| Website | Eligibility | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| hertzfoundation.org | Seniors/Graduate Students | Oct. 27, 2024 |
About
The Hertz Foundation provides Fellowships to exceptionally talented individuals studying in the applied physical, biological and engineering sciences. The Foundation is a tax exempt, not-for-profit organization which provides fellowships tenable at over 40 of the nation's finest universities for graduate work leading to award of the PhD degree in applications of the physical sciences. Each year the Foundation conducts a national competition for new Hertz Fellows. Of those who apply, only about one-quarter will be interviewed. Of those who are interviewed, approximately one in 10 will be awarded a Hertz Fellowship. The Hertz Foundation looks to support the graduate education of America's most promising technical talent, the PhD-directed effort of the young men and women who can be expected to have the greatest impact on the application of the physical sciences to human problems during the next half-century. The Graduate Fellowships of the Hertz Foundation are widely considered to be among the most prestigious offered anywhere. The Foundation's standing policy is that they will be structured to be the most attractive in their class in both material terms and duration of tenure.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants for Hertz Fellowships must be students of the applied physical, biological, and engineering sciences who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States of America, and who are willing to morally commit to make their skills available to the United States in time of national emergency. (See the Foundation's Moral Commitment section.)
College seniors wishing to pursue the PhD degree in any of the fields of particular interest to the Foundation, as well as graduate students already in the process of doing so, may apply. The Foundation generally does not award fellowships to students who are already beyond their first year of graduate study except in cases of "exceptional leverage." Such awards are very rare—only three have been made in the past 10 years.
The Foundation does not support students pursuing advanced professional degrees other than the PhD, such as enrollees in MD, LLD or MBA programs, although we will support the PhD portion of a joint MD/PhD study program.
Application Procedure
The annual competition for graduate fellowships begins with the application period which opens each year in mid-August at which time a deadline consistent with those of NSF and other fellowship granting organizations will be posted. Only those applications which are complete, with all supporting materials and documents provided (including Reference Reports) by the posted deadline will be assured of full consideration by the Foundation. Untimely or incompletely-submitted applications will be entertained only at the Foundation's discretion and convenience.
Each year's competition concludes at the end of the following March, at which time the Foundation's Board of Directors determines the most highly qualified Fellowship applicants and the number of new Fellowships which available resources will be able to support.
To learn more about the application, click here.
To view frequently asked questions, click here.
Value of the Award
The Graduate Fellowship Award is based on merit and consists of a cost-of-education allowance and a personal-support stipend. The cost-of-education allowance is accepted by all of the participating schools (for a list of participating schools, please see the FAQ link above) in lieu of all fees and tuition. Hertz Fellows therefore have no liability for any ordinary educational costs, regardless of their choice among participating schools.
Successful applicants have the choice of two Fellowship options:
- Option 1 - Five-Year Hertz
- $32,000/nine-month personal stipend
- full tuition equivalent
- renewable for up to five years
- Option 2 - Five-Year Coordinated
- Hertz period: two years
- $38,000/nine-month personal stipend
- Full tuition equivalent
- Other Fellowship Period - up to three years
- $6,000/year supplemental stipend from Hertz
- requires awardee to accept a three-year fellowship from another source
Contact
Fannie and John Hertz Foundation
2300 First St., Suite 250
Livermore, CA 94550
925.373.1642
askhertz@hertzfoundation.org
Past Undergraduate Winners
2007
Thomas Teets
Class of 2007
Chemistry