NOTE: The policies and procedures in this document are currently being discussed by the NPS Administration. They are tentative and subject to change!!

General
What is the National Security Institute?
What is the NSI Scholars Program?
What is the Naval Postgraduate School?
Do I have to join the Navy or any other military service to participate?
Will I have to go to Iraq or Afghanistan?
What areas of study are available in the NSI Scholar Program?
How long is the NSI Scholars Program tenure?

Eligibility
I am just finishing my undergraduate degree. Can I apply to the NSI Scholars Program or do I need to Walt until I have my Masters degree?
Can I get just a Masters Degree in the NSI Scholars Program?
May defense contractor employees apply?
Is a security clearance required?

Applications
What is the application process?
Where should the application materials be sent?
When is the application deadline?
Are References, Transcripts, and Test Scores really required?

Pay-back Requirement
What is the payback requirement?
Where will the post-graduation employment obligations take place?
What are some of the possible post-graduation employment assignments?
What are some of the reasons that I might have to pay back?
Are there any exceptions to the payback requirement?
What happens if I do not meet my payback obligation?
Will the participants have a choice where they work?

Miscellaneous
Can I accept another source of funding? Can I work at another job while pursuing a degree as a NSI Scholar?
When I get my PhD degree, will I also get a Masters degree?
What are the guidelines regarding any inventions?
What are the summer requirements?
When can NSI Scholars begin their programs at NPS?

What is the National Security Institute (NSI)? The National Security Institute is a collaboration between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore, California), the University of California Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, California), and the Naval Postgraduate School (Monterey, California). The collaboration is focused on research and education in support of national security and homeland defense.. Part of the effort is in supporting PhD candidates interested in problems of national security and homeland defense, who have an interest in continuing their careers in these areas. The program is a "scholarship-for-service" program where the tuition costs are forgiven on a basis of one year's tuition per year of government or national laboratory employment after graduation.

What is the NSI Scholars Program? The NSI Scholar Program is an opportunity for US citizens to begin a career working on problems of interest to national security and homeland defense while pursuing a PhD degree. NSI Scholars will be hired as employees of the Naval Postgraduate School as graduate research assistants while pursuing their degree program. The program is a "scholarship for service program; the tuition payments are forgiven on a year-for-year basis as long as the NSI Scholar works in the federal government or a national laboratory after graduation.

• Starting salary/stipend of $35,000 per year for doctoral students in the early stages of their program of study,
• Salary/stipend of $38,000 per year after being advanced to candidacy for the PhD degree,
• Tuition payment in full ($3,750 per quarter for 1 October 2007 – 30 September 2008 academic year)
• Federal employment
• Book reimbursement of up to $1,000 per year, and
• Postgraduate careers in federal service or at a national laboratory.

What is the Naval Postgraduate School? The Naval Postgraduate School is a graduate university chartered by Congress and operated by the Navy since 1909. As the name implies, it focuses on graduate education at the Masters-degree and PhD-degree levels. The NPS is located in Monterey, California. Complete information can be found at the NPS web site, www.nps.edu.

Do I have to join the Navy or any other military service to participate? No. As a participant in the NSI Scholars program, you will be a civilian employee of the Navy, After graduation you will continue to be a civilian government employee.

Will I have to go to Iraq or Afghanistan? No. As a civilian government employee, it is highly unlikely that you would be working in a war zone.

What areas of study are available in the NSI Scholar Program? The Naval Postgraduate School offers PhD degrees in the following areas:

How long is the NSI Scholars Program tenure? The tenure of a NSI Scholar is up to the time typically required to complete PhD-degree studies and is unique to each participant .However, second and subsequent year awards are contingent upon determination by the Research Principal Investigator's assessment that the participant is making satisfactory academic progress toward a PhD degree.

Can I get just a Masters Degree in the NSI Scholars Program? No, the program is designed for students aspiring for a PhD degree (although Masters degrees cam be awarded to NSI Scholars who separately meet the degree requirements of one of the NPS departments). (The requirements are found on the Departments; web sites at www.nps.edu. )

When I get my PhD degree, will I also get a Masters degree? Yes, programs at NPS award the masters degree along with the PhD degree. In most PhD programs the PhD dissertation serves in lieu of a Masters thesis or Master Group Project report, so the Masters degree is award simultaneously with the PhD.

Aside from the payback requirement discussed below, what happens if I leave the NSI program before finishing my PhD? Will I get a Masters Degree? Students meeting all of the degree requirements of the department will receive the masters degree if they fail to finish their PhD requirements. Note that most NPS departments require a thesis or participation in a Group Project report. (More information can be found in the requirements of the individual departments at www.nps.edu. Note that leaving the program without completion of a PhD will probably be a cause for requiring payback as discussed in the other questions.

May defense contractor employees apply? The NSI Scholar program is intended for students willing to become government employees resident at NPS during the duration of the program of study and who are willing to accept employment in the federal government or a national laboratory upon graduation. Defense contractor employees wishing to retain their contractor employment may be eligible for a different program, as described at www.nps.edu/admissions/contractors.

Is a security clearance required? NSI Scholars must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance from the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Energy, or another applicable federal agency. Activities resulting in the denial of a security clearance or losing a clearance will result in expulsion from the program and will require reimbursement of the unforgiven expenses.

1. An application form containing information about the applicant,
2. An applicant's statement of educational objectives relevant to government service in national security and homeland defense,
3. Certified transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended (sent directly to the NPS Admissions office),
4. Two letters of recommendation (sent directly to the NPS Admissions office), and
5. Certified copies of Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores (sent directly to the NPS Admissions office).

Where should the application materials be sent? Application materials should be sent to:
Director of Admissions
Code 01C3, He-022
Naval Postgraduate School
1 University Circle
Monterey CA 93943

When is the application deadline?NPS operates four quarters per year starting the first week of January, the last week of march, the first week of July, and the last week of September; applications must be submitted at least six months before the desired start date. Applicants will be selected based on academic qualifications and availability of graduate advisors and research funding in the areas of interest. Incomplete applications will not be evaluated.

Are References, Transcripts, and Test Scores really required? References, transcripts, and test scores must be submitted in support of the application. Applications without these materials are considered incomplete and will not be evaluated for admission tot he program.

Where will the post-graduation employment obligations take place? The employment obligations will take place at the locations within the various agencies. Unless the NSI Scholar indicates a willingness to consider overseas assignments (or assignments in Hawaii or Alaska), the potential assignments will be in the continental United States.

What are some of the possible post-graduation employment assignments? Some examples of assignments might be...

• Navy: Naval Research Laboratory, Washington DC; Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego CA;
• Air Force: Air Force research Laboratory, Kirkland AFB, NM; Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH Air Force Research Laboratory, Rom NY; Air Force Research Laboratory Hanscom Field MS
• Army: White Sands National Range, White Sands NM;
• National Agencies: Department of Homeland Security, many locations; Central Intelligence Agency, Washington DC; National Security Agency, Washington DC
• National Laboratories: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore CA; Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos NM; Oak Ridge National laboratory, Oak Ridge TN.

What are some of the reasons that I might have to pay back? Failure to fulfill the terms of the program during the study phase might occur for any of the following reasons:

Failure to complete the period of post-graduation employment in a covered position occurs if the participant fails to gain employment at a federal agency or national laboratory, employment is terminated, or the participant leaves a covered position, for any of the following reasons before the post-academic employment commitment is fulfilled:

• the participant fails to qualify for post-graduation placement, including obtaining a security clearance;
• the employee resigns;
• the employee is terminated for cause;
• the employee is found unsuitable for Federal employment;
• the employee initiates action that results in reassignment, promotion or transfer to a non-covered position;
• the employee refuses an offer of reassignment or transfer to a covered position in the commuting area when such an action becomes necessary because of changes in the employer's staffing needs, organizational realignment, or staff reductions; or
• the employee otherwise breaches the terms of this agreement.

Terminations for cause or adverse suitability/security clearance determinations may occur for any of the following reasons:

• misconduct or negligence in employment;
• criminal or dishonest conduct;
• material, intentional false statement or deception or fraud in examination or appointment; alcohol abuse of a nature and duration which suggests that the applicant or appointee would be prevented from performing the duties of the position to which appointed, or would constitute a direct threat to the property and safety of others;
• illegal use of narcotics, drugs, or other controlled substances, without evidence of substantial rehabilitation; or
• knowingly and willfully engaging in acts or activities designed to overthrow the U.S. Government by force.

Are there any exceptions to the payback requirement? Participant reimbursement is not required under any of the following conditions:

• the matched agency is unable to place the participant in a covered position that permits the fulfillment of the employment obligation upon completion of academic degree requirements; and the NSI is unable to effect alternative placement in a covered position within the continental United States;
• the participant is reassigned to a non-covered position due to changes in staff requirements, organizational realignment, or staff reductions, or at management discretion;
• the participant is involuntarily separated for reasons other than misconduct or performance;
• the participant leaves the agency voluntarily to enter into the service of any other Federal agency in a covered position; or
• the NSI determines that seeking reimbursement is not in the Federal Government's best interests.

What happens if I do not meet my payback obligation? If a NSI Scholar fails to reimburse the Federal government for the amount owed, a sum equal to the amount outstanding must be recovered from the participant through the appropriate provisions governing debt collection.

Will the participants have a choice where they work? NSI Scholars will have the opportunity to indicate their top choices of agencies/services for which they would like to work. Participant preference will be considered, however, placements will be determined by the needs of the federal government and national laboratories.

Can I accept another source of funding? Can I work at another job while pursuing a degree as a NSI Scholar? NSI Scholar may accept simultaneous remuneration from professional employment or another major scholarship. Written approval by the NSI Executive Director is required. This approval can be obtained by a memo of application (via the NSI Scholar's PhD Advisor and the Chair of the PhD department or program) explaining the employment (including remuneration details and location where the work is to be performed). The expectation is that the NSI Scholar will make continuous progress toward the degree and will complete the program in a minimum amount of time. Failure to make progress (as assessed by the PhD Advisor, the Department/Program Chair, and/or the NSI Executive Director) may be grounds for removal from the program.

What are the guidelines regarding any inventions? NSI Scholars are considered to be government employees and are subject to the same rules. Meyer Scholars are required to furnish complete information to the awarding agency regarding any invention first conceived or reduced to practice while in the program and for which a patent application is filed.

What are the summer requirements? NSI Scholars are to devote their full efforts to their degree program. Any assignments away from NPS must be approved by the Dissertation Supervisor and be in support of the Scholar's program. (No other source of remuneration is allowed while being a NSI Scholar.) Note that NPS operates year-round, so that the Summer quarter is a fully scheduled quarter.

When can NSI Scholars begin their programs at NPS? Because NPS runs four quarters per year, there are four possible entry time. Classes generally convene in the first week of January, the last week of March, the first week of July, and the last week of September.