Publication Date: February 6, 2008

DCL ID: GEN-08-02

Award Year: 2007-2008

SUBJECT: National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant) Program – Request for Designation of Additional Eligible Majors

SUMMARY: This letter explains the process by which institutions of higher education can request that additional majors be included on the list of eligible majors for the National SMART Grant Program for the 2008-2009 award year.

Posted on 02-06-2008

Under the National SMART Grant Program, grants are awarded to students majoring in the physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering, or specified critical foreign languages. Each award year, the Secretary identifies the specific eligible majors. See, e.g., Dear Colleague Letter GEN-07-06. The final regulations for the National SMART Grant Program, published on October 29, 2007 (72 FR 61248) , provide a mechanism for institutions of higher education to request that additional majors be designated as eligible, so that otherwise eligible students in those majors can receive National SMART Grants. This Dear Colleague Letter details the process by which institutions can request that additional majors be included on the list of eligible majors for the National SMART Grant Program for the 2008-2009 award year.

To submit a major for designation as an additional eligible major, institutions of higher education must provide all of the following information:

• The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code and program title of the proposed additional major;
• The reason or reasons the proposed additional major should be considered an eligible major under the National SMART Grant Program; and
• Documentation showing that the institution has actually awarded or plans to award a bachelor’s degree in the requested major.

All of the above information must be included with the request. Incomplete submissions will not be considered.

Please submit your request to eligiblemajor@ed.gov. The deadline for submission is February 29, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact Sophia McArdle at 202-219-7078 or by e-mail at sophia.mcardle@ed.gov.

Sincerely,

Attachments/Enclosures:

GEN-08-02: SMART Grant Program – Request for Designation of Additional Eligible Majors, is in PDF Format, 59KB, 1 page