Purpose
The Fannie and John Hertz Fellowships are the creation of John Daniel Hertz, an Austrian emigrant who came to the United States as a poor young boy and matured into a prominent man of many accomplishments, most notably as a leader in the advent of the automotive age. Throughout his life, Mr. Hertz reiterated his appreciation for the opportunities which the United States afforded him. He expressed his gratitude in many ways, but creation of the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation was perhaps the most eloquent and enduring.

The Foundation was designed to fulfill a need which Mr. Hertz sensed; that the United States, in order to survive, prosper and lead, had to increase substantially the ranks of its most competent engineers and applied scientists. He felt the Foundation could perform a notable service to the nation by fostering the education and training of outstanding students in these areas, and, in the spirit of the country which he revered, by doing it without discrimination by reason of race/color, creed, sex or geographical origin.

Today, the Hertz Foundation grants postgraduate fellowships leading to the award of the Ph.D. in the fields of engineering and applied sciences, with special emphasis placed on physical sciences and the stimulation of exceptional competence and innovation-oriented development in these fields.

Details
The Hertz Fellowship competition is open to students who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States, and who are willing to morally commit to make their skills available to the United States in time of national emergency. There are restrictions on field of study and the award is only valid for tenable schools as listed on the Foundation's website.

Fellowship awards are based on merit (not need). A cost-of-education allowance is accepted in lieu of all fees and tuition. Hertz Fellows therefore have no liability for any ordinary educational costs, regardless of their choice of tenable institution. In addition, Hertz Fellows receive a personal stipend of $25,000 paid over the nine-month academic year. The award is renewable annually (upon showing satisfactory progress toward receipt of the Ph.D. degree) for a total fellowship tenure of no more than five years.

For more information on the Fannie and John Hertz Fellowships, visit the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation website at:

http://www.hertzfndn.org/.