The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

by **kbl2017** » Sat Jan 20, 2018 6:22 am

Note the shutdown going on now - I imagine that has been looming and slowing some things down. I have a friend who works at a Navy base though - when he started there he filled out the equip and I believe did drug testing but then did his final paperwork and fingerprints when arriving at work. They gave him interim clearance on the spot based off the equip. Maybe your SF does it that way as well?

by **MechEGirl** » Fri Jan 19, 2018 4:44 pm

Thanks! It is helpful to know that the security clearance process can be completed in 3 months. I still have some time, but it is getting close. Both SMART and SF say that the process will start soon, but nothing is actually happening. At least, I have been reminding them regularly for the last four months. I am afraid if I do not get the security clearance on time, I may not be able to start work after graduation. I don't want to sit idle waiting for the security clearance. I have said no to all other job offers.

by **MaybeHelpful** » Fri Jan 19, 2018 3:58 pm

MechEGirl wrote:I am supposed to graduate this May, but my security clearance process has not even started. I have reminded SMART and my SF several times. Should I be concerned? Can someone advise?

What did SMART and your SF say when you last reminded them? You still have some time before you start worrying about being delayed once you graduate, but it is getting close to that point. From the moment someone at your SF starts the paperwork to the moment you get interim clearance is about a 3 month process in my experience.

Your SF should know this, so they should realize it is time to get you started. It is now the SF's responsibility to initiate it. I wonder if they are being delayed because they are not sure yet what level of clearance you will need post graduate.Things worked so smoothly back when it was SMART's job to initiate the clearance process since they just put everyone into the process in their first fall and put everyone in for secret.

by **MechEGirl** » Thu Jan 18, 2018 11:23 pm

I am supposed to graduate this May, but my security clearance process has not even started. I have reminded SMART and my SF several times. Should I be concerned? Can someone advise?

by **guest_ne** » Tue Dec 19, 2017 1:19 pm

do you get a clearance for the summer internship?

by **CSMajor** » Sat Nov 25, 2017 11:43 pm

Sounds like you’re getting a TS though. In no aspect should a Secret take over a year to process. Unless you have a very long background or questionable background.

by **ForeverAndADay** » Sat Nov 25, 2017 1:02 pm

Just for reference, I was in the 2016 cohort year and I filled out the e-qip and had everything sent in in late October of 2016. Since then I have had an interview which happened during my summer internship and they've called to clarify a few things on my form. It is now over a year since I filled out all my paperwork and I still do not have a clearance. I am a 3 year participant though, so I still have a year and a half until I graduate and begin working. That probably slowed down the process because it isn't a priority. I just wanted to let you all know that the timeline can be a pain in the ass so don't be schooled if you don't hear anything for at least 6 months after you fill out your e-qip. Make sure you filled out everything correctly, even little mistakes make it that much longer.

by **Smellon** » Thu Nov 09, 2017 2:12 pm

Hello all,
My SF had me submit my e-QIP in early September. I have not heard about the other items on the Reporting Requirements checklist: the JPAS page, OF-612 form, and the SF-87 fingerprint cards. Since they are labelled "as requested", I assume I will be contacted by my SF when I need to create/complete these items?

by **MechEGirl** » Wed Nov 08, 2017 5:19 pm

Glad to know, I am not alone. Thanks for clarifying.

by **SMART-ish** » Tue Nov 07, 2017 5:03 pm

So after I contacted SMART and my sponsoring facility multiple times I got the following somewhat helpful answer. SMART told me that in years past they have been the one to initiate clearances but new this year it is the SF's responsibility to initiate clearances. SMART said that they had sent our information for the process over to the SFs and that I needed to be patient and wait till I heard back from their security manager. When I contacted my SF (after an initial less clear response from SMART). They cc-ed the security manager who directed me back to SMART which is when I got the above reply.

So to me it sounds like there's probably some confusion and slow to adapt to change issues happening at the SF. My plan is to wait at most another month before contacting my SF again. I also only have a one year award and will hopefully be starting full-time work sometime early this summer.

by **kbl2017** » Mon Nov 06, 2017 3:44 am

It's been about 4-6 months for outside contractors I know to get secret clearance. I will be worried about it closer to late January for a start date of late may. The other thing is interm clearance is also a thing that can be requested which normally takes about a month to receive. I'm sure our facilities have experience - I know mine has had plenty of previous SMART scholars.

by **MechEGirl** » Sat Nov 04, 2017 12:02 pm

I have the same problem. Neither SMART nor my SF are responding to my enquiries regarding the security clearance.

by **malarious** » Sat Nov 04, 2017 6:14 am

My paperwork started in September, currently waiting on final review.

