Highway Training & Education Research Fellowships 504(c)

The goals of the DDETFP Graduate Fellowship are to 1) attract the Nation's brightest minds to the field of transportation, 2) enhance the careers of transportation professionals by encouraging them to seek advanced degrees, and 3) bring and retain top talent in the transportation industry of the U.S.

This Assistance Listing 20.295 created in August 2025 was included in the previous ALN 20.215, please refer to former ALN 20.215 for FY24 and FY25 financial obligations. The new Assistance Listing 20.295 will be utilized by DOT at the start of FY 2026.

This funding opportunity is open to students that are U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens. The students must be enrolled in an IHE which must be accredited by a federally recognized accrediting Agency1 and must be located within the U.S. or its Territories, both administratively as well as the campus the student is attending.
Current DOT employees are not eligible for the DDETFP.
All student applicants of the DDETFP Graduate Fellowship must:
• Possess a baccalaureate degree from, or be a confirmed graduating undergraduate senior at, an accredited IHE within the U.S. or its Territories by the Electronic Application due date listed on Page 1;
• Demonstrate confirmation of acceptance in a graduate degree program at an accredited IHE in the U.S. or its Territories by the Electronic Application due date listed on Page 1;
• Be enrolled in an accredited IHE within the U.S. or its Territories;
• Be pursuing a graduate degree in a full-time program in a transportation-related discipline;
• Have at least one full academic year remaining in program of study;
• Conduct ongoing research in one or more transportation-related disciplines; and
• Plan to enter the transportation profession after completing their higher-level education.
Non-U.S. citizens must also submit a valid copy of their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System Form issued by the IHE the student is enrolled in, or the Form I-202 “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Status”, or the Form I-551 “Permanent Resident Card” issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.

Varies by project. Generally, FHWA publishes a notice of funding, soliciting applications for assistance, reviews these applications, and determines which applications are most qualified for award. Please see the individual notice of funding for details.