§2191 Graduate Fellowships

Summary

The Secretary of Defense must create rules to give fellowships to U.S. citizens and nationals who plan to get graduate degrees in science, engineering, or other fields the Secretary says are a priority for the Department of Defense. The awards will be called National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowships. Fellowships must be given only for academic ability. The Secretary must work to encourage people from groups that are underrepresented in science and technology (including minority groups, women, and people with disabilities) to apply. Recipients are chosen by a nationwide competition. Awards cannot be based on where a person lives or where they will study. The rules must say who can get a fellowship, how winners are chosen, how the payment amount is decided, and the maximum one person can receive in an academic year.