Program Rules, Requirements and Eligibility

Student and faculty applicants are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the program rules, requirements, and eligibility.

• It is highly encouraged that a students and faculty team communicate with a topic’s AFRL sponsor PRIOR to proposal development.
• Project work must commence no later than October 1 of the award year.
• Each student must spend an equivalent of 8 consecutive weeks, preferably during the summer at the start of the award year, at AFRL/WPAFB working with AFRL researchers and using AFRL facilities. If 8 consecutive weeks cannot be scheduled, the student must present a plan showing how the equivalent amount of time will be accumulated over the award year, with research at AFRL beginning no later than October 1. The plan should be included up-front as a part of the application, and the AFRL project sponsor must agree to the plan. In rare cases, AFRL and the university team may determine that much of the work is best accomplished with the extensive use of university resources. DAGSI should be made aware that the student may not be using AFRL labs as his/her primary research base.
• Each faculty member should spend time over the award year advising the student and, particularly if drawing a stipend from the award, doing project-related research. The research plan should state clearly how the student and faculty anticipate making use of AFRL facilities.
• Additional time at AFRL may be negotiated directly between the university researchers and AFRL.
• Each student and each faculty applicant may, together or separately, pursue one or two research opportunities.
• A student may hold only one award at a time. A faculty member may receive one or two awards in a given cycle but may hold no more than three active ODHE funded projects at a time.
• Each proposal should address a single research topic unless the topic combination has been approved by AFRL.
• Collaboration among universities is strongly encouraged. For example, two teams from different schools may collaborate on a topic, each submitting a separate application with a distinct research proposal but requesting that the applications be considered together.
• Renewals of existing awards require a separate application. Renewals are not guaranteed. Renewal applications are required for only Competitive ODHE funded projects.
• Upgrade renewals from MS to PhD are not available. A Masters student wishing to continue in the same topic for his/her Doctoral research must re-compete for a new award.
• All student applicants must be currently enrolled or admitted as full-time graduate students in engineering or a similar scientific or technical field. If for some reason a student’s expected admittance remains pending as of the application deadline, admission must be confirmed by March 1 or the application will be disqualified. Students admitted to but not yet enrolled in a graduate program must have accepted the school’s offer of enrollment. Students may apply prior to receiving their baccalaureate degree provided they have been accepted to (and they have accepted) graduate school and will start their program no later than October 1 of the award year.
• Students participating in a 4+1 Master’s program are eligible to apply for DAGSI funding, however, they must be considered a full-time MS student at the time the project starts. Meaning they must be classified by their Home Institution as a MS student and taking MS courses.
• Any student holding employment outside of this fellowship is responsible for verification that he or she does not violate any university or employer restrictions on employment while receiving a stipend for research (e.g., some universities limit the number of outside employment hours for full-time students receiving fellowship stipends; some employers prohibit receiving a stipend if the employee is being paid a salary). Student Fellows must be considered full-time students and must not be employed full-time. Any violation of the policy will result in termination of the fellowship unless the student makes a change that ensures compliance with all university, DAGSI, and employer rules.
• A student is eligible to be awarded a two-year MS award and a three-year PhD award. Total award period can not exceed five years for ODHE funded students.
• A project may not exceed three years. No cost extensions are available only within the three year time period allowable for a project.
• Projects/students may be supported past the three-year maximum on ODHE funds by AFRL funds through the Cooperative Agreement. This is strictly at the TD’s discretion.
• Eligible schools are any of Ohio’s research universities with representation on the ODHE’s Research Officers Council. The only exception would be projects wholly funded by AFRL, with no contribution by the state of Ohio via DAGSI. University’s outside of Ohio cannot compete for ODHE funds.
• Due to Government restrictions, student applicants funded by DAGSI must be US citizens. Faculty members who plan to do research at AFRL must be US citizens. Faculty green card holders are discouraged from applying. At a minimum, any interested faculty member who is not a US citizen must discuss plans and status with AFRL well in advance of applying and must get AFRL approval prior to submission of a proposal. That approval must be documented in the application or the application will be deemed ineligible.
• Faculty applicants must be full-time, tenured or tenure track. Adjunct faculty and consultants are ineligible. Senior research faculty may apply provided they work closely with and advise graduate students. No faculty members other than the applicant may receive a stipend or miscellaneous expense monies from an AFRL/DAGSI award without prior approval by BOTH AFRL and DAGSI.
• If a student receiving an award withdraws for any reason, a student substitution may be made per the discretion of the AFRL sponsor. If a qualified substitution cannot be found within a timely period, the full award will be withdrawn and offered to the next project/team on the rank-ordered list. The replacement student must be comparable in academic standing to the original applicant.
• Replacement students must submit a complete application form to DAGSI along with a plan to continue the research already underway and must be approved by the AFRL project sponsor. DAGSI and AFRL have final approval. Replacement students are eligible for renewal.