Purpose:The DoD recognizes the need to support the education of America’s future scientists and engineers. The SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program is part of a concentrated effort to improve the flow of new, highly skilled technical labor into DoD facilities and agencies and to enhance the technical skills of the workforce already in place.

Funding:

• Full tuition and education related fees (does not include items such as meal plans, housing, or parking)
• Cash award paid at a rate of $25,000 - $41,000 depending on prior educational experience (may be prorated depending on award length)
• Paid summer internships
• Health Insurance reimbursement allowance up to $1,200 per calendar year
• Book allowance of $1,000 per academic year
• Mentoring
• Employment placement after graduation

Terms & Conditions of the Scholarship

Eligibility: All Scholarship recipients must be:

• a U.S. Citizen at time of application
• 18 years of age or older as of August 1
• able to participate in summer internships at DoD (Department of Defense) laboratories
• willing to accept post-graduate employment with the DoD
• as student in good standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (as calculated by the SMART application)
• pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in one of the disciplines listed on the About SMART page

Special considerations:

• Undergraduate applicants must be currently enrolled in a regionally accredited U.S. college or university and have a high school diploma/GED. Current high school students are not eligible to apply.
• Graduate applicants can be either currently enrolled in a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or awaiting notification of admission to such. If awaiting admission, you must be accepted for entrance in the fall term.
• First Year Associate’s Program applicants must report an ACT or SAT Reasoning Test Score. Subject tests are not required. In addition, individuals who apply during their Freshman/First Year must obtain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale during the fall academic term of their Freshman/First Year. Freshman/First Year Associate's Program applicants will be required to submit an official transcript reflecting their fall academic term grades to establish compliance with this requirement.
• Graduate applicants must have taken the GRE and test scores must be reportable by ETS. Subject tests are not required.