MLH Fellowship vs DoW STEM Scholarships - SMART Scholarship
Comparing two highly competitive STEM opportunities. MLH Fellowship is a internship while DoW STEM Scholarships - SMART Scholarship is a scholarship.
| MLH Fellowship | 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 | Not publicly disclosed; competitive program but exact rate unknown | Approximately 8-18% depending on year; recent data shows ~600 awards annually from ~4,000-5,000 applicants |
| Applicants | Not publicly disclosed; appears to have multiple cohorts 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 | College students and above (program appears designed primarily for undergraduates; high school eligibility unclear) | Currently enrolled undergraduate, master's, or doctoral students (NOT high school students) |
| College Impact | Highly valued in college admissions and recruiting. Shows: (1) Real-world experience with production-grade code, (2) Demonstrated commitment to open-source/collaborative development, (3) Recognition b... | 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... |