Department of Defense NDSEG Fellowship

About this scholarship

The Department of Defense National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship supports early-stage doctoral researchers whose science or engineering work aligns with U.S. defense research priorities. The three-year award pays full tuition and required fees, a $3,600 monthly stipend ($43,200 per year), up to $1,600 toward the institution’s minimum health-insurance plan, and as much as $5,000 in approved professional-development travel over the fellowship. The program expects to make roughly 100–150 new awards per year, subject to federal funding, and has awarded more than 4,700 fellowships since inception. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, dual citizens, or U.S. nationals; permanent residents are not eligible. They must already hold the bachelor’s degree by the application year, be applying to or enrolled in an accredited U.S. graduate institution, remain within the first two years of graduate study, and have at least three years left in the degree. Proposed research must align with a topic in a Department of Defense strategy or funding document. The fellowship carries no military service obligation, but recipients must maintain full-time enrollment, satisfactory progress, and attend the national fellows conference.

Eligibility

• Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. dual citizen, or U.S. national; permanent residents are not eligible
• Have received the bachelor’s degree by the 2026 application year
• Apply to, be accepted by, or attend an accredited U.S. graduate institution
• Be within the first two years of graduate study in science or engineering
• Have at least three years remaining in the graduate program
• Propose research aligned with a topic in a Department of Defense strategy or funding document
• Pursue the graduate program full time and maintain satisfactory academic progress
• Attend the mandatory national NDSEG fellows conference during the award term