Careers & Education
Scholarship Regulations
- The National Academy Scholarship Program is funded by the U.S. commercial nuclear power industry.
- Scholarships are available to U.S. citizens studying at accredited U.S. colleges or universities offering bachelor’s degrees in ABET-accredited engineering programs beginning their junior year.
- Renewals are possible through the senior year, based on maintaining eligibility.
- Eligible majors are nuclear, mechanical, and electrical engineering, power generation health physics, and chemical engineering with a nuclear or power option. Other disciplines may be acceptable, if directly applicable to nuclear power electric generation as approved by the National Academy, based on justification from the nominating utility.
- Each student application requires a recommendation by a manager or executive of an INPO member utility at which the student is participating in an internship or cooperative education work assignment.
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 (“B”) is required. Once awarded, unsatisfactory academic standing (less than 3.0 average) may result in termination of the scholarship.
- Students must be enrolled full time (a minimum of 12 hours per semester or quarter) to meet and maintain eligibility for the scholarship.
- Typically, a scholarship will not be considered for renewal unless the student has satisfactorily completed a minimum of 24 semester hours or 36-quarter hours during the preceding 12-month period. (Special requirements for co-op students are described under “Additional Regulations for Students in Cooperative Education Programs.”)
- Scholarships are granted for a period of one academic year. To receive initial scholarships, students must have at least one academic year or no more than two academic years remaining before graduation (four in-school semesters or six quarters for cooperative education students).
- By accepting these awards, scholars agree to routinely provide their current contact information to the National Academy, up to and including notice of first full-time employment following graduation, whether or not that employment is in the nuclear power industry.
- The National Academy recognizes that employment may occur after additional education is completed following the scholarship award period.
- This information must be provided by promptly responding to the National Academy’s Career Plan Questionnaire—sent to students approximately twice each year—or by direct notice to the National Academy at any time via email or postal mail.
- Feedback from students and first employment information are important to continuing the quality and viability of the scholarship program.
- Students with post-graduation commitments (such as military or other work obligations) are not eligible for Academy scholarships.
- The $2,500 per year stipend will be paid in one installment. The check will be issued to the university and mailed directly to the student. The student will be responsible for forwarding the check to the university.
- Other awards may be accepted by recipients of Academy scholarships. There will ordinarily be no objection to the acceptance of additional awards, provided such awards do not require post-graduation work obligations.
- Failure to enroll in college in the academic year of the award will forfeit the unused portion of the award. Any funds forfeited will be returned to the Academy. Exceptions may be considered on an individual basis if the forfeiture stems from illness, hardship, family tragedy, or similar reasons.
- The scholarship is transferable from one college or university to another provided such transfer is made between academic terms, and there is no loss in class standing. The student must report the decision to transfer as far in advance as possible and arrange for transfer of funds through the Academy Scholarship Program.
- An annual transcript of credits is required. The student must arrange for the Registrar to forward this transcript as soon as possible after the end of the academic year support period.
- Any change in student status must be immediately reported to the Academy. Failure to comply with this request may result in the withdrawal of scholarship support.
Additional Regulations For Students in Cooperative Education Programs
- Only those co-op programs officially sponsored and conducted by the student’s college or university are acceptable. Students following an independent work-study program will not be considered as co-op students.
- Scholarship support is provided only for terms during which the student is enrolled full time in school; scholarship funds will not be paid for co-op work terms.
- Co-op students are expected to complete a minimum of 12 semester hours or 12 quarter hours during each school term for which support is provided in order to qualify for scholarship renewal.
- Renewal of scholarships for co-op students will be evaluated on a case basis. Students must provide a planned school/work schedule at the time of initial award acceptance and again at the time of each application for renewal. The amount of support provided during an academic year will be based on this schedule.
- Course credits allowed for completion of a co-op term (work experience) will not be accepted as credits toward the minimum number of hours required.
- Academic credits earned while on work term (but not for the work experience itself) will not be counted as credits toward the minimum number of hours required for this scholarship program, unless such credits are entered on the student’s official transcript and are accepted by the student’s college or university as part of the student’s degree program.
Transcripts and all scholarship inquiries or correspondence should be sent to the following address:
National Academy for Nuclear Training Scholarship Program
301 ACT Drive, PO Box 4030
Iowa City, IA 52243-4030
800.294.7492
E-mail: nant@act.org
Viewpoints on Nuclear Energy
Nuclear Career Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook
provides information on the prospects for hundreds of jobs, including many in the nuclear energy industry.