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For Immediate Release

U.S. Department of Energy Announces Scholarship Awards for the Next Generation of Nuclear Scientists and Engineers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced more than $5 million in undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships to students pursuing nuclear engineering degrees and other nuclear science and engineering programs relevant to nuclear energy. The awards include 45 scholarships and 33 fellowships for students at U.S. colleges and universities.

“A strong, diverse workforce is critical for us to be successful in advancing nuclear power to meet the nation’s energy, environmental, and national security needs. The Administration is dedicated to supporting future innovators who will help tackle the challenges still facing the industry today,” said Edward McGinnis, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Nuclear Energy. “The recipients will be the future of nuclear energy production in the United States and the world.”

Each undergraduate scholarship provides $7,500 to help cover education costs for the upcoming year, while the three-year graduate fellowship provides $50,000 each year to help pay for graduate studies and research. Fellowships also include $5,000 to fund an internship at a U.S. national laboratory or other approved research facility to strengthen the ties between students and DOE’s energy research programs.

Since 2009, DOE has awarded close to 800 scholarships and fellowships totaling approximately $44 million to students pursuing nuclear energy-related degrees. Ninety-three percent of students who have completed nuclear energy-related fellowships have either continued to advance their education in nuclear energy or have obtained careers at DOE’s national laboratories, other government agencies, academic institutions, or private companies. Seven former fellowship winners are now university professors engaged in nuclear energy-related research, and one was competitively awarded an Office of Nuclear Energy R&D award in FY 2018. 

Find additional information about DOE’s nuclear energy scholarships and fellowships awarded at the Nuclear Energy University Program website.

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