The SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program is a combined educational and workforce development opportunity for STEM students. SMART offers scholarships for undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students pursuing a STEM degree. Scholarship recipients receive full tuition, annual stipends, internships, and guaranteed employment with the Department of Defense after graduation.
The SMART Scholarship builds future leaders in 24 STEM disciplines and is the largest education and workforce development initiative under the Department of Defense STEM Program. Scholarship recipients receive hands-on experience at one of over 200 Department of Defense facilities during their internships and apply this knowledge as early career professionals. Department of Defense facilities are at the forefront of innovation in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, autonomy, cyber, space, 5G, and other technology areas.
The SMART Program accepts applications annually from August to December. All applicants are required to submit applications online by 5:00 p.m. EST on the first Friday in December.
- Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Biosciences
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sciences
- Computer Science and Engineering
- Cybersecurity
- Data Science and Analytics
- 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
- Software Engineering
- Be a citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or United Kingdom
- Be 18 years of age or older by January 1, 2026
- Have and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Be currently pursuing, or intend to pursue in fall 2025, a degree in a SMART STEM discipline
- Be requesting between 1-5 years of degree funding. Degree funding will start in August 2025
- Complete summer internships
- Accept a one-for-one post graduation service commitment as a civilian employee of the Department of Defense
- Produce a fall 2024 transcript from a regionally accredited U.S. college, OR intend to pursue a graduate degree in fall 2025.