When I tried contacting people about it, I was told there was nothing to do but wait. So at least for my lab, you cannot do anything to move things along.

by **CSMajor** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 11:11 pm

If you guys haven’t started it yet, I can’t stress to you enough that you need to! Contact your SF again and SMART. Keep pushing for it to be started soon. I finished my paperwork at the end of August and still haven’t heard back -.. only my previous employers have been contacted so far.

by **MechEGirl** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:52 pm

Thanks for your prompt response. I was concerned because I did not hear back from SMART or my SF after I enquired about the security clearance.

by **kbl2017** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:45 pm

MechEGirl wrote:This is my first and only award year. I have heard nothing regarding the security clearance. Should I be concerned?

I haven't either - I've been contacted by my SF about other things though so I think they just haven't gotten to it yet.

by **MechEGirl** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:34 pm

This is my first and only award year. I have heard nothing regarding the security clearance. Should I be concerned?

by **CSMajor** » Mon Oct 16, 2017 1:34 pm

SMART-ish wrote:
SMART-ish wrote:I still haven't heard anything about starting my security clearance process.

My last communication about it was with SMART this summer after my site visit and they said the following:

"Thank you for your email. You will be notified in the coming months what is required of you regarding your clearance process. At this time, there is nothing further required of you for this process.

Please let us know if you have any questions."

That was on June 28...It is now October and I'm not sure if I need to get the ball rolling myself. Also I won't be doing an internship this summer just jumping straight into full time work since I only have one year left on my degree.

Any thoughts or advice from past experiences?

Thanks
Ask SMART to get in touch with your facility because they don’t know that they have to handle clearances.

So I've now contacted both SMART and my SF. SMART told me I need to talk to my SF and my SF told me I need to talk to SMART. So I've basically spent a week going in circles with both of them. Any advice on next moves?

Thanks

by **SMART-ish** » Mon Oct 16, 2017 11:18 am

SMART-ish wrote:I still haven't heard anything about starting my security clearance process.

My last communication about it was with SMART this summer after my site visit and they said the following:

"Thank you for your email. You will be notified in the coming months what is required of you regarding your clearance process. At this time, there is nothing further required of you for this process.

Please let us know if you have any questions."

That was on June 28...It is now October and I'm not sure if I need to get the ball rolling myself. Also I won't be doing an internship this summer just jumping straight into full time work since I only have one year left on my degree.

Any thoughts or advice from past experiences?

Thanks

So I've now contacted both SMART and my SF. SMART told me I need to talk to my SF and my SF told me I need to talk to SMART. So I've basically spent a week going in circles with both of them. Any advice on next moves?

Thanks

by **abm guy** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 10:19 am

I contacted my SF last week, I was told SMART has started the process with them, and to expect paperwork within a week or two.

by **CSMajor** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 7:55 pm

You need to contact your facility to imitate the process. SMART isn’t handling clearances this year. The timeline is pretty long too, I’ve been waiting over a month for my clearance decisions and don’t expect an answer until January or February.

SMART-ish wrote:I still haven't heard anything about starting my security clearance process.

My last communication about it was with SMART this summer after my site visit and they said the following:

"Thank you for your email. You will be notified in the coming months what is required of you regarding your clearance process. At this time, there is nothing further required of you for this process.

Please let us know if you have any questions."

That was on June 28...It is now October and I'm not sure if I need to get the ball rolling myself. Also I won't be doing an internship this summer just jumping straight into full time work since I only have one year left on my degree.

Any thoughts or advice from past experiences?

Thanks

by **SMART-ish** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 4:58 pm

I still haven't heard anything about starting my security clearance process.

My last communication about it was with SMART this summer after my site visit and they said the following:

"Thank you for your email. You will be notified in the coming months what is required of you regarding your clearance process. At this time, there is nothing further required of you for this process.

Please let us know if you have any questions."

That was on June 28...It is now October and I'm not sure if I need to get the ball rolling myself. Also I won't be doing an internship this summer just jumping straight into full time work since I only have one year left on my degree.

Any thoughts or advice from past experiences?

Thanks

by **littlehope** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 11:46 am

My SF specifically sent me the fingerprint cards, but I'm pretty sure most offices use the same form they sent. It's pretty universal. Just a heads up too my SF wanted two copies (it didn't cost double).
You can get them done at police stations, courthouses, and sometimes a few other state government buildings. My university security office actually offered them, it was even the live scan version rather than ink, for half off what the police department charged if you were a student. So I would check with them if you are at a larger school.

by **CSMajor** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 2:55 pm

forensics wrote:
Guest3 wrote:How do they get your fingerprints what is the process?
I went to the local PD and had them do two fingerprint cards. Then I mailed them in per my SF's instructions. You can do the livescan as well, but I was having problems finding somewhere to do them.

I did the same as Forensics.

by **forensics** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:30 am

Guest3 wrote:How do they get your fingerprints what is the process?

I went to the local PD and had them do two fingerprint cards. Then I mailed them in per my SF's instructions. You can do the livescan as well, but I was having problems finding somewhere to do them.

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