following year.
Applications and Program Information
For all Counties except Douglas/Sarpy
**Online Application**: Applications are now closed for winter/spring 2026 training.
Click here for the NE-EMGV Program Application.
For more information about the programs administered in Lancaster County:
- Lancaster County office (day classes): contact Mary Jane Frogge at (402) 441-7180 or mfrogge2@unl.edu
- UNL East Campus (evening classes): contact Terri James at (402) 472-8973 or terri.james@unl.edu
Douglas/Sarpy County
The Douglas-Sarpy program is not recruiting a new cohort of interns in 2027. We will announce the next recruitment cycle once it is scheduled.
We will still hold information sessions in November for anyone interested in learning about the NE-EMGV program and in exploring options to stay connected with Extension and gardening education opportunities.
- Friday, November 13, 2026, 6:30 PM – Douglas County Extension Office, 8015 West Center Rd., Omaha
- Saturday, November 14, 2026, 9:30 AM – Sump Memorial Library, 222 N. Jefferson St., Papillion
For more information, call 402-444-7804 or email Scott Evans (scott.evans@unl.edu) or Julia Cambridge (jcambridge2@unl.edu), Horticulture Program Coordinators.