DoW STEM Scholarships - SMART Scholarship vs Simons Summer Research Program
Comparing two highly competitive STEM opportunities. DoW STEM Scholarships - SMART Scholarship is a scholarship while Simons Summer Research Program is a summer program.
| DoW STEM Scholarships - SMART Scholarship | Simons Summer Research Program | |
|---|---|---|
| Prestige Tier | Tier 2 — Highly Competitive | Tier 2 — Highly Competitive |
| Type | Scholarship | Summer Program |
| Organization | Department of Defense (DoD) | Simons Foundation |
| Acceptance Rate | Approximately 8-18% depending on year; recent data shows ~600 awards annually from ~4,000-5,000 applicants | Approximately 11-12% (40 fellows selected from ~350 applicants annually as of 2015) |
| Applicants | 2024-2025 cycle: estimated 4,000+ applicants; historically 2,000-2,655 per year | Approximately 350 per year |
| Deadline | Rolling | Rolling |
| Cost to Apply | Free | Free |
| US Only | Yes | Yes |
| Grades | Currently enrolled undergraduate, master's, or doctoral students (NOT high school students) | High school students (primarily juniors and seniors) |
| College Impact | SMART Scholarship is HIGHLY REGARDED in college admissions and professional circles. For undergraduates: Demonstrates exceptional STEM commitment and achievement; counts as major merit-based scholarsh... | Highly positive impact on college admissions. Summer research programs, especially prestigious ones like the Simons program, are viewed very favorably by college admissions officers because: (1) They ... |