SMART Scholarship Program

U.S. Department of Defense

Posted October 31, 2025

About

As part of the DoD STEM portfolio, the SMART Scholarship Program provides STEM students with the tools needed to pursue higher education and begin a fulfilling civilian career with the DoD. SMART Scholarship recipients receive full tuition to any regionally accredited U.S. college or university, annual stipends that range from $30,000 to $46,000, impactful summer internships at DoD facilities, and civilian employment after graduation. The application period opens annually on August 1 and closes the first Friday in December.

SMART applicants should be pursuing a degree in one of the SMART STEM 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

Eligibility

SMART Scholarship applicants must:

Be a citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or United Kingdom
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

*High school seniors and incoming college freshmen who will be pursuing a bachelor’s degree in fall 2026 are eligible to apply.

**Security clearances are initiated by a scholar’s Sponsoring Facility after award.

Awards

Full tuition, annual stipends, internships, and guaranteed civilian employment with the Department of Defense after graduation.