USPAS Winter 2027 Scholarships: Registration, Housing, Meals and Travel Support for Accelerator Science Students
The U.S. Particle Accelerator School offers merit-based support for eligible students and recent postdocs attending its intensive Winter 2027 accelerator-science session in Albuquerque.
USPAS Winter 2027 Scholarships: Registration, Housing, Meals and Travel Support for Accelerator Science Students
The U.S. Particle Accelerator School (USPAS) is accepting applications for its Winter 2027 session in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The program is an intensive, in-person school in accelerator science, engineering and technology, sponsored for this session by Michigan State University and managed as a national training program by Fermilab. The session runs from January 25 through February 5, 2027, with a choice of two-week courses or one-week half courses.
This is a useful funding opportunity for students and recent postdocs whose work is connected to particle accelerators, accelerator engineering, beam physics, medical applications, instrumentation, or related STEM fields. Financial support is requested inside the ordinary program application. Depending on the award, support can cover the registration fee, shared hotel housing, meals included with registration, and most travel. A separate American Physical Society Division of Physics of Beams travel award can reimburse eligible travel expenses up to $750.
The deadline is firm: the completed application and scholarship supporting documents must be submitted by October 5, 2026. The school’s form says that the registration fee does not need to be paid by that date, but the application itself does. Because several classes have limited capacity and some are already marked full on the official page, an applicant should review the course list and prepare the support request promptly.
Key details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opportunity | USPAS Winter 2027 session scholarships and related travel support |
| Organizer | U.S. Particle Accelerator School, a national training program managed by Fermilab |
| Sponsoring university | Michigan State University |
| Location | The Clyde Hotel, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA |
| Program dates | January 25 to February 5, 2027 |
| Application deadline | October 5, 2026 |
| Standard two-week registration fee | $2,000 before October 5; $2,500 after October 5 |
| One-week registration fee | $1,000 for participants attending one week |
| Core USPAS scholarship | Registration fee, shared housing, or both; travel is not covered by this award |
| Enhanced scholarships | Registration, meals, shared housing and most travel, subject to selection and award terms |
| APS DPB travel award | Reimbursement of eligible travel expenses up to $750, with receipts, for APS DPB members |
| Eligibility for financial support | Currently enrolled university or college students and postdocs within five years of graduation may request support |
| Official application | Winter 2027 USPAS application form |
The exact value of a USPAS scholarship is not presented as one universal cash amount. It is support in kind for specific program costs. The $750 figure applies to the APS Division of Physics of Beams travel award, not to every applicant and not automatically to the USPAS scholarship itself.
What the opportunity offers
The main USPAS scholarship can cover the registration fee, shared hotel housing, or both. The registration fee includes course participation and group breakfasts and dinners. The general program information says that two-week attendees receive 12 breakfasts and 12 dinners, while one-week attendees receive five breakfasts and five dinners. Lunch is not included in the ordinary program support described by USPAS.
Students who request the combination of shared housing and registration support are automatically considered for two enhanced awards: the Mel Month Scholarship for Accelerator Science and Engineering and the Sekazi K. Mtingwa Scholarship. Both are described as covering the registration fee, meals included with registration, lunch per diem, shared housing and most travel expenses. The official application says that a maximum of two Mel Month Scholarships are awarded at each session. The Mtingwa and Month awards are intended for actively enrolled STEM students and are open to foreign and domestic matriculated undergraduate and graduate students.
The APS Division of Physics of Beams offers a separate, limited travel award. It is available to students who are members of the APS DPB unit. If an applicant is not already a member, the official USPAS information says the applicant must join before requesting the award. The award reimburses actual travel expenses up to $750 and requires receipts. It works alongside a USPAS scholarship covering registration and housing, rather than replacing the USPAS support request.
The training itself is the other major benefit. A full two-week course can be taken for three Michigan State University credits. A one-week half course can be worth 1.5 credits, and two half courses can total three credits. International participants living outside the United States cannot earn Michigan State credit, but scholarship recipients in that situation must participate fully, complete the academic work and have their performance graded. Applicants should confirm how the credit or grade arrangement fits their degree or professional plan before applying.
Who is a good fit
The clearest fit is a student or recent postdoc who can explain why a concentrated accelerator-school experience matters for their next research or engineering step. USPAS states that financial support is usually limited and is generally restricted to matriculating graduate students or postdocs within five years of graduation, although the Winter 2027 application specifically allows currently enrolled university and college students to request support. Undergraduate STEM students are especially relevant to the enhanced Month and Mtingwa scholarships.
Your subject area should connect credibly to the session. The Winter 2027 menu includes Fundamentals of Accelerator Physics and Technology with Simulations and Measurements Lab, Accelerator Physics, Microwave Sources, Proton and Ion Linear Accelerators, Classical Mechanics and Electromagnetism in Accelerator Physics, Industrial Accelerators, and Medical Applications of Accelerators. There is also a course on optimization, machine learning and artificial intelligence for accelerators, but the official program page marks that class full and directs interested people to a waiting list.
The opportunity is not limited to United States citizens. USPAS welcomes domestic and international participants. International students living outside the United States may request financial sponsorship but cannot receive Michigan State University credit. A student requesting a scholarship who is not from a U.S. visa-waiver country must already possess a visa valid for the entire session. That immigration condition is important: the scholarship request does not itself establish eligibility to travel to the United States.
