United States Government SMART Scholarship 2026

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.

Summary

1. Application Deadline: December 1, 2025
2. Value: Fully funded (tuition, stipend, allowances, internships)
3. Study Level: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral
4. Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
5. Course to Study: STEM disciplines (Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, Physics, Mathematics, etc.)
6. Eligible Countries: United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom

Eligibility Criteria for United States Government SMART Scholarship 2026

1. Be a citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or United Kingdom
2. Be 18 years of age or older by January 1, 2027
3. Have and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
4. Be currently pursuing, or intend to pursue in fall 2026, a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in a SMART STEM discipline*
5. Planning to attend, or enrolled in, a regionally accredited U.S. college or university
6. Able to obtain and maintain a security clearance**
7. Be requesting between 1-5 years of degree funding. Degree funding will start in August 2026
8. Complete summer internships for awards greater than 1.5 years
9. Accept a one-for-one post graduation service commitment as a civilian employee of the Department of Defense

Eligible Fields of Study

1. Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering
2. Biomedical Engineering
3. Biosciences
4. Chemical Engineering
5. Chemistry
6. Civil Engineering
7. Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sciences
8. Computer Science and Engineering
9. Data Science and Analytics
10. Electrical Engineering
11. Geosciences
12. Industrial and Systems Engineering
13. Information Sciences
14. Materials Science and Engineering
15. Mathematics
16. Mechanical Engineering
17. Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
18. Nuclear Engineering
19. Oceanography
20. Operations Research
21. Physics
22. Software Engineering

Benefits of United States Government SMART Scholarship 2026

1. Full tuition and education fees
2. Annual stipend for living expenses
3. Health and book allowances
4. Paid summer internships at DoD facilities
5. Guaranteed post-graduation employment with the U.S. Department of Defense

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to United States Government Department of Defense on www.smartscholarship.org to apply

For more information, kindly visit SMART scholarship webpage.

Application Deadline

December 1, 2025

Application Link(s)

• Apply for United States Government SMART Scholarship 2026