Hertz Fellowship 2027-2028 Approaching Deadline: Apply Using These Simple Steps
What could you investigate if your PhD funding gave you room to follow a difficult scientific question? The 2027 Hertz Fellowship is now accepting applications for doctoral research in applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics and engineering, with support beginning in fall 2027.
Your first check is eligibility: you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. International students holding only a student visa do not meet that rule, even if they already attend an American university. For eligible applicants, the next decision is whether their academic stage fits the 2027 funding cycle.
Plan your Hertz application
Who Can Apply for the 2027 Hertz Fellowship?
The normal eligibility window covers applicants who will be first- or second-year PhD students in fall 2027. College seniors, gap-year applicants and current first-year doctoral students can therefore fit the cycle. A standalone master’s degree does not automatically exclude you; master’s study within an already accepted PhD pathway counts toward graduate years.
Your research must address significant problems with practical societal relevance. Explain the problem, your scientific approach and why the result could matter. Hertz evaluates technical understanding, creativity, initiative and leadership, so a subject label alone will not establish your fit.
Professional degrees such as an MBA or MD alone are excluded, but the PhD component of an MD/PhD can qualify. Applicants beyond the normal academic window face exceptional consideration and must explain why Hertz support would substantially change their research.
What Does the Hertz Fellowship Cover, and What About Summer?
The standard Hertz package includes full tuition equivalent and a $38,000 personal stipend for nine months, renewable annually for up to five years. The advertised $250,000 is an upper package valuation, rather than a single cash payment.
| Funding situation | Published support | What to plan? |
|---|---|---|
| Hertz funding only | $38,000 nine-month stipend plus full tuition equivalent. | Budget separately for summer. |
| Coordination with another fellowship | The NSF example provides $44,000 for Hertz-funded nine-month periods and a $9,000 annual Hertz supplement during NSF-funded periods. | Your combination requires coordination; these figures are not automatic for every external award. |
| Dependent children | An additional $5,000 per year. | Include childcare and family expenses in your budget. |
The nine-month model leaves summer months outside the standard stipend period. Discuss summer research support or internships with your department. Fellows also receive mentorship, professional connections and access to a lifelong community of more than 1,300 innovators.
Must You Already Have a Place at a Hertz Partner University?
You can apply without attending a participating university, and university nomination is unnecessary. Apply separately for PhD admission; winning funding does not secure a university place.
More than 50 institutions have Hertz agreements, including MIT, Stanford, Harvard and the University of California, Berkeley. An awardee may request an agreement with another U.S. institution, but approval must be arranged. The fellowship cannot fund a PhD outside the United States.
Recipients also make a non-binding moral commitment to offer their skills to the United States during a national emergency. This is not a contractual service obligation.
How Do You Submit a Strong 2027 Hertz Fellowship Application?
Apply directly through the Hertz portal and build your answers around evidence of your scientific thinking. A formal proposed research project is not required.
- Confirm your fit. Review the official Hertz eligibility criteria against your citizenship, field and projected PhD year.
- Start your application. Use the Hertz Fellowship application portal. Check its current instructions and any fee information before submitting.
- Prepare the requested essays and academic records. Unofficial transcripts are accepted initially; finalists provide official versions. GRE scores are optional. Follow the live prompts and upload requirements.
- Explain your contribution. Describe a problem you worked on, the decisions you made and what you learned. Our scholarship statement-writing guide can help organize examples, but it is optional writing support; Hertz’s own prompts determine your answers.
- Register four recommenders early. They must complete Hertz’s emailed evaluation form rather than submit a conventional recommendation letter. Choose people who can describe your technical ability and originality with specific examples.
- Submit and monitor follow-up. Complete your application and consult the official application timeline for subsequent stages. Keep university admission applications moving alongside it.
Before submitting, read each answer as an interviewer would: can you explain the underlying science, defend your choices and identify where your approach could fail? Practicing those explanations will also help you prepare for selection interviews.
When Are Hertz Applications, References and Results Due?
The last date to apply for the 2027 Hertz Fellowship offered by the Hertz Foundation is October 30, 2026. Applications opened on August 31, 2026.
Arrange for all four references to arrive by October 30 if possible. As checked on October 3, 2026, the official FAQ lists November 2 at 6 p.m. Pacific, while the recommender page lists November 1, 2026 at 6 p.m. Pacific with an inconsistent weekday. Confirm the reference deadline through the portal or [email protected] before relying on the later date.
First-round interviews take place in December 2026 and January 2027, followed by second-round interviews and finalist notifications in February 2027. Fellowship recipients are notified in April, with public announcements in May 2027. University admission deadlines remain separate.