Everything You Need to Know About the SMART Scholarship
The SMART Scholarship Program provides a unique opportunity for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students to further their studies and launch their careers. SMART offers merit-based scholarships to undergraduate, master’s, and doctorate students pursuing STEM degrees.
SMART scholarship candidates get full tuition, annual stipends, summer internships, and, following graduation, civilian employment with the Department of Defense. Applications are accepted annually from August 1 to the first Friday in December. Check your eligibility now to discover if you qualify and begin your path to a successful STEM career.
The SMART Scholarship Program, part of the DoD STEM portfolio, provides STEM students with the resources they need to pursue further education and begin a rewarding civilian career with the DoD.
SMART Scholarship awardees receive complete tuition to any regionally approved U.S. college or university, annual stipends ranging from $30,000 to $46,000, meaningful summer internships at DoD locations, and civilian employment upon graduation. The application season begins yearly on August 1 and ends on the first Friday in December.
SMART STEM Disciplines
The program focuses on students pursuing fields vital to the Department of Defense’s national security tasks. The following is a list of authorized SMART STEM subjects. These are generic umbrella disciplines; specific applicant majors or courses of study may fall under one or more of them.
- 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
Eligibility of the SMART Scholarship
Applicants for the SMART Scholarship must
- Be a citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or United Kingdom.
- Have and keep a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Currently pursuing or intending to seek a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degree in a SMART STEM discipline by fall 2026. * Planning to attend or enrolled in a regionally approved US college or institution.
- Able to get and maintain a security clearance.
- Request between one and five years of degree funding. Degree financing will begin in August 2026.
- Complete summer internships for rewards lasting more than 1.5 years.
- Accept a one-for-one post-graduation commitment as a civilian employee of the Department of Defense.
How to Apply
All applicants must submit applications online before the deadline. All supporting materials, including references and test scores, must be supplied by the deadline. Award notifications are generally sent out in the spring. The application materials are not returned to applicants. Applicants must click the “Submit Application” button to submit their application.
Applicants for the Freshman/First Year Associate’s Program must have an ACT or SAT Reasoning Test score. Subject tests are not necessary. Scores must be submitted to ASEE before the December application deadline.
Graduate applicants must have taken the GRE General Test, and their results must be reportable to Educational Testing Service (ETS). Subject tests are not necessary. Graduate applicants are recommended to take the GRE General Test by November to guarantee that their scores reach ASEE by the December application deadline. GMAT/MCAT/LSAT test scores cannot be replaced for GRE test results.
Scholarship Reward
Cash stipends range from $25,000 to $38,000 per year, depending on the degree being pursued.
SMART scholarships are provided for a set period of time depending on the projected degree completion and conferral dates specified in the SMART Service Agreement. SMART scholarships last from one to five years, depending on the degree requirements.
