Changing SF

General Discussion for SMART Scholarship Recipients
change

Changing SF

Post by change »

The educational program at my SF that made me choose it has changed,and I am no longer eligible to attend during my Phase 3.

Would this be a good enough reason to request a change in placement after graduation? The SF is far away from where I live, and I only chose it due to the potential of completing a specialized program while I worked there.

GoodLuck

Re: Changing SF

Post by GoodLuck »

change wrote:The educational program at my SF that made me choose it has changed,and I am no longer eligible to attend during my Phase 3.

Would this be a good enough reason to request a change in placement after graduation? The SF is far away from where I live, and I only chose it due to the potential of completing a specialized program while I worked there.
I don't know for sure, but my instinct would be no. From past posts on here, it seems like participant initiated SF transfers are rarely allowed. As long as your SF still has a position for you, you are likely stuck with them.

Government program offerings shift and change frequently. There is rarely a guarantee you will be able to participate or that there will be funding year to year. Even if you found another SF with the program you wanted, there would be little guarantee the program would be open for participation when you graduated and were hired.

If you are serious about switching SFs, your best bet would be to find another SF and contact them about SMART. If they agree to let you transfer to them, contact SMART about transferring and tell them about the specific SF you have arranged that will take you.

changing

Re: Changing SF

Post by changing »

GoodLuck wrote:
change wrote:The educational program at my SF that made me choose it has changed,and I am no longer eligible to attend during my Phase 3.

Would this be a good enough reason to request a change in placement after graduation? The SF is far away from where I live, and I only chose it due to the potential of completing a specialized program while I worked there.
I don't know for sure, but my instinct would be no. From past posts on here, it seems like participant initiated SF transfers are rarely allowed. As long as your SF still has a position for you, you are likely stuck with them.

Government program offerings shift and change frequently. There is rarely a guarantee you will be able to participate or that there will be funding year to year. Even if you found another SF with the program you wanted, there would be little guarantee the program would be open for participation when you graduated and were hired.

If you are serious about switching SFs, your best bet would be to find another SF and contact them about SMART. If they agree to let you transfer to them, contact SMART about transferring and tell them about the specific SF you have arranged that will take you.
That last bit is important -- I have found literally the only way to get SMART to do it is if it's coming from your SF.

AnotherGuest

Re: Changing SF

Post by AnotherGuest »

changing wrote:
GoodLuck wrote:
change wrote:The educational program at my SF that made me choose it has changed,and I am no longer eligible to attend during my Phase 3.

Would this be a good enough reason to request a change in placement after graduation? The SF is far away from where I live, and I only chose it due to the potential of completing a specialized program while I worked there.
I don't know for sure, but my instinct would be no. From past posts on here, it seems like participant initiated SF transfers are rarely allowed. As long as your SF still has a position for you, you are likely stuck with them.

Government program offerings shift and change frequently. There is rarely a guarantee you will be able to participate or that there will be funding year to year. Even if you found another SF with the program you wanted, there would be little guarantee the program would be open for participation when you graduated and were hired.

If you are serious about switching SFs, your best bet would be to find another SF and contact them about SMART. If they agree to let you transfer to them, contact SMART about transferring and tell them about the specific SF you have arranged that will take you.
That last bit is important -- I have found literally the only way to get SMART to do it is if it's coming from your SF.
That last bit is necessary but not sufficient. Your original SF has to agree to let you go. If they don't, all of your work was for nothing and you have to do your commitment at your original SF or leave the program (or find a way to transfer later). To be fair, the original SF's are supposed to (though I have found most don't) have an X year plan in terms of personnel needed, etc. and have billets in the works for them. So the SF already has need for a person (you) doing whatever work they give you - they won't easily give you away to have to spend months to a year hiring someone new (justification on their end to not let you switch SF's).

Post Reply