MLH Fellowship - Software Engineering Track vs DoW STEM Scholarships - SMART Scholarship
Comparing two highly competitive STEM opportunities. MLH Fellowship - Software Engineering Track is a internship while DoW STEM Scholarships - SMART Scholarship is a scholarship.
| MLH Fellowship - Software Engineering Track | DoW STEM Scholarships - SMART Scholarship | |
|---|---|---|
| Prestige Tier | Tier 2 — Highly Competitive | Tier 2 — Highly Competitive |
| Type | Internship | Scholarship |
| Organization | Major League Hacking (MLH) | Department of Defense (DoD) |
| Acceptance Rate | Highly competitive (exact rate not disclosed); MLH notes 'overwhelming demand from students' and significantly more applicants than available projects | Approximately 8-18% depending on year; recent data shows ~600 awards annually from ~4,000-5,000 applicants |
| Applicants | Not officially published; described as receiving 'overwhelming demand' suggesting hundreds to thousands annually | 2024-2025 cycle: estimated 4,000+ applicants; historically 2,000-2,655 per year |
| Deadline | Rolling | Rolling |
| Cost to Apply | Free | Free |
| US Only | No / International | Yes |
| Grades | Open to high school students and early-career developers; no specific grade level restriction mentioned, but intermediate to advanced coding proficiency required | Currently enrolled undergraduate, master's, or doctoral students (NOT high school students) |
| College Impact | Strong positive impact on college applications and career prospects: 1) Demonstrates real-world professional experience (not just school projects or tutoring), which top colleges value significantly; ... | 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... |