All attendees must be at least 18. Scholarship recipients cannot attend as auditors. U.S.-based recipients must enroll for university credit when the host arrangement requires it. International scholarship recipients cannot enroll for host-university credit, but they must take the course for a grade and complete the assignments and exams. Students receiving housing support must share a hotel room with another student.
Courses and program format
Courses run in parallel, so the application asks you to choose either one two-week full course or one-week half courses. The full-course period is January 25 to February 5, 2027. Week one runs January 25 to 29, and week two runs February 1 to 5. The application page lists class limits, so course selection is not just an academic preference. It also affects whether a place is available when the application is reviewed.
The school is designed as an immersive short academic residency. Classes, sleeping rooms, the study room, breakfasts and dinners are all located at The Clyde Hotel in downtown Albuquerque. USPAS describes evening study hours from 7 p.m. to midnight and advises participants to clear their schedules because the compressed format is demanding. The official FAQ describes the full two-week session as roughly equivalent to a three-semester-hour university course, with the actual workload often exceeding a simple 45-hour classroom comparison.
Every participant must bring a laptop or sufficiently capable tablet with a keyboard, web browser, Wi-Fi capability and permission to install required software. Windows, Mac and Linux systems are acceptable. USPAS says that IT support and spare loaner computers are very limited, so someone who cannot bring a computer should contact the USPAS office as early as possible to request a loan.
How to apply for financial support
Start with the official Winter 2027 application form. Complete the personal and academic background fields, choose the course or courses, and select the appropriate credit or audit status. The financial-support portion lets applicants request the registration fee, shared hotel room and related support. Scholarship applicants should not choose an audit route because funded students must participate fully and take the course for credit or a grade.
USPAS lists four documents for scholarship consideration:
- The completed application form.
- A cover letter explaining why USPAS is important to your career and describing prior research experience or work with, or as a user of, particle accelerators.
- A CV or resume.
- At least one letter of recommendation.
The supporting documents must be submitted by October 5, 2026. The application page instructs applicants to email them to the USPAS office. If you submitted the same supporting documents for a Winter or Summer 2026 session, USPAS says you do not need to resubmit them because documents are kept for one year. Even in that situation, review the current form and confirm that the office still has the correct materials.
Applicants can request more than one scholarship category, and the official page says that prior awards do not prevent consideration for support again. For the enhanced Month or Mtingwa scholarships, make sure the financial request clearly indicates the combination of registration and shared housing so the application is routed for the additional consideration described by USPAS.
Timeline and costs to plan for
The key date is October 5, 2026. It is both the application deadline for all Winter 2027 attendees and the deadline for scholarship supporting documents. The school calls the scholarship-document deadline strictly enforced. Apply before that date even if you still need to coordinate payment or final travel planning.
For applicants who do not receive a scholarship, the standard two-week registration fee is $2,000 when the application is received before October 5. The listed fee rises to $2,500 after that date. Attending one week costs $1,000. USPAS says the fee does not need to be paid by October 5; payment instructions are sent to non-scholarship students after acceptance. A timely application therefore protects both scholarship consideration and the lower published registration price.
Housing is arranged through a link in the acceptance packet. The program page gives planning figures of $144 per night plus tax for a single room and $72 per person per night plus tax for a shared room, based on the FY2027 federal government per diem rate. The exact rate was to be released in September 2026, so treat those figures as planning information rather than a guaranteed final bill. USPAS only pays for program dates for scholarship-supported housing. Early arrival, late departure, and personal charges remain the participant’s responsibility.
Travel is the most important budget gap to identify. The ordinary USPAS scholarship does not cover travel. The enhanced scholarships cover most travel according to the official description, while the APS DPB award reimburses up to $750 for eligible travel with receipts. If you do not qualify for an enhanced award or DPB support, ask your department, supervisor, institution or laboratory about a separate travel source before committing to the program.
How to make the application credible
The cover letter should connect three items: your current training, the specific Winter 2027 course choice, and the next work you want to do with the knowledge. A general statement that accelerator science is interesting is weaker than a concise explanation of the technical gap you need to close. For example, explain whether you need stronger foundations in beam dynamics, hands-on simulation and measurement experience, knowledge of RF systems, or a better understanding of an accelerator application in medicine or industry. Keep the claim tied to your real background.
Use evidence that a reviewer can check in the CV. Identify a thesis, lab role, accelerator-facility project, instrumentation activity, codebase, experiment, publication, poster, course or user-facility experience that supports the proposed fit. You do not need to present yourself as an expert. The point is to show preparation, a clear reason for attending and a realistic plan to engage with an intensive course.
The recommendation letter should add information rather than repeat your CV. A supervisor, instructor, research adviser or other person familiar with your technical work can explain your preparation, reliability and likely benefit from the school. Give the recommender the course description, your draft cover letter and the deadline early enough for a complete letter.
For international applicants, address practical readiness directly. Confirm the visa condition if it applies to you, explain whether you will seek a grade rather than host-university credit, and budget for costs not covered by the award. For every applicant, show that you understand the shared-room requirement and the full participation requirement. This reduces uncertainty about whether the funding will be used successfully.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most serious mistake is treating October 5 as a suggested date. USPAS