I am a first year Nuclear Engineering student and I have just found about the SMART program and have a few questions.
Firstly, how do internships work, logistically? What I mean is how is housing found and transport? I am aware they are unpaid, so I assume any and all costs related to the internship are paid by the stduent using the yearly stipend?
Secondly, do stipend amounts vary based on year, or degree level. So will I earn the same amount throughout a certain period of time of a bachelors, or do they go up as you are in higher years of study? Also, do the stipends cover previous years of schooling, or only from the time of acceptance to whenever I graduate?
Lastly, are salaries for the mandatory 12 month job with the DoD competetive?
I am trying to make sure I am not missing anything. This program seems a little too good to be true, but I want to make sure.
Thanks.