The fellowship follows the SMART scholarship eligible disciplines; any STEM discipline advancing DOD national priorities qualifies.We define STEM disciplines as outlined by the SMART scholarship. Refer to the SMART scholarship page for details.
The funding can be used for expenses that support the Ph.D. journey, including tuition, professional development, conference attendance, or other research-related costs.
Required professional development activities include monthly virtual sessions (networking chats, workshops), an orientation/onboarding session, and a cohort convening in June 2027. The estimated time commitment is approximately 5 hours per month, though this may vary and will be confirmed as the program schedule is finalized.
Students are eligible to apply in the second year of their program, as they will be in the third year by the start of the fellowship (August 2026), which meets program requirements.
No, security clearance is not required for the fellowship.
No, there is no requirement to work for the DOD after completing the fellowship.
Yes, the faculty mentor can be different as long as they can provide the required letter of support.
Faculty mentors are not required to be U.S. citizens. However, please note that future program events may have their own eligibility requirements or disclosure expectations, which will be communicated as appropriate.
Funding is distributed as a one-time award through the fellow’s institution using its standard fellowship payment mechanism.
