The Fannie and John Hertz Foundation supports graduate study toward the Ph.D. degree in applications of the physical sciences ranging from electrical engineering to molecular biomedicine. These are the fields—applied physics, applied chemistry, applied mathematics, applied modern biology and all areas of engineering—which apply results from the basic physical sciences to generate solutions to problems of widespread human interest. The Foundation does not support students pursuing advanced professional degrees other than the Ph.D., such as enrollees in M.D., LLD or MBA programs, although it will support the Ph.D. portion of a joint M.D./Ph.D. study program.
The Hertz Foundation's Graduate Fellowship award, which is based on merit, not need, consists of a cost-of-education allowance that covers fees and tuition and a personal-support stipend. There is also a substantial personal stipend, paid over the nine-month academic year. The Fellowship award is renewable annually (upon a showing of satisfactory progress toward receipt of the Ph.D. degree) for a total Fellowship tenure of no more than five years.
Recipients of the Hertz Fellowship must attend one of the Foundation's approved university programs in the applied sciences. Universities with approved programs include Carnegie-Mellon, Cornell, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Purdue, Rice, Stanford, and many others. For a list of the approved university programs, consult the web site for the Hertz Foundation.
Eligible applicants must be students of the applied physical sciences who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States of America, and who are willing to morally commit to make their skills available to the United States in time of national emergency. A documented record (e.g., academic transcript) of high scholastic performance is required.
The deadline for applications is late October. Applications are normally submitted in electronic form via the Internet. Paper application materials for those lacking Internet access may be obtained (without prejudice) from the Foundation by telephonic request. All applicants are notified by mail of the Foundation's action on their application on or before 1 April of each year.
To be competitive, interested students should contact the BC Campus Coordinator for the Hertz Fellowship program during the Spring semester of their Junior year, to begin preparing their applications.
To get additional information about the Hertz Fellowships and the application process before talking with the Campus Coordinator, consult the web site for the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation.
Students interested in the Hertz Fellowship should also look at the opportunities offered by the National Science Foundation Fellowship and the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship.