NMIF Merit Scholarship Process
2026 NMIF Merit Scholarship Cycle: Open and Accepting Applications Through June 6th!
Are you an undergraduate sophomore, junior, or senior, or a master's student at an accredited U.S.-based college or university? Are you actively in pursuit of a career in the U.S. intelligence, defense, and national security community? Apply today for an NMIF Merit Scholarship through our new and improved Google Form-based application! The application process will be open until 11:59 PM on June 6th, 2026.
The NMIF has launched a new and improved Google Form for the 2026 NMIF Scholarship Application. This form will allow you to begin the application, submit an in-progress application, and then return back later to edit your entries prior to formal submission. You must make any desired edits to your application by 11:59 PM on June 6th. Edits will not be allowed after this date. This application should also provide you an email notification once submitted - you will need to opt in to receive a copy of your responses at the end of the application form.
Check out the NMIF Scholarships Process Overview document below for an overview of the application process. This document provides an overview of the materials you will need on hand for the application, eligibility requirements, and evaluation criteria.
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NMIF Merit Scholarship Application Overview
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Applications will be accepted annually from January-June. NMIF evaluates applications from June-July. Final scholarship recipients will be selected and can expect to be notified in September. In addition to providing scholarships applied to the winning applicants’ tuition, each awardee will receive an invitation to attend the in-person NMIF Night of Heroes Intelligence Gala in November to receive their award formally! Event details can be found on the Night of Heroes page under Events.
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To be eligible for consideration, the following criteria shall be applied:
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Academic Standing: Sophomore, Junior, Senior, or Graduate student at the time of application from an accredited educational institution. Candidates pursuing a second bachelor’s degree are eligible for consideration if standing is Sophomore, Junior, or Senior. Graduating seniors and graduate students are eligible.
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Academic Status: Must be full-time students. A full time undergraduate or graduate student shall be enrolled in an accredited institution for no less than 12 semester hours. NMIF understands that some graduate institutions define full-time differently and will handle accordingly, but require additional documentation from the applicant.
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Citizenship: The NMIF Merit Scholarships are intended for those eligible to and actively pursuing work for U.S. military and intelligence communities, requiring U.S. citizenship.
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Use of Award: Awards may be applied to the following Fall Semester/Fall Quarter or following Spring Semester/Spring Quarter. If a senior graduating in May is selected as a recipient, the award can be provided to the student’s financial aid office or official loan provider toward the student’s remaining balance or accrued student debt. The award funds will be sent to the student’s university or loan provider; it will not be sent to the student directly.
