The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship program was established in 1989 by direction of congress as an approach to increasing the number of United States (U.S.) citizens receiving doctoral degrees in science and engineering (S&E) disciplines of military importance. Applicants who are interested in furthering their education in the disciplines of military importance compete for Fellowship opportunities listed under DoD's Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs) in research development. The broad research area disciplines include, but are not limited to the following: aeronautical and astronautical engineering, Astrodynamics, biomedical engineering, biosciences (includes toxicology); chemical engineering; chemistry; civil engineering; cognitive, neural, and behavioral sciences; computer and computational sciences; electrical engineering; geosciences (includes terrain, water, and air); materials science and engineering; mathematics; mechanical engineering; naval architecture and ocean engineering (includes undersea systems); oceanography (includes ocean acoustics, remote sensing, and marine meteorology); physics (including optics) and space physics.

Deadline to apply

– 01 August through 01 November

Criteria

– CITIZENSHIP: The NDSEG Fellowship Program is open only to applicants who are citizens or nationals of the United States. The term “nationals” refers to native residents of a possession of the United States such as American Samoa. It does not refer to a citizen of another country who has applied for U.S. citizenship. Persons who hold permanent resident status are not eligible. Proof of citizenship will be required upon formal offer. Dual Citizens are eligible to apply.

– EDUCATION: Applicants are eligible if they have received or will receive a baccalaureate degree in the year of their fellowship application, are within first two years of their graduate study for a traditional program (Graduate (1st-2nd year), or within the first two years of a PhD (1st-2nd year) in science or engineering.

– MUST MAJOR IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING DISCIPLINES: The Air Force is excited to welcome their sister service, The United States Space Force (USSF), to the NDSEG program. The USSF has added Astrodynamics to the research disciplines. However, there are other USSF specific research areas such as Astronomy, Atmospheric Physics, Imaging Physics, Materials for Extreme Environments, On-orbit Servicing, Solar Physics and Space Weather, Spacecraft Robotics, Space Domain Awareness, Space Photonics, and Space Power and Propulsion which are encompassed within the other NDSEG discipline areas.

• Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Astrodynamics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Biosciences (includes toxicology)
• Biotechnology
• Chemical Engineering
• Chemistry
• Civil Engineering
• Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sciences (Note: PsyD programs are not eligible)
• Computer and Computational Sciences
• Cyber Sciences (includes "hard" networks, cybersecurity and disinformation)
• Electrical Engineering
• Geosciences (includes terrain, water and air)
• Materials Science and Engineering (includes Materials for Extreme Environments)
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering (includes undersea systems)
• Oceanography (includes ocean acoustics, remote sensing and marine meteorology)
• Physics (includes optics)
• Political, Economic and Sociocultural Sciences
• Quantum Science
• Space Physics