Do you require proof of U.S. citizenship? (Top)

Proof of U.S. citizenship (a copy of your birth certificate or passport) will be required upon a formal offer.

Who is eligible for the DOE NNSA SSGF? (Top)

The DOE NNSA SSGF is open to U.S. citizens who plan full-time uninterrupted study toward a Ph.D. at an accredited U.S. university.

I am a foreign student studying in the U.S. under a student visa (F1-visa). Am I eligible to apply? (Top)

No. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for the DOE NNSA SSGF.

I am a part-time student. Am I eligible? (Top)

No. You must be a full-time student studying toward your Ph.D. at a U.S. university (by Fall 2024) to be eligible.

I am a third year graduate student. Am I eligible? (Top)

Exceptional undergraduate seniors, first and second year graduate students and those matriculating into a Ph.D. program are eligible for this fellowship. If you have a question whether this applies to you, review the additional FAQ's on this subject, or contact the DOE NNSA SSGF Program Coordinator.

I have been in graduate school for a few years, but have not started my Ph.D. Am I eligible to apply? (Top)

At the time of application, you cannot have completed more than one year of full-time graduate work towards your Ph.D. Review other FAQ's on this subject or contact the program coordinator for specific questions.

I currently have another fellowship. Does this make me ineligible for the DOE NNSA SSGF? (Top)

You can apply to the DOE NNSA SSGF program, but if awarded a DOE NNSA SSGF fellowship, you may have to give up your current fellowship. The DOE NNSA SSGF fellowship cannot be accepted concurrently with another Federal fellowship. Please contact the DOE NNSA SSGF Program with specific situations you would like to inquire about.

I have a master's degree in another field. Does this make me ineligible? (Top)

The previous master's degree in another field does not affect your application. As long as you are in the first or second year of graduate work in your current field of study, you are eligible to apply.

I took time off from school to work. Am I eligible? (Top)

As long as you will be starting a Ph.D. program by the time the fellowship would begin (Fall 2024), you are eligible.

My department requires all graduate students to perform teaching to qualify for a doctoral degree. Am I elegible (Top)

Your department must certify that no more than one term/semester of teaching, grading or other departmental support activities are required of you, and any requirements beyond one term will be waived for the DOE NNSA SSGF fellowship. When the fellowship offer is made you will be required to obtain and provide as a part of your official acceptance paperwork a waiver of this graduate requirement from your department chairperson.

I worked for a couple years after receiving my masters degree and now want to return to school in pursuit of a Ph.D. Am I eligible? (Top)

Yes you are eligible for the fellowship

I am not sure if my field of study is eligible. How do I find out? (Top)

Students in physics, applied physics, material sciences, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemistry, chemical engineering, astronomy/astrophysics, nuclear engineering, or related physical or mathematical science and engineering disciplines are eligible for this fellowship. If you feel your area of study does not fit into these categories but does focus on stewardship science (high energy density physics, nuclear science, or materials under extreme conditions or hydrodynamics), you are encouraged to apply and convey to application reviewers that your work can be properly represented as stewardship science.

Can I apply for the fellowship through any university or just specified universities? (Top)

You can attend any PhD-granting accredited university during the fellowship period, as long as it is in the United States.

What if I change my university preferences after I submit my application? (Top)

This should not be an issue. If awarded the fellowship you will be asked to provide a new POS with your selected university that must be approved as a condition of acceptance. Please contact the DOE NNSA SSGF Program to provide an update to university selections after your application has been submitted.

Can I email a listing of courses for approval before submitting with my application? I am not sure where they fit in the POS. (Top)

Please do not ask about specific courses; we can only provide general guidelines for the POS. Please discuss your proposed POS with your advisor and arrange the courses as best you can with the goals of the fellowship in mind.

