The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

60 days wrote:

Guest wrote:Just leave the program... you're on your way out if you don't know it.

It happened to me as well, and I went out and got a job, and I don't have to pay anything back, because it's well documented that I did everything in my power to work for the DoD, they just didn't want me.

My sponsoring facility let SMART know about 5 months before my graduation that they would not be able to hire me. There was a hiring freeze in force at my facility with no end in sight. SMART tried to force them to hire me, but SMART actually has very little say in how the sponsor facilities onboard scholars. It's really quite a mess, though some facilities have probably gotten better about it. My facility dug in their heels, SMART dug in their heels, and no one really cared about my life or situation. It was bureaucrats fighting bureaucrats.

Anyway, I got a job somewhere else and was cut off from SMART about 1 month after graduation. (6 months after I should have been onboarded). They just stopped paying the stipend suddenly. I asked if it was because I had recently gotten another job, and they said it was because I had graduated and SMART doesn't pay stipends after graduation.

Did you receive an official release from osd so they can not come back to you later for the money? What was your graduation year? I am trying to find out who I contact about a release. Smart or osd. Handbook states can only be released with no pay back by OSD. Any info you can supply would be greatly appreciated.

Guest wrote:

Guest12 wrote:

Guest wrote:I graduated in December and started last month. I documented slowness and lack of communication by my SF and was paid by Smart through the previous month.

I am curious about this now... It sounds like you just got a job without getting an official release from OSD and approval of leaving debt free, so SMART or the government can still technically come back to you for repayment. Is this right?

It sounds like he got the job with the government that he was supposed to get, but six months late.

Guest12 wrote:

Guest wrote:I graduated in December and started last month. I documented slowness and lack of communication by my SF and was paid by Smart through the previous month.

I am curious about this now... It sounds like you just got a job without getting an official release from OSD and approval of leaving debt free, so SMART or the government can still technically come back to you for repayment. Is this right?

Guest wrote:I graduated in December and started last month. I documented slowness and lack of communication by my SF and was paid by Smart through the previous month.

Guest wrote:Just leave the program... you're on your way out if you don't know it.

It happened to me as well, and I went out and got a job, and I don't have to pay anything back, because it's well documented that I did everything in my power to work for the DoD, they just didn't want me.

My sponsoring facility let SMART know about 5 months before my graduation that they would not be able to hire me. There was a hiring freeze in force at my facility with no end in sight. SMART tried to force them to hire me, but SMART actually has very little say in how the sponsor facilities onboard scholars. It's really quite a mess, though some facilities have probably gotten better about it. My facility dug in their heels, SMART dug in their heels, and no one really cared about my life or situation. It was bureaucrats fighting bureaucrats.

Anyway, I got a job somewhere else and was cut off from SMART about 1 month after graduation. (6 months after I should have been onboarded). They just stopped paying the stipend suddenly. I asked if it was because I had recently gotten another job, and they said it was because I had graduated and SMART doesn't pay stipends after graduation.