www.orau.gov/dhsed
*Note: This scholarship will not be offered this year due to federal budget cuts.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) realizes that the country’s strong science and technology community provides a critical advantage in the development and implementation of counter-terrorist measures and other DHS objectives.  The DHS Undergraduate Scholarship Program is intended for students interested in pursuing the basic science and technology innovations that can be applied to the DHS mission.

Eligibility Requirements

• U.S. citizen as of the application deadline
• Second year of college with no more than 60 credits and a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.30 or higher on a 4.00 scale.  Students in five-year degree programs are eligible to apply in the third year of college study.  Applicants who will have earned a bachelor’s degree as of the application deadline are ineligible.
• Majoring in a homeland security science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (HS-STEM) field.
• Because of the required internship during the summer, this program is not appropriate for students who plan to graduate in less than three semesters.

General Information

This education program is intended to ensure a highly talented science and technology community to achieve the Department of Homeland Security’s mission and objectives.  The department’s overriding and urgent mission is to lead to unified national effort to secure the country and preserve our freedoms.  While the DHS was created to secure our country against those who seek to disrupt the American way of life, its charter also includes preparation for and response to all hazards and disasters.

Appointments are for up to two years, given satisfactory academic progress and availability of funding.  Eligible recipients receive a monthly stipend of $1,000 per month for nine months, $5,000 for a ten-week summer internship, and full tuition and all mandatory fees.  The ten week research internship at DHS or a DHS-affiliated facility is required during the summer between your first- and second-year appointments.  A one-year, full-time service requirement in a relevant field is required upon completion.

Summary of Homeland Security Research Areas:
Explosive Detection, Mitigation and Response; Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences; Risk and Decision Sciences; Human Factors; Chemical Threats and Countermeasures; Food and Agriculture Security; Transportation Security; Border Security; Immigration Studies; Maritime and Post Security; Infrastructure Protection; Natural Diasasters and Related Geophysical Studies; Emergency Preparedness and Response; Communications and Interoperability; Advanced Data Analysis and Visualization.

Visit http://www.orau.gov/dhsed/newpages/researchareas.html for more details.

Deadline Dates

January 2012  Completed application and required documentation must be submitted to DHS

March 2012  Final selection announced