Department of Defense - SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program
The Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship-for-Service Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), is a unique education and workforce development opportunity for aspiring leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). SMART provides merit-based scholarships to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral students pursuing STEM degrees. In 2023, eligibility was expanded to include incoming college freshmen with no prior college credit, extending the opportunity to high school seniors.
SMART Scholarship recipients receive full tuition, annual stipends, mentorship, health and book allowances, and conduct summer internships at a DoD facility before embarking on a DoD civilian career after graduation. The first step to a rewarding STEM career is reviewing the eligibility requirements, starting with the SMART STEM disciplines. These disciplines are general categories – specific majors or fields of study may fall under one or more disciplines on this list. All scholarship applicants should be pursuing, or intend to pursue, a degree in one of these disciplines.
- 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
Please note, non-technical degrees, including management, arts, or humanities, are not approved or funded by SMART.
Scholarship Eligibility
- Be a citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or United Kingdom
- Be 18 years of age or older by January 1, 2027
- Have and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Be currently pursuing, or intend to pursue in fall 2026, a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in a SMART STEM discipline*
- Planning to attend, or enrolled in, a regionally accredited U.S. college or university
- Able to obtain and maintain a security clearance**
- Be requesting between 1-5 years of degree funding. Degree funding will start in August 2026
- Complete summer internships for awards greater than 1.5 years
- Accept a one-for-one post graduation service commitment as a civilian employee of the Department of Defense