I have already completed some of the course requirements; should I put them in the Completed Courses section or the Program of Study? (Top)

If the courses are considered graduate courses and meet the minimum requirements of your proposed or current field of study, then they can be entered on the POS. Your advisor can provide guidance in this area. An important factor in reviewing your application is the extent to which your POS contributes to the research in your field of interest and also satisfies the objectives of the fellowship program. Submission of the program of study constitutes an explicit commitment to take the courses before entering the third year of the fellowship. Take this into consideration when completing the POS.

What constitutes a 'graduate' course? (Top)

The course must be a graduate level course or accepted for graduate credit by your home department.

I am a senior undergraduate. What if I am not accepted at the university where I plan to attend? (Top)

If offered the fellowship, we will ask that you submit a new POS for approval.

I am a senior undergraduate and I don't know what university I will be attending next fall. How do I fill out a program of study? (Top)

Please assemble a POS for the university that you want to attend. If this changes once you receive the fellowship, you will need to submit a new POS at that time.

I am a senior undergraduate and do not have a graduate advisor yet. Do I need to find a graduate advisor to review my Program of Study (POS)? (Top)

Ideally the graduate advisor at your preferred university review your POS. If this is not feasible, please have your current undergraduate advisor review your proposed POS.

My university course schedule isn't released until right before the semester. Many times they drop and add courses last minute. How do I put together a POS if I am not sure what courses will be available? (Top)

We understand that course schedules change. If you are offered a fellowship, you have the ability to request changes to your POS based on course cancellations/changes. However, keep in mind that the POS submitted with this application must be to your best knowledge the courses you intend to take. All course changes must be approved by the fellowships review committee.

I have been working for the past couple of years and plan to start as a Ph.D. graduate student. As I am currently without an advisor, who would best fit this role in terms of my POS? (Top)

Ideally, the graduate advisor at your preferred university will review your POS. If this is not feasible, your undergraduate advisor or trusted academic acquaintance should review your proposed POS.

In planning out coursework how long do I have to satisfy the POS requirement? (Top)

Those matriculating into a PhD program have three years to complete their POS. First or second year graduate students must satisfy this fellowship requirement within two years.

Do you need a copy of my undergraduate and graduate transcripts? (Top)

We require an official transcript from all universities listed on your application. This includes the current fall term (if you are enrolled at a university).

I attend graduate school at the institution that awarded my undergraduate degree. Do you need 2 transcripts, or can I submit one that includes all coursework at that university on it? (Top)

You may submit one transcript, as long as it includes all undergraduate and graduate work.

I also applied for another fellowship managed by Krell. Can I send one official transcript for both applications? (Top)

Yes, but notify the SSGF program.

Where should I have my official transcripts sent? (Top)

Krell Institute
Attn: DOE NNSA SSGF Program
1609 Golden Aspen Drive, Suite 101
Ames, IA 50010

I have sent in my transcript and it is not flagged as received on my status page. (Top)

Transcripts are processed and entered into the online system daily, however, we ask that you allow up to three business days after your transcript has been received for it to be reflected within your application. Please contact your university to see if your transcript request has been processed and the document sent. (If you submitted a transcript under a different name, please notify the DOE NNSA SSGF program). Once the university has confirmed that the transcript was sent, please call or email the Krell Institute to inquire further. Alternatively, 1) please make sure you have added the university in question to the educational history section of your application. A transcript cannot be marked as received without a coordinating university, and 2) please make sure that the name on the application matches the name on the transcript. If the names are different, you will need to notify DOE NNSA SSGF of this so your transcript can be properly recorded. We will check on this periodically, but please fill out the educational history section completely before sending in transcripts to ensure that it will get attached to your application correctly.

My official fall 2023 transcript will not be available until after the application deadline. Is this a problem? (Top)

No, this is very common. Your application is considered complete and will be sent to the review committee, yet we will require a copy of the official fall transcript once it becomes available. There is no need to contact the program coordinator if your transcript will arrive by the end of January.

Can I use reference letters that were already written for other programs or fellowships? (Top)

It is preferred that you have new letters written that address the information requested on the reference form.

