Hertz Fellowship FAQ
We want your Hertz Fellowship application to be a positive and motivating experience. We hope these answers help.
If you need further assistance with your application, please email us at fellowshipinfo@hertzfoundation.org. We're happy to make sure you understand the process and are able to submit your best application.
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General Application
- When does the application become available, and what is the deadline?
- What is the fellowship selection timeline?
- I’m having problems with the online application. How can I get help?
- When will I hear back about the status of my application?
- Does the application require a research project proposal?
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When does the application become available, and what is the deadline?
When does the application become available, and what is the deadline?
The application is typically available mid to late August each year, and will close at the end of October / beginning of November.
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What is the fellowship selection timeline?
What is the fellowship selection timeline?
After the application closes on Friday, November 1, 2024, applicants who advance beyond pre-selection will be invited to first round interviews (via Zoom) in December 2024 and January 2025. Second round interviews (in-person) for select finalists will be conducted in February 2025. Fellows will be selected in late March 2025 and announced publicly in May 2025. Funding for the selected Hertz Fellows will begin in fall 2025.
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I’m having problems with the online application. How can I get help?
I’m having problems with the online application. How can I get help?
Please email us with any questions or concerns regarding the application at fellowshipinfo@hertzfoundation.org.
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When will I hear back about the status of my application?
When will I hear back about the status of my application?
The first round of interviewees are selected by mid November. You should hear from us regarding your application status by late November.
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Does the application require a research project proposal?
Does the application require a research project proposal?
The fellowship is intended to fund individual students, not a specific project. There is no requirement to submit a proposed research project as part of the application process. However, the application does provide the opportunity to summarize current and prior research experiences as well as interests you intend to pursue.
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Eligibility
- Who is eligible to apply for a Hertz Fellowship?
- Do you offer fellowships to non-United States citizens?
- Can I apply after my first year of graduate school?
- I'm an MD/PhD student. When should I apply?
- Are part-time students eligible?
- I am currently a master's student. Does my time in the master’s program count as graduate years in my application?
- Can I reapply if I’m not offered a fellowship?
- Does the fellowship support students completing a PhD at a school outside the United States?
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Who is eligible to apply for a Hertz Fellowship?
Who is eligible to apply for a Hertz Fellowship?
Applicants must be college seniors, first-year graduate students, or individuals in a gap year preparing to apply to graduate school, who intend to pursue a PhD in the applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States. If you are not a US citizen, we will ask to see proof of Application for Citizenship or your Permanent Resident card if you advance through selection to the interview phase.
We ask all applicants to make a moral commitment to make their skills available to the United States in times of national emergency.
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Do you offer fellowships to non-United States citizens?
Do you offer fellowships to non-United States citizens?
Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States. For non-citizens, we require proof of application for citizenship or a permanent resident card.
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Can I apply after my first year of graduate school?
Can I apply after my first year of graduate school?
We generally do not award fellowships to students after their first year of graduate school, except in rare cases where the fellowship will make an exceptional difference in the kind, quality, or creativity of the applicant’s graduate research. There have been only two such cases in the last 10 years.
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I'm an MD/PhD student. When should I apply?
I'm an MD/PhD student. When should I apply?
The Hertz Fellowship will fund only the PhD portion of an MD/PhD program. We encourage students to apply during the year before starting the PhD portion of an MD/PhD program. You are eligible to apply either the year before you plan to begin your dissertation research, the PhD portion of your program, or during your first year of the PhD portion.
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Are part-time students eligible?
Are part-time students eligible?
To receive fellowship funding, students must be enrolled full-time in one of the Hertz Foundation's approved participating schools. 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.
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I am currently a master's student. Does my time in the master’s program count as graduate years in my application?
I am currently a master's student. Does my time in the master’s program count as graduate years in my application?
If your current masters is a step along the way to a PhD in the same program, then it will count as graduate work for this application.
If the master's degree you are pursuing is in a different field than the PhD field of study you propose in your application or is part of a different program, then this time does not count as graduate years in your application.
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Can I reapply if I’m not offered a fellowship?
Can I reapply if I’m not offered a fellowship?
Yes, you can reapply. When reapplying, it’s important to show the progress you’ve made in the time since you submitted your previous application.
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Does the fellowship support students completing a PhD at a school outside the United States?
Does the fellowship support students completing a PhD at a school outside the United States?
No. Based on our governance documents, one of the requirements of the Hertz Fellowship is that fellowship schools must be in the United States and we do not have flexibility in that regard.
