The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

I am currently on track to graduate a semester early. My funding was supposed to be for 3 years of undergrad, but if I am allowed to graduate early would this be reduced to 2.5?

chief wrote:I am currently on track to graduate a semester early. My funding was supposed to be for 3 years of undergrad, but if I am allowed to graduate early would this be reduced to 2.5?

Nope. If you graduate in 2.5 years, you still owe a 3 year commitment. SMART rounds up, so even if you only applied for 2 years and one semester of funding, that's a 3 year commitment. I had credits to grad early but used the extra semester to take useful or other classes towards the next degree. The other issue you may run into is your SF doesn't technically have to hire you until your original graduation date, so you'll be sitting around for 6 months or however long until they hire you.

I have a pretty good relation with the higher ups at my SF, I'll reach out to them about their ability to hire me early. Hopefully that wont be an issue.

I am not sure where I saw this but I believe you are allowed to graduate early, as long as your SF is on board and will hire you early. And you will still be obligated to the 3 year commitment.

I graduated a semester early and it was fine.BUT, I have the same question on length of service. I found this in the handbook:

"The SSP requires a minimum of 1 year of post-graduation employment for all SSPPs. SSPPs perform
post-graduation employment with the SF at the rate of 1 calendar year of service for each full academic
year. Financial support for an academic term (quarter, semester) that is less than a full academic year
requires an additional 6 months of post-graduation employment. For example, an award for 2 academic
years requires 24 months of service. An award for 1 and a half academic years requires 18 months of
service."

Did you ever get an answer?

I am a fellow recipient who graduated a semester early. My service was for two years, and yes, it was reduced to 1.5 years.

Now for the bad news: SMART is not really a fan of having to change scholarship details. I was required to fill out MOUNDS of paperwork. And they are really not keen on you graduating early AND THEN telling them. If you are an undergrad, it's pretty easy to let them know ahead of time since graduation rests on completing a number of set credits so it's easy to avoid.

I was graduating from a PhD program, which is pretty much up in the air until you jump all the hoops, so I couldn't let them know until I was absolutely sure. Otherwise I would be risking working a semester unfunded. They were not thrilled, to say the least. For any other PhD students in the same position, start accumulating the paperwork to submit as soon as you can if you think you might graduate early. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

As for your SF, if it's even possible, let them know. I kept my SF in the loop for a year in advance just in case, even though I couldn't know for sure. A part of that mound of paperwork includes a personal statement, and if you can add that your SF knows and is expecting you, it makes it easier for SMART to justify the decrease.