Hertz Fellowship

Next Deadline: November 2025

The Hertz Fellowship provides financial and lifelong professional support to the nation’s most promising graduate students in science and technology. Using a rigorous, merit-based process, the Hertz Foundation identifies innovators with the greatest potential to create transformative solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges. 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 a community of more than 1,200 fellows, a set of peers who span disciplines, generations, and geography.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to make an individual advising appointment with the campus representative Alicia Hayes with the OURS National Scholarships Office.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
be a college senior, first-year graduate student, or in a gap year preparing to apply to graduate school
intend to pursue a Ph.D. in the applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics, or engineering (no professional degrees)
intend to direct their studies toward understanding and solving major, near-term problems facing society

Selection Criteria

The Hertz Fellowship review committee is looking for the following criteria in prospective fellows:

Deep, integrated knowledge – applicants with deep scientific and technical knowledge who can drive the exploration of complex, multidisciplinary topics
Creative problem solvers – scholars 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 – scholars working to create a better future, directing their talents toward solving real-world problems that impact our nation and the world
Active leadership – 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 – rising stars with a track record of success every step of the way, and a desire to grow in the process

Application Requirements

An online application that consists of the following:
- Four brief essays that detail
  - Choice of field and future expectations
  - Proposed field of study
  - Choice of graduate school
  - Chronological synopsis
- Personal Essay
- List of academic honors and awards
- GRE scores (optional)
- Supplemental info (i.e., publications)
- Four recommendations