The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

Hello all,

I am a graduate student in a joint MA/PhD program that's interested in the SMART scholarship. I am currently participating in the NREIP internship program at as a human factors engineer and would like to continue working in a DoD facility as a SMART scholar. I applied to the SMART scholarship last year but was only awarded semi-finalist. Since human factors is a psychological field I am considered in the cognitive, neural, and behavioral sciences which makes up only 1% of SMART scholars.

Are there any SMART scholars that can offer advice when applying?

I hope someone from your field can weigh in, but I'll throw this out there again about the PhD process---SMART does not play well with PhD applicants. There's a hard limit on funding. If you don't finish your research by then, you're in default with them on every penny given to you, including internship money. SMART is not built for PhDs. This is just one of the many problems with this program. I'd really recommend finding a different program before signing up for this indentured servitude contract.

JDetwiler wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:37 am

I hope someone from your field can weigh in, but I'll throw this out there again about the PhD process---SMART does not play well with PhD applicants. There's a hard limit on funding. If you don't finish your research by then, you're in default with them on every penny given to you, including internship money. SMART is not built for PhDs. This is just one of the many problems with this program. I'd really recommend finding a different program before signing up for this indentured servitude contract.

Thanks for the heads up! I joined your discord to learn more about the potential troubles I may run into. I also am in contact with someone in my field that participated in the SMART program and worked at the same SF i'm currently interning at. I'll be sure to do my research before accepting an offer.