Why should I apply?

You will receive:

• Financial support for the pursuit of an undergraduate degree for up to two years and two additional years for students choosing to pursue a Master’s degree
• Paid summer internships under the guidance of an accomplished mentor at EM headquarter offices, field offices and DOE national laboratories
• Opportunities to engage with the EM community (e.g. EM field sites, contractors, stakeholders) and other STARS Scholars
• Academic and career guidance
• Continued engagement with EM after graduation through employment opportunities or postgraduate appointments 

Financial Support

• Tuition: $36,000/academic year (Amount is based on expected average cost. The tuition allowance may be higher based on student’s actual tuition costs).
• Stipend: $32,000/academic year
• Education Allowance: $5,000/scholarship year
• Summer Internship: 10-week internship
  • Stipend: $750/week
  • Housing Allowance: up to $700/week based on assigned location
  • Local Transportation: $50/week
  • Inbound/Outbound: $1,000 to be paid as a lump-sum with the first stipend payment.

EM STARS provides undergraduate students at qualifying institutions with up to two years of financial support while they work toward their undergraduate degree. If participants decide to pursue a master’s degree, the program will support them for up to two more years. While participants pursue their degrees, they'll get hands-on experience through transformational internships with the EM team at one of their sites. Through the internship opportunities, participants will learn about EM, get to see how EM tackles big challenges, and gain real-world skills that connect directly to their studies.
 
EM STARS aims to help participants graduate with a strong understanding of EM’s mission and be highly prepared to join the EM workforce. After completing the program, EM expects participants apply, and if selected, join the EM team as a full-time employee for a number of years equal to the year of their time in the program. Alternatively, if participants plan to go straight into a master's degree after the completion of their undergraduate degree, the program will provide continued support for up to two more years. During this time, participants will participate in up to two additional summer internships with EM.
 
EM STARS is an investment in the future of it's participants - and in return, EM requires that participants meet program requirements and pursue future employment with EM or an affiliated program after graduation. Participants who choose not to pursue employment with EM or an approved affiliated program after graduation will be expected to repay up to 100% of the program fees. 

Review of Applications

Student applications will be evaluated based on academic merit, enrollment in STEM coursework, extracurricular activities (e.g., teams, clubs, and relevant work experience), recommendation, interest in STEM, and an interest in EM mission.

Nature of Appointment

Scholars will not enter into an employee/employer relationship with ORISE, ORAU, STARS or the hosting site.  Instead, Scholars will be affiliated with ORISE for the administration of the appointment through the ORISE appointment letter and Terms of Appointment.

Questions

EM-STARS@orise.orau.gov

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be a U.S. citizen at the time of application.
• Be 18 years of age by May 31, 2027.
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale
• Be enrolled as an undergraduate student at a qualifying institution during the 2026-2027 academic year. Accredited U.S. postsecondary institutions that meet the statutory criteria for identification as qualifying institutions by the Department of Education.
• Have completed two full years towards an undergraduate degree by the start of the program and are planning to graduate between May 2029 - December 2029. Students who have completed more than two years towards their undergraduate degree may only be considered if they have completed an internship with EM since May 2025.
• Pursuing a STEM degree in a discipline that supports the Office of Environmental Management research and operations. EM has a wide array of critical needs that range from technical expertise and skilled trades to STEM research.  Important areas of research include of soil & groundwater, deactivation & decommissioning, tank waste, robotics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing.

A complete application consists of:

• Zintellect Profile
• Academic Institution Classification
• Program Specific Questions (Character limits – (300 words)
  • Describe your career plans and how they are related to the Office of Environmental Management. How will this scholarship impact your academic or career pathway (beyond financial support)?
  • Describe how your life’s experiences, beliefs, background, and interests have shaped who you are, led you to your current academic/career journey, and prepared you to fulfill your scholarship requirements. You may include a description of any extra-curricular activities in which you have participated (e.g., clubs, teams, camps, mentoring, jobs, internships, etc.)
  • What aspect of the STARS and DOE EM mission/program appears most relevant to your interests?
• Select top three research area:  Soil & Groundwater; Deactivation & Decommissioning; Tank Waste; Robotics; Machine Learning; Artificial Intelligence; Cybersecurity; Advanced Manufacturing. Preferences will be taken into consideration when matching applicants with available projects.
• Resume including the following sections:
  • Experience: recent positions held, including length of employment, hours worked, and location.
  • Community Service & Extracurricular Activities: List service and/or extracurricular activities in which applicants have participated, beginning with most recent.
  • Special Skills and Abilities: List professional/technical skills and abilities that are relevant to this program.
• Academic Records
• One recommendation from a faculty member or academic advisor at the institution where the student is currently attending. Recommendation should address the student’s academic record and potential for success such as demonstrated intellectual merit, communication, and teamwork skills. Recommenders will be asked to submit a recommendation in Zintellect. Letters of recommendation submitted via email will not be accepted. Recommendation must be submitted by Sunday, November 8, 2026.

Contact us at EM-STARS@orise.orau.gov if you have any questions.