Deadline:
October 25, 2024
Location(s)
United States of America
Overview
The Hertz Foundation mission is to provide unique financial and fellowship support to the nation's most remarkable PhD students in the applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics and engineering.
Details
The Hertz Fellowship provides financial and lifelong professional support for the nation’s most promising graduate students in science and technology.
The fellowship includes up to five years of funding, valued at up to $250,000, and the freedom to pursue innovative projects wherever they may lead. In addition, fellows take part in ongoing mentoring, symposia, and workshops with our vibrant community of more than 1200 fellows, a set of peers who span disciplines, generations, and geography.
Before applying, we encourage you to explore the details of the fellowship to make sure it's the right fit for you. You can email us with any questions at fellowshipinfo@hertzfoundation.org, or visit our frequently asked questions.
Moral Commitment
The Hertz Foundation strongly believes that science and technology should make a positive impact on our nation.
As a public charity, we are committed to empowering young minds who will put their talents to work when it matters most. That’s why before awarding a fellowship, we require that applicants make a nonbinding moral commitment to make their skills available to the United States in times of national emergency.
Importantly, this is not a contractual obligation. We don’t tell our fellows that the nation requires their action, and we have no definition for what constitutes a national emergency.
Throughout history, science and technology have played essential roles in overcoming major challenges facing society, from creating vaccines that fight global epidemics to developing technology that predicts natural disasters. We leave it up to each fellow to determine in their eyes whether the nation faces a truly serious challenge and if they are positioned to use their knowledge and abilities to address it.
Fields of Study
The Hertz Foundation awards fellowships to graduate students pursuing a PhD in the applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics, or engineering.
We do not award fellowships based on an applicant’s particular field of study; however, we do require that applicants direct their work toward understanding and solving major, near-term problems facing society. For each applicant, that could mean something different—inventing a new technology, developing a business, or applying their interests in innovative ways.
It’s up to the applicant to advocate for their specific field of study and demonstrate how it will be applied to address real-world challenges with the greatest impact.
View our list of fellows to learn more about their fields of interest.
Participating Schools
The Hertz Foundation has agreements in place with more than 40 top universities.
The Hertz Foundation has established a standard agreement with participating graduate schools to coordinate paying the stipend, tuition, and other costs for our fellows. If you’re awarded a fellowship and your school is not on the list of participating schools, you may ask to have it added to the list, and we’ll do our best to work with your school to negotiate an agreement. Fellows may also change to another participating school at any time during their fellowship.
- Arizona State University
- California Institute of Technology
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Duke University
- Emory University
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Harvard University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Lehigh University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- New York University
- Northwestern University
- Ohio State University
- Pennsylvania State University
- Princeton University
- Purdue University
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Rice University
- Stanford University
- State University of New York at Stony Brook
- Texas A&M University
- The Scripps Research Institute
- University of Arizona
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of California, Davis
- University of California, Irvine
- University of California, Los Angeles
- University of California, Riverside
- University of California, San Diego
- University of California, San Francisco
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- University of California, Santa Cruz
- University of Chicago
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of Colorado Denver
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- University of Maryland
- University of Michigan
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities
- University of Rochester
- University of Southern California
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
- University of Washington
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Vanderbilt University
- Washington University in St. Louis
- Yale University
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
We know the nation’s most promising talent can come in many packages, from different disciplines, backgrounds, and points of view.
To help focus our search, we’ve established the following eligibility criteria. We understand there are sometimes unique circumstances, so please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions at fellowshipinfo@hertzfoundation.org.
All eligible applicants must:
- be college seniors, first-year graduate students, or in a gap year preparing to apply to graduate school;
- intend to pursue a PhD in the applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics, or engineering;
- intend to direct their studies toward understanding and solving major, near-term problems facing society; and
- be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
We do not award fellowships to applicants pursuing professional degrees other than a PhD, such as an MD, JD, MBA, DPH, or DVM. However, we will support the PhD portion of an MD/PhD program.
Anti-Discrimination Notice: We do not discriminate against any individual on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, sexual orientation, military and veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.
How we identify fellows
When we select a Hertz Fellow, we’re investing in a person's potential to be a leader in their field who will address the most pressing challenges facing society. While there is no perfect predictor of future success, there are certain attributes common to Hertz Fellows that we try to identify when we evaluate applicants.
- Deep, Integrated Knowledge - Grades and test scores only tell part of the story. We’re looking for applicants with deep scientific and technical knowledge who can drive the exploration of complex, multidisciplinary topics and who can clearly articulate their ideas during in-person conversations with our interviewers.
- Creative Problem Solvers - Today’s challenges cannot be solved with yesterday’s thinking. To make an impact, we need creative problem solvers—fellows who can bring together expertise, resources, and critical thinking from different fields to create a solution far greater than the sum of its parts.
- Commitment to the Greater Good - Hertz Fellows aren’t just hoping for a better future. They are working to create it, directing their talents toward solving real-world problems that impact our nation and the world.
- Active Leadership - Breakthroughs don’t happen overnight. They require self-starters who can gain the trust of their colleagues, build consensus around an ambitious vision, and then deliver on that promise down to the details.
- Lifelong Achievers - Whether it’s innovative undergraduate research, excellence in high school ROTC, or advancing a cause you care about, we’re looking for rising stars with a track record of success every step of the way—and a desire to grow in the process.
Dates
Deadline: October 25, 2024
Cost/funding for participants
Compensation
The Hertz Fellowship compensation package includes a cost-of-education allowance and a personal stipend valued at up to $250,000.
Fellows have two options for receiving their fellowship compensation.
Option 1: Funding from the Hertz Foundation Only
- $38,000/nine-month personal stipend
- Full tuition equivalent
- Renewable annually for up to five years
- $5,000/year stipend for fellows with dependent children
Option 2: Coordination with Another Awarding Institution
If you receive a fellowship, scholarship, or grant offer from another institution, we’ll coordinate with that institution to make sure you can take advantage of each offer and receive the maximum possible compensation.
Example: Three year fellowship with the National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Hertz Foundation period: Full tuition equivalent and $44,000/nine-month personal stipend
- NSF period: $9,000/year supplemental stipend from Hertz Foundation
- Renewable annually for up to five years
- $5,000/year stipend for fellows with dependent children
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
