Nuclear Nonproliferation International Safeguards
Graduate Fellowship Program

PROGRAM INFORMATION

Program Benefits

In most cases, the maximum value of any individual award, including stipend, tuition and fees, and summer practicum, is $50,000/yr.  Universities whose tuitions would result in a higher total cost would agree, as part of the university application, to supplement the fellowship with other funding sources.  

STIPEND

Fellows receive a monthly stipend in the amount of $2,200.  The fellow’s basic stipend is augmented by $500 (prorated) each month during the practicum.  Stipends for fellows are mailed each month directly to the Fellow. 

The NNSA attempts to provide adequate funding to its fellowship participants for meeting the cost of graduate school. 

If a fellow accepts a research assistantship or other responsibilities where funds are provided, MUSC must be informed in advance and any resulting payments may be deducted from the fellow’s stipend. 

In addition, other awards, prizes, and similar type payments (including veteran’s benefits) that do not require a service may be accepted by the fellowship participant.

TUITION AND FEES

The fellows required tuition and fees are paid by MUSC directly to the participating university upon receipt of invoice. 

Optional, refundable, and penalty fees (such as late registration and duplication fees) are not payable by MUSC. 

Health insurance fees will be paid by MUSC only if they are certified to be required for all graduate students. 

All tuition and fee charges must be certified consistent with those made to regular graduate students and necessary for enrollment into the graduate program. The tuition by this program is limited to $23,600, any charge above that amount must be assumed by the university.

In August of each year, MUSC notifies the bursar’s office at each university regarding procedures of invoicing for fellowship students.  Students will receive a copy of this correspondence and should retain this copy for use in discussing any billing errors with their university’s bursar office.

PRACTICUM

NNIS Fellows are required to serve one practicum of at least three months in duration and may take part in more than one practicum, if funding is available. 

Travel expenses will be reimbursed for the fellow to travel to/from the practicum site providing that the distance is more than 50 miles one way from the fellow’s university.  Transportation expenses for travel actually performed will be paid. 

Travel by private automobile will be reimbursed at the current MUSC rate per mile; travel by air will be reimbursed at the cost of the lowest commercial airfare. 

No expenses are paid for food or lodging at the practicum site.  All travel must be authorized in advance by MUSC.

To initiate a practicum appointment the Fellow needs to fill out a practicum request form.  Subsequently, the Fellow will need to contact a laboratory coordinator and express an interest in participating at the listed facility.  Please see the list of participating laboratories on this site.

CONFERENCE TRAVEL

Fellows have the opportunity, if funding is available, to attend national or international conferences. 

Conference travel is generally only approved when the fellow is presenting a paper or poster.  Requests for travel funds should be made in writing to the fellowship office at MUSC at least two months before the anticipated travel dates.

THESIS RESEARCH AT PARTICIPATING DOE/NNSA DESIGNATED CENTERS

A fellow may request to spend all or part of the time working on thesis/dissertation research at one of the participating DOE/NNSA facilities. 

To request off-campus research, a fellow should complete a request form (available from MUSC) and have it endorsed by the faculty advisor, university coordinator, and DOE/NNSA facility coordinator. 

The faculty advisor must agree to continue to supervise the Fellow’s progress throughout the research work and must participate in the necessary coordination with DOE/NNSA facility personnel. 

The faculty advisor will be reimbursed for travel expenses, in accordance with MUSC’s Travel Policy, for one round trip to the facility for review and coordination of the Fellow’s research.

For the Fellow, travel mileage will be paid for one round trip to/from the research facility providing that the distance is more than 50 miles one way. 

Travel expenses will also be provided for one round trip to/from the facility for the fellow to consult with the university graduate committee and/or to present a seminar on results of the thesis research.

A research advisor from the DOE/NNSA facility may be assigned by the facility for the fellow.  This advisor should also be nominated for appointment to the fellow’s graduate thesis research committee if approved by the university.

PUBLICATION ACKNOWLEDGMENT

DOE and MUSC encourage fellows to publish reports and articles in scientific and engineering journals.  The fellow must submit any articles, reports, or theses to MUSC concurrently with the submission for publication. 

All publications will show the joint affiliation of the fellow with the university and, if appropriate, with the laboratory in which the research was conducted, and should acknowledge fellowship support.

Fellowship support should be acknowledged in the following manner:

“This research was performed under appointment to the U.S. Department of Energy Nuclear Nonproliferation International Safeguards Graduate Fellowship Program sponsored by the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Nonproliferation and International Security.”