AmericanScholarship - Update on Scholarships in America

Eligibility

• You must be a U.S. citizen as of the application deadline.
• If you have earned a bachelor’s degree as of the application deadline, you are ineligible.
• You must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.30 or higher on a 4.00 scale, averaged over all U.S. institutions attended, including fall 2007 grades if enrolled during that term.
• You must be majoring in a homeland security science, technology, engineering or mathematics (HS-STEM) field with interest in a homeland security research area. See Research Areas List.
• If you have been attending college full-time, you must be in your second year of college attendance as of the application deadline.
• If you have attended college on a part-time basis, or a combination of part-time and full-time, since completing high school, you must have completed a total of at least 45 but no more than 60 semester hours (60 to 75 quarter hours) as of the application deadline.
• If you have any commitments such as active military service, a co-op program, or study abroad that would prevent you from attending school full-time, attending the fall 2008 orientation meeting and participating full-time in a 10-week internship during the summer of 2009, or accepting an employment offer following receipt of your degree, you are ineligible.

Stipend
$1,000/month for 9 months during the academic year; $5,000 for the 10-week summer internship.

Tuition
Full tuition and mandatory, nonrefundable fees paid

Duration
Appointments are for two years, beginning fall 2008, given satisfactory academic progress and availability of funding.

Research Internship and Service Requirement

• A 10-week, continuous, off-campus research internship at DHS or a DHS-affiliated facility will be required during the summer between your first and second year appointments. Internship placement will be coordinated through this program.
• A one-year, full-time service requirement in a relevant HS-STEM field will be required. The work done during this service must be applicable to one of the 16 homeland security research areas. The one-year service commitment may be served at a DHS-approved STEM venue—including universities—immediately following the term of the scholarship. The service requirement can be postponed to complete the final degree requirements, but must be completed within two years of your final stipend payment. Options for completing this service requirement at a DHS-approved STEM venue include full-time service for: (1) one continuous year; or (2) two six-month periods at no more than two locations.

Other Important Items

• You must be enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited college or university located in the United States or its territories during your appointment. However, this condition would not prohibit a student from doing some of their study or research at a foreign institution, with approval from DHS.
• If you are currently enrolled at a 2-year institution and you are awarded a scholarship, before you can accept the scholarship, you must be accepted at a 4-year institution that has agreed to accept your first two years of study as transfer credit.
• Because this scholarship has a required internship during the summer following the first year of support, it is not appropriate for students who plan to graduate in less than three semesters or four quarters once funding begins.
• No deferrals of a DHS award, the internship component, or the service requirement will be allowed.
• Students in a 4-year or 5-year joint baccalaureate-master’s degree program should apply in their second year of college attendance.
• If you accept a DHS Scholarship, you cannot accept any other scholarships, grants or federal loans while on your DHS appointment except educational benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs and need-based assistance approved by DHS.

Application Deadlines and Notes

• January 7, 2008: You must submit an online application form, including all essay questions, by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time on this date.
• January 14, 2008: You must have two (2) online reference report forms submitted on your behalf, by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time on this date. No paper or e-mail attachments accepted.
• January 14, 2008: You must have an official academic transcript from all postsecondary institutions attended, including fall 2007 grades if enrolled, submitted on your behalf by this date. Note this is a postmark deadline, not a receipt deadline. There is no need to send information via overnight or special delivery.
• January 14, 2008: If you are a U.S. citizen by birth and do not have a U.S. passport (current or expired), you must submit a copy of your birth certificate by this date. Note this is a postmark deadline, not a receipt deadline. There is no need to send information via overnight or special delivery.
• We will not accept materials via fax or as e-mail attachments. Do not send duplicate items via fax or e-mail.
• Do not submit resumes, official copies of standardized test scores including SAT or ACT test scores which are self-reported on your electronic application, off-prints, manuscripts, video tapes, slides, photographs, or other extraneous materials. Do not submit more than the designated page limit for essay questions in the application. The above items will not be used in the review of your application.

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