SMART Scholarships
Scholarship Sponsored by Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation
SMART Program Overview
The SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program is a merit-based education and workforce development initiative for students pursuing STEM degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Recipients receive financial support and professional development while completing internships at Department of War facilities, followed by civilian employment after graduation. The program accepts applications annually between August and early December and has a structured service requirement after degree completion.
Description: SMART funds STEM education and facilitates transition into civilian DoW careers by pairing academic support with hands-on experience. The program aims to develop technical leaders who contribute to mission-critical research and development.
Award Value: Awards typically cover full tuition, provide annual stipends, and include allowances for books and health. Recipients also complete paid summer internships at DoW facilities as part of the scholarship.
- Merit-based scholarships for undergraduate and graduate STEM students.
- Comprehensive financial support including tuition and stipends.
- Paid internships and post-graduation DoW civilian employment.
Building Future Department of War Leaders
The SMART Scholarship program cultivates early-career leaders by integrating academic training with practical experience at Department of War facilities. Scholars complete summer internships and often continue at the same facilities as civilian professionals, applying their education to real-world problems. DoW sites support advanced work in areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, autonomy, space, and communications technologies.
Impact: The program strengthens the DoW technical workforce and accelerates innovation by exposing scholars to cutting-edge projects and cross-disciplinary teams during internships and early employment.
- Hands-on experience at over 150 Department of War facilities.
- Exposure to mission-driven research and advanced technology areas.
- Pathway from education directly into DoW civilian roles.
Eligible STEM Disciplines
The SMART program supports a broad range of STEM disciplines; applicants must be pursuing or intend to pursue a qualifying degree. In 2023 the eligibility was expanded to include incoming college freshmen with no prior college credit, making the program available to high school seniors as well. Disciplines listed by SMART represent general categories; specific majors or interdisciplinary fields may qualify under one or more categories.
Eligibility: Applicants should review the SMART discipline list to confirm that their intended or current major aligns with the program’s qualifying fields. Acceptance depends on meeting academic, citizenship, and other program-specific requirements.
- Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Biosciences
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sciences
- Computer Science and Engineering
- Data Science and Analytics
- Electrical Engineering
- 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
- Software Engineering
- Wide range of qualifying STEM disciplines.
- Eligibility expanded to incoming college freshmen in 2023.
- Check that your major maps to one of the listed disciplines.
Application Instructions
The SMART application cycle opens annually on August 1 and closes at 5:00 p.m. EST on the first Friday in December; applicants must submit their completed online application by that deadline. Supporting materials, including reference forms, must be received by the same deadline—late materials are not accepted. Applicants are typically notified of awards in the spring and should note that submitted application materials are not returned.
Application Timeline: Plan to register early, gather references and transcripts, and submit all documents before the December deadline to ensure consideration. Award notifications generally occur in the spring following the application cycle.
- Application window: August 1 through the first Friday in December (5:00 p.m. EST).
- All supporting materials must be received by the deadline; late submissions are not accepted.
- Award decisions are typically announced in the spring.
Preparing Your Application
Begin by completing the program registration to establish an account and receive login instructions for the Application Portal. Review account authentication setup instructions before first login and follow the portal guidance to complete each task. The application requires completion of every task for the submit button to appear; a progress bar helps track status.
Application Process: Register to receive portal access, set up account authentication, complete each application task, and monitor submission status. Ensure references and other supporting documents are requested early so they arrive by the deadline.
- Register to create an application account and receive login instructions.
- Follow authentication setup and complete every application task to enable submission.
- Track progress via the portal and confirm references are submitted before the deadline.