SMART Scholarships

The Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship-for-Service Program is funded by the Department of Defense (DoD). It is a combined educational and workforce development opportunity for bachelors, masters, and Ph.D. students to gain technical skills in critical STEM fields and support the national security mission of DoD.

Mission

The SMART Program provides a combined education and career opportunity to students pursuing STEM degrees that will enhance the Department of Defense (DoD) civilian workforce.

Vision

The SMART Program creates a highly skilled Department of Defense (DoD) STEM workforce that competes with the dynamic trends in technology and innovation to protect national security.

Who can apply?

The SMART application is open August through December of every year, with awards being granted the following spring. Review the below requirements to ensure you are eligible to apply for this life-changing opportunity.

All applicants must be:

A) A citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or United Kingdom at time of application,

B) 18 years of age or older as of August 1, 2021

C) Able to complete at least one summer internships at a DoD facility,

D) Requesting at least 1.5 years of degree funding prior to graduation (which starts at the program start date),

E) Willing to accept post-graduation employment with the DoD,

F) A student in good standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale,

G) Pursuing a technical undergraduate or graduate degree in one of the 21 STEM disciplines listed below,

H) Able to produce a fall 2020 college transcript from an accredited college or university, OR be pursuing a graduate degree

Active duty military members who wish to apply for the SMART Scholarship must be separated or on terminal leave on or before August 1, 2021 to be eligible. Reserve and National Guard members are eligible to apply. Current ROTC participants with a future service commitment are not eligible to apply

For more information, watch the SMART Eligibility Requirements video.

What kind of STEM?

The program focuses on students pursuing disciplines that are critical to national security functions of the Department of Defense (DoD). The following is a list of SMART's 21 approved STEM disciplines. These disciplines are general umbrella disciplines – specific applicant majors or fields of study may fall under one or more discipline on this list.

Please note, non-technical degrees, including management, arts, or humanities, are not approved or funded by SMART.

Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
Biosciences
Biomedical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sciences
Computer and Computational Sciences and Computer Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Environmental Sciences
Geosciences
Industrial and Systems Engineering
Information Sciences
Materials Science and Engineering
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
Nuclear Engineering
Oceanography
Operations Research
Physics