Frequently Asked Questions

Award Details

How much are the cash awards?

Cash awards are paid at a rate of $25,000 - $41,000 per year depending on prior educational experience.

Is there a cap on tuition funded through SMART?

No. If awarded, SMART will fund the total cost of full-time tuition at the regionally accredited U.S. college or university of the applicant's choice.

How will the award funding be paid?

• Participant cash awards will be paid as either a monthly stipend distributed by ASEE or as a bi-weekly salary distributed by the SMART Program Office at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, or, combination thereof. Payment logistics are decided by the SMART Program Office in accordance with program requirements .
• Tuition and related educational fees will be paid directly to your university by ASEE.
• SMART provides Participants with a reimbursement allowance to procure health insurance during their scholarship award period. Recruitment Participants will receive coverage for a basic student health insurance plan or will be reimbursed for a private health insurance plan up to $1,200 per calendar year. Health insurance for Recruitment Participants is generally available through the academic institution's health plan. Retention Participants generally continue to receive their workplace health insurance plans. The health insurance funding benefit is for the Participant only and does not extend to family members or dependents.
• Book allowances will be paid to Recruitment Scholars by ASEE and to Retention Scholars by their Sponsoring Service Organization.

Taxation of Awards

ASEE must report all cash award, internship support and book allowance payments made to Recruitment Participants under the SMART Scholarship Program. At year end, ASEE will provide participants and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with the informational Form 1099-MISC recording the amount paid to the participant during the tax year. ASEE does not withhold taxes from participant cash awards. Under current laws and regulations, participants are responsible for submitting quarterly estimates of income taxes to the IRS and paying the amounts due. Participants may have a similar liability with respect to state and/or local taxes depending upon the state and/or locality where the participant resides.