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Participating Schools
- How can I add my school to the list of participating schools?
- If I receive a fellowship, can I use it at any participating school, even if it was not listed as the first choice on my application?
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How can I add my school to the list of participating schools?
How can I add my school to the list of participating schools?
If you’re awarded a fellowship, you may request to have your school added to the list of participating schools. We’ll evaluate your request to determine if the school is located in the United States and whether the quality and breadth of education in your field of interest meet our standards of excellence.
You DO NOT need to be currently enrolled in a participating school nor plan to attend a participating school to submit an application.
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If I receive a fellowship, can I use it at any participating school, even if it was not listed as the first choice on my application?
If I receive a fellowship, can I use it at any participating school, even if it was not listed as the first choice on my application?
When your fellowship is awarded, you will have the opportunity to make a final decision about the school you'd like to attend. It is possible to transfer your fellowship to a different school during your graduate work. At that time, you may also petition for your desired school to be added to the list of participating schools, if necessary.
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Essay Questions
- Can I upload multiple documents to my application?
- Is there a word limit for my essay?
- What is the Hertz Foundation looking for in my personal essay?
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Can I upload multiple documents to my application?
Can I upload multiple documents to my application?
Yes - the application will allow you to upload multiple documents. Please limit the size to five megabytes per document.
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Is there a word limit for my essay?
Is there a word limit for my essay?
Reviewers are less concerned with the word length and more so about the applicant’s ability to adequately address the prompt. Therefore, you may go under or over the suggested length of 250-500 words for various the short essays and 500-1000 words for the Personal Essay.
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What is the Hertz Foundation looking for in my personal essay?
What is the Hertz Foundation looking for in my personal essay?
We want you to reveal your creativity beyond your research. This could be your favorite extracurricular activity, a leadership experience, or anything else that gives us a better sense of what makes you who you are.
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References (aka Recommenders)
- Can I submit supplemental letters of recommendation that do not use the Hertz Foundation format?
- Why does the application require reference forms versus letters of recommendation?
- How do I submit information for my references (recommenders)?
- When will my references (recommenders) be notified?
- What tips do you have for choosing references (recommenders)?
- At what point during the application should I notify my four references (recommenders)?
- What is the deadline for submitting the four recommender evaluations?
- Will you accept recommenders' completed evaluations after the deadline?
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Can I submit supplemental letters of recommendation that do not use the Hertz Foundation format?
Can I submit supplemental letters of recommendation that do not use the Hertz Foundation format?
No. All of your references must use our evaluation form that is emailed to them. Please register your four references using the online application.
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Why does the application require reference forms versus letters of recommendation?
Why does the application require reference forms versus letters of recommendation?
We learn more about our applicants through our specific questions rather than a standard letter. This form also contains checkbox questions up front which are important for our review process.
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How do I submit information for my references (recommenders)?
How do I submit information for my references (recommenders)?
In the application, you will be asked to submit contact information for four individuals that will serve as your “recommenders." These individuals will be required to complete an evaluation form as part of the application process.
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When will my references (recommenders) be notified?
When will my references (recommenders) be notified?
Once you've entered the recommender’s name in the application system, the system will immediately email your recommenders to request that they complete a reference form. If your recommender does not receive the email, please ask them to be sure and check their spam folder.
This form asks your recommender to evaluate various attributes. Specifically, they are asked to highlight notable examples of personal creativity in your work, your strengths and weaknesses at your current stage of training, as well as general comments regarding their endorsement of you for the fellowship.
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What tips do you have for choosing references (recommenders)?
What tips do you have for choosing references (recommenders)?
When choosing your recommender, select those who are not only familiar with your scientific knowledge but may also provide examples of your creativity. Our reference questions specifically focus on your scientific knowledge, and you will miss an opportunity to demonstrate strength in this area if you use someone who can't speak to this topic. Additionally, in the form that your recommenders complete, they will be asked to discuss your potential as an applied scientist or engineer as well as offer a comparison to other students they have worked with at the same stage of development.
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At what point during the application should I notify my four references (recommenders)?
At what point during the application should I notify my four references (recommenders)?
We encourage you to be proactive when requesting your recommenders. Please note and tell your recommenders that we ask them to fill out a questionnaire form. We learn more about our applicants through our specific form questions, rather than a general letter. Make sure to allocate enough time for them to complete the evaluation.
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What is the deadline for submitting the four recommender evaluations?
