Applications for the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Stewardship Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE NNSA SSGF) are being accepted through Jan. 13, 2026, with an informational webinar set for Dec. 10, 2025. Candidates must be U.S. citizens who plan full-time, uninterrupted study toward a Ph.D. at an accredited U.S. university. Senior undergraduates and first- and second-year doctoral students are eligible to apply.
The DOE NNSA SSGF was established in 2006 to meet a demand for scientists with in-depth training in areas relevant to stewardship of the nation's nuclear stockpile. It educates doctoral students who research high energy density physics, nuclear science, or materials under extreme conditions. Fellows receive exceptional benefits, including a $45,000 yearly stipend; full payment of university tuition and required fees; and an annual academic allowance. Renewable for up to four years, the fellowship includes a three-month practicum at one of four DOE NNSA laboratory sites.
Funded by the DOE Office of Science and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the fellowship trains top leaders in stewardship science. As of Sept. 1, the DOE NNSA SSGF has onboarded 107 students who represent 45 Ph.D. institutions. More than 85 program alumni work in academia, industry and at the national laboratories.
For more information and to access the online application, visit https://www.krellinst.org/ssgf/how-apply. The fellowship is also active on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/doe-nnsa-ssgf/.
To register for the December webinar and live Q&A, visit: https://krellinst-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/9617618579921/WN_nREGKNuwQz2Gs65-KZFv0w.
About Krell: Iowa-based Krell Institute develops tomorrow’s leaders in science, technology and national security and communicates their stories through multiple channels. We manage premier educational programs that foster collaboration and innovation in computational science and AI and the science behind nuclear stockpile stewardship. Through our community-building and media portfolio, we strengthen connections among science, security and society.