National Defense Education Program

National Defense Education Program (NDEP) aims to foster and enhance the Department of Defense’s (DoD) ability to develop and access high-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) talent vital to national defense. It is executed by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) and aligns with the Federal STEM Strategy. The program supports a diverse STEM talent pool accessible to serve the nation and evolve the Department’s competitive edge. Specific activities include providing scholarships, internships, enrichment activities, competitions, and mentorships to students from kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) and postsecondary levels. The NDEP also supports initiatives such as the Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) program, Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC), Manufacturing Engineering Education Program (MEEP), and broader NDEP funding opportunities in STEM education and workforce development.

The NDEP's specific objectives include awarding highly competitive scholarships-for-service to undergraduate and graduate students in 21 STEM academic disciplines, hiring these students into DoD's workforce upon graduation, engaging in assessment and evaluation practices outlined by government agencies, increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM, preparing the STEM workforce of the future, and supporting dependents of members of the armed forces for careers in STEM. The program also aims to establish new educational programs that align with modernization priorities in areas such as manufacturing engineering and biotechnology. Additionally, it seeks to facilitate cohesive and coordinated activities for PreK-16 students, teachers, schools - especially those for underrepresented communities - through initiatives like DSEC. The NDEP's planned programs include increasing the number of scholarships awarded, implementing strategic initiatives to increase diversity among applicants, conducting annual forums for current and prospective DoD sponsoring facilities (SFs), optimizing information management systems for process efficiencies, expanding authentic hands-on experiences in STEM education and outreach activities, evaluating their effectiveness, broadening reach through partnerships, participating in inter- and intra-departmental collaboration with stakeholders to achieve Federal and DoD STEM objectives, expanding outreach opportunities to reach all populations including underserved groups, and publishing a five-year report on establishing baseline metrics.