Can I submit more than three reference letters? (Top)

The application allows you to list up to four references, all of whom may submit a letter on your behalf. While three letters are required of each applicant, all letters received will be reviewed as part of your application. There is no advantage given to those who submit four letters.

My reference would rather not submit his reference online. Is there another option? (Top)

Yes. Your reference may submit their letter via email or mail directly to the DOE NNSA SSGF Program.

How will I know if my reference received my request for a recommendation letter? (Top)

You will receive a confirmation email for each reference notified.

My reference has questions about the reference process and/or the DOE NNSA SSGF Program. Where should I direct him/her? (Top)

References may contact the DOE NNSA SSGF Program at ssgf@krellinst.org

What happens when I "Notify" my references that I want them to write me a recommendation letter (Top)

(First and foremost, we recommend that you make a personal ask of these individuals prior to listing them in the application). When you "Notify" your references, they will receive an email from the Krell Institute with a link to an online reference system where they can submit a letter of recommendation.

How will I know that a letter of recommendation has been submitted on my behalf? (Top)

Refer to the "Application Status" section of the application. If you are concerned about a particular status, please follow up with the reference until their letter is marked as "Submitted".

Can I work on my application and save it to come back later and work on it? (Top)

Yes, you can save your application and work on it any time. Your application is not submitted until you press "FINAL SUBMISSION" on the final submission page. Once this is done, you can no longer make changes to your application. However, even after your application is submitted, you can continue to use the online system to notify references that their letters have not yet been received, and check the status of your transcripts.

How can I confirm that my electronically submitted application was received? (Top)

After you press the 'Final Submission' button on the Final Submission page, you should receive an email confirming that your application has been submitted. If you do not receive this email within 24 hours, please contact the Krell Institute. There will also be a check beside 'Final Submission' on your Application Status page.

I see that online submission of the application is required. Should I also print it off and send it in? (Top)

No. Once you have pressed 'Final Submission' on the Final Submission page, no further action is required.

Can you tell me if you have received my transcripts and references? (Top)

You may check the status of your application materials online at any time. Log into your online application and go to "Application Status". If for some reason the status on this page seems incorrect, please contact your university and/or references.

Why is my undergraduate and graduate university listed twice under the transcript status? Do I need to send two transcripts? (Top)

No. As long as all course work from the institution is listed on one transcript, we do not need a duplicate copy. When processing the transcript, the Krell Institute will populate a cumulative GPA for both your undergraduate and graduate coursework.

Can I check my status after submitting my final application? (Top)

Yes, you may check the status of your application materials at any time by logging into your application and going to "Application Status".

I would like to review the application in full; Is this possible? (Top)

The printable version of the application can be found under the 'Help' tab in the footer of the application website. Please note that all applications must be submitted electronically via the online system.

I applied last year and was not accepted. Do you still have my application materials on file, or do I need to send them again? (Top)

We do not retain applications from year to year. You will need to submit a new application including transcripts and letters of reference.

Can I send supplemental materials such as publications or research results, with my application? (Top)

No. These types of supplemental materials will not be reviewed. Publications should be listed in the appropriate section of the application. Supplemental information can be included as 'Additional Comments', however you are not required to populate this section.

When is the application deadline? (Top)

Application deadline is January 10, 2024 5pm CST.

When will I be notified if I did or did not receive a fellowship? (Top)

You will be notified whether or not you received a fellowship by mid-April.

When does the fellowship start? (Top)

The fellowship start date is September 1, 2024. It is renewable for up to 4 total years.

May I fax in application materials? (Top)

No. Please do not fax supplemental materials. Your application will not be considered complete until official documents are received.

All sections of my application are complete, however at least one of my supporting materials (i.e. reference letters and/or transcripts) is outstanding. Should I submit my application? (Top)

Yes. Please final submit your application by the application deadline, even if some of your supporting documents are outstanding.