The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

I am currently a junior and found out I am a semi finalist. If I understand correctly, you don't have your internship until the summer after if you are selected. That would mean that I would have an internship after I have graduated since I will be a senior next year. I was just wondering how this works since I wouldn't want to have an internship after I graduated, but would want to be working for my sponsoring facility.

You only do an internship if you are receiving a minimum of two years of the scholarship. If you are receiving only one year there is no internship. There is no internship this summer for new recipients and after next year when you graduate you will be working for DOD in a full-time career position.

Thanks for the information. Is it possible to arrange an internship for this coming summer with your sponsoring facility? I have been in contact with them about internships independent of the SMART scholarship in case I do not get selected. If I were selected, would it be fine to intern this summer if the sponsoring facility offers it or not?

No, you will not be able to intern at a facility this summer. The scholarship pays the money for the internship.

what if the facility is willing to fund the scholarship themselves?

i mean fund the internship**

Thanks for asking this! I just assumed if I got it that I would be interning over the summer. Is the summer orientation for everyone? I'd like to be able to keep this in mind when applying to other summer internships.

Can we intern at another location if we receive a multi-year award this year? I am a Sophomore applying for two to three years of award, depending if i get accepted to co-terminal.

I have an internship with Cisco that I have been offered and have temporarily accepted, but if I need to quit that so I can get this, I will. I would just like to know what the requirements are for this summer, aside from the orientation.

Thanks for the help and congratulations to everyone who made it to semi's.

I have put in an email to SMART about holding internships this coming summer. I will let you know what they say.

I'm applying for a 3 year award which means that this summer is open for me (except for the orientation). As such, I'm applying for an REU for this summer and I'll just make sure that I can get the week of orientation off if I'm offered both an REU and the scholarship.

From SMART:

If you receive a 2011 SMART Scholarship, your award would not begin until August 1, 2011. The only requirement for 2011 awardees this summer will be Orientation. You may take an internship with a different organization this summer, and complete an internship until you begin classes Fall 2011.