What is the deadline for submitting the four recommender evaluations?
Monday, November 4th at 6:00 p.m. pacific
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Will you accept recommenders' completed evaluations after the deadline?
Will you accept recommenders' completed evaluations after the deadline?
Yes, we provide a buffer between the application deadline and the recommender deadline but only references submitted at the deadline are guaranteed to be included in the files for reviewers. Applications will be reviewed whether or not we have received all the letters. Applicants should contact fellowshipinfo@hertzfoundation.org with any questions.
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Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
- Are GRE scores required to apply for a fellowship?
- May I submit GRE scores for a test that I plan to take after the application deadline?
- I received a score range rather than a score at the GRE test. Should I enter that range in my application?
- I'm currently an MD/PhD student beginning my PhD. As a joint student, my MCAT scores were used for both my MD and PhD admissions, and I never took the GRE. Can I use my MCAT scores instead?
- I applied for the fellowship last year and had the Educational Testing Service (ETS) send my scores to the foundation. Can I reuse those scores, or do I need to have ETS send them again?
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Are GRE scores required to apply for a fellowship?
Are GRE scores required to apply for a fellowship?
The GRE is optional. We will accept GRE Subject Test scores but do not require them. To send us your scores, use the foundation's code: #4366.
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May I submit GRE scores for a test that I plan to take after the application deadline?
May I submit GRE scores for a test that I plan to take after the application deadline?
If you choose to submit GRE scores, we can accept your scores after the application deadline. Initial interview decisions will be made in early November. If we have not received your GRE scores by then, your file will be reviewed without them.
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I received a score range rather than a score at the GRE test. Should I enter that range in my application?
I received a score range rather than a score at the GRE test. Should I enter that range in my application?
Yes, enter the score or range information you receive at the test.
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I'm currently an MD/PhD student beginning my PhD. As a joint student, my MCAT scores were used for both my MD and PhD admissions, and I never took the GRE. Can I use my MCAT scores instead?
I'm currently an MD/PhD student beginning my PhD. As a joint student, my MCAT scores were used for both my MD and PhD admissions, and I never took the GRE. Can I use my MCAT scores instead?
MD/PhD students may submit their MCAT scores in place of GRE scores if they never took the GRE.
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I applied for the fellowship last year and had the Educational Testing Service (ETS) send my scores to the foundation. Can I reuse those scores, or do I need to have ETS send them again?
I applied for the fellowship last year and had the Educational Testing Service (ETS) send my scores to the foundation. Can I reuse those scores, or do I need to have ETS send them again?
Unless you’ve taken additional tests, we have your previous scores and do not require you to resend them.
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Other Awards
- If I am awarded both a Hertz fellowship and a fellowship, scholarship or grant from another institution, do I need to turn down the other offer in order to accept the Hertz fellowship?
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If I am awarded both a Hertz fellowship and a fellowship, scholarship or grant from another institution, do I need to turn down the other offer in order to accept the Hertz fellowship?
If I am awarded both a Hertz fellowship and a fellowship, scholarship or grant from another institution, do I need to turn down the other offer in order to accept the Hertz fellowship?
No, you don’t need to turn down the other offer. We coordinate with a variety of institutions, including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship, to make sure you can take advantage of both offers and receive the maximum possible compensation. You may also defer your fellowship if you are awarded a grant, such as a Fulbright grant, or a scholarship, such as a Rhodes Scholarship, Churchill Scholarship or Marshall Scholarship.
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Transcripts and Course Verification
- How do I submit my transcripts?
- I’m a first-year graduate student, and my school does not provide transcripts until after the first semester is completed. What should I submit?
- What qualifies as an upper division course?
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How do I submit my transcripts?
How do I submit my transcripts?
Upload your transcripts using the online application. We accept unofficial transcripts in your initial application. If selected as a finalist, we’ll ask you to submit your official transcripts.
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I’m a first-year graduate student, and my school does not provide transcripts until after the first semester is completed. What should I submit?
I’m a first-year graduate student, and my school does not provide transcripts until after the first semester is completed. What should I submit?
You don’t need to send transcripts unless your grades have been posted. If your graduate school transcripts are not available, we only require your undergraduate transcripts.
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What qualifies as an upper division course?
What qualifies as an upper division course?
Every university defines upper division courses somewhat differently. Please use your best judgment to detail any courses that you feel are upper division.
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Apply for the Hertz Fellowship
What could you do with the freedom to innovate? Learn about applying for the Hertz Fellowship.