If you’re a U.S. citizen or permanent resident driven by a big idea in science or engineering, you should take a close look at the Fannie & John Hertz Foundation’s 2026 Hertz Fellowship. This is one of those opportunities where the support is comprehensive, the expectations high, and the possibilities wide open. In what follows, I’ll walk you through: what the fellowship is all about, who’s eligible, the benefits, the fields of study, deadlines, how to apply, and a few tips to help you decide if this is for you.
Program: Hertz Fellowship
Coverage: Fully Funded (up to five years)
Nationality: U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents
Degree Level: PhD (or PhD portion of a joint MD/PhD)
Duration: Up to 5 years
Host Country: United States
Deadline: October 31, 2025
Purpose of the Program
The Hertz Fellowship is designed to identify and support the nation’s most promising young scholars in the applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics, and engineering. The Foundation emphasises not just technical excellence, but the ability to apply those skills toward real-world, near-term problems.
Since 1957 (or thereabouts), the Hertz Foundation has backed innovators who go beyond traditional academic performance. Those selected are expected to pursue bold, creative, interdisciplinary research, and many have leveraged the fellowship into careers that shape fields and industries.
Another key piece: recipients make a non-binding moral commitment to make their skills available to the United States in times of national emergency. It’s not a legal obligation, but it signals the kind of scientist or engineer the Foundation wants to support—someone with a sense of purpose and service.
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Eligibility
Before you invest time in this application, ensure you meet the eligibility criteria. The main requirements are:
Basic Eligibility Criteria
- Must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident (green card holder).
- Currently a college senior, or a first-year graduate student, or in a gap period preparing to begin a PhD.
- Intend to pursue a full-time in-person PhD in the United States in one of the approved fields (see next section).
- The PhD (or the PhD portion of a joint degree, like MD/PhD) must be in the applied physical or biological sciences, mathematics, or engineering.
- If you’re in a joint program (e.g., MD/PhD), only the PhD portion is eligible. The Foundation does not support pure professional degrees like MD, JD, MBA, DPH, or DVM unless the PhD portion is clearly defined.
What they aren’t willing to support
- Part-time PhD programs.
- Programs outside of the U.S. (the fellowship is for U.S. institutions).
- Non-PhD degrees or purely professional degrees that are not research-PhD focused.
Fields of Study
The fellowship is open to the following broad fields:
- Applied physical sciences
- Applied biological sciences
- Mathematics
- Engineering
The expectation is that you will propose or have a research path that addresses a “major, near-term problem facing society.” So it’s not simply any PhD—it’s one with ambition and impact.
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Benefits
If you’re selected as a Hertz Fellow, the benefits are substantial—far beyond a simple tuition waiver. Here’s what you get:
- Up to five years of funding.
- The funding can amount to up to approximately $250,000, covering stipend + tuition equivalent + benefits.
- Full tuition equivalent—meaning your tuition is covered through the participating schools arrangement.
- A personal stipend (varies, but for 2026 the posted figure was approximately $38,000 for a nine-month period) plus additional stipend for fellows with dependent children.
- Access to a lifelong community of Hertz Fellows—mentoring, networking opportunities, workshops, symposia. This is not just funding for one year, it is career-shaping.
- Flexibility to pursue your research in the best environment (the “Freedom to Innovate®”). You are less constrained by your advisor’s grant structure or funding pressures.
These benefits make it a “game-changer” type of award for someone who already has serious research ambitions and the drive to execute them.
Application Timeline & Deadlines
The timelines for the 2026 cohort are set and you’ll want to mark these on your calendar. Some important dates:
- Application Opens: August 28, 2025.
- Information Sessions:
- Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. EST.
- Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. EST.
- Application Deadline: October 31, 2025.
- Deadline for recommender (reference) forms: November 3, 2025 (for the 2026 cycle).
- Interview rounds: Two rounds, scheduled for December 2025 and February 2026.
- Finalists notified: February 2026.
- Fellowship recipients officially announced: May 2026.
Because of the multi-stage process, you’ll want to build in buffer time for writing essays, getting recommendations, preparing for interview rounds, etc.
Application Process
Here’s a breakdown of how to apply and what you’ll need.
Steps
- Register for the application via the Hertz Foundation website.
- Complete the online application, which includes personal information, research idea(s), academic history, etc.
- Submit transcripts for your undergraduate (and if applicable, graduate) institution(s).
- Provide recommenders’ contact information. Your recommenders must complete the Foundation’s specific reference form (not a generic letter) by the recommender deadline.
- Write essays and personal statement: You’ll need to articulate your research vision, your motivation, how you plan to make an impact, etc. The Foundation emphasizes creativity, problem-solving orientation, leadership, and commitment to the greater good.
- Possible GRE scores: While some older pages list GRE, the FAQ page does not explicitly make GRE scores mandatory for all applicants. Make sure to check up-to-date policy in your cycle.
- Applications pre-selection: After you apply, there is a pre-selection stage. Then successful applicants are invited to interview rounds.
- Interview rounds: For the 2026 cycle, first round interviews are in December 2025 / January 2026; second round in February 2026. Final selections announced in May 2026.
Tips for Recommenders
Your letters of recommendation are critical. The Foundation uses a specific reference form assessing:
- deep knowledge in the field
- self-reliance and independence in scientific work
- originality and fertile imagination
- creativity, leadership and commitment to solving problems
Make sure your recommenders know this and that they are well-qualified to speak to these traits.
Fields of Study / Research Focus
As mentioned under eligibility, this is open for fields in applied physical sciences, applied biological sciences, mathematics, engineering. What this means in practical categories:
- Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science
- Computational Science, Applied Mathematics
- Biological Engineering, Bioengineering, Biotechnology
- Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Environmental, Systems Engineering
But much more important than the field name is the vision behind your research: the Hertz Foundation is looking for applicants whose research is pointed toward solving major, near-term problems facing society—so you’ll want to frame your research proposal accordingly.
Final Thoughts & Encouragement
The 2026 Hertz Fellowship is more than just a scholarship—it’s a launch-pad for innovators who want to explore, create, lead and make real change. If you have the spark of an idea, the readiness to dig deep in research, and the drive to apply your knowledge toward meaningful challenges, then this is definitely worth your time.
Even if the competition is tough, I believe the biggest win is not just getting the award—it’s going through the process of clarifying your vision, writing essays that bring your story and ambitions alive, talking with mentors and recommender, refining your research proposal. That itself can help shape your PhD and career.
If this sounds like you, I really encourage you to take the next step—mark that October 31 2025 deadline, attend the information session, start thinking through your research narrative, line up strong recommenders and get moving. You won’t know unless you try—and the possible upside is huge.
Wishing you the very best with your application—go for it!
Official program website: [https://www.hertzfoundation.org/news/2026-hertz-fellowship-application-now-open/]