The Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) Integrated University Program (IUP) supports the next generation of the nuclear energy workforce. The program provides important educational support to bolster scientific discovery and innovation in nuclear science and engineering (NS&E) programs at United States (U.S.) universities and colleges.

NE’s IUP program objective is to sustain future domestic NS&E workforce needs and to attract qualified students to nuclear energy professions by providing single-year undergraduate scholarships and multi-year graduate fellowships. Scholarships are awarded for undergraduate study at two- and four-year institutions leading to a major or minor degree or certificate and fellowships are awarded for graduate level work leading to a masters or doctoral degree in the fields or disciplines of NS&E relevant to the NE mission. NS&E disciplines of interest include nuclear engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemistry, health physics, nuclear materials science, radiochemistry, applied nuclear physics, nuclear policy, radiation protection technology, nuclear power technology, nuclear maintenance technology, and nuclear engineering technology.

NE has awarded more than $55 million for 929 nuclear energy-related scholarships and fellowships at 75 universities and colleges—including 11 minority-serving institutions (MSIs) and two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)—in 32 states since IUP was authorized by Congress in 2009. Currently, scholarships are $7,500 for one year. The maximum award for a fellowship is $52,000 per year for three years, with an additional one-time $5,000 allotment to fund a minimum 10-week internship at Department of Energy (DOE), a DOE national laboratory, or other designated facility. All scholarship and fellowship awards are competitively awarded to students attending U.S. institutions of higher education offering NS&E educational programs, including MSIs and HBCUs. Moving forward, emphasis will be placed on increasing the involvement of HBCUs/MSIs, resulting in direct and meaningful investments in the areas of clean energy training and workforce development in support of the administration’s Justice40 Initiative.

Specifically, in fiscal year (FY) 2022, NE will support a new scholarship opportunity targeting 2-year applied technical degree programs focused on nuclear energy-related topics, with priority funding set-aside specifically to support HBCUs, MSIs, and institutions in disadvantaged communities. In direct support of the administration’s efforts to focus on workforce development, this scholarship will not only strengthen the ability of HBCUs and MSIs to compete in future opportunities, but will also prepare individuals for clean energy union jobs centered around nuclear energy-related technicians and similar trades, including nuclear operations, mechanical and electrical maintenance, chemistry, health physics, etc. The program will be a student-focused, one-year scholarship program supporting students at technical and community colleges in communities across the U.S., including those in close geographic proximity to locations where nuclear-related skillsets would be valuable, e.g., nuclear power plants, new builds, fuel cycle facilities, national laboratories, etc. This opportunity would support the existing reactor fleet and the emerging advanced reactor developers. Additionally, this program may provide an opportunity for students to continue their education and pursue a four-year degree bachelors program in a nuclear-related field.

This new opportunity will be closely coordinated with the IUP elements executed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the National Nuclear Security Administration to avoid redundancy and overlap of activities. To promote this scholarship opportunity and to generate program interest, NE will support outreach activities targeted at technical and community colleges, including those that (1) are in close geographic proximity to energy communities and/or (2) serve traditionally disadvantaged communities. Such activities will include university visits, promotion of the opportunity at conferences, and the enhancement of NE’s IUP website to provide program resources for interested parties. All Department awards are fully funded in the year funding is received. As a result, multi-year student research fellowships do not require support by out-year funds after the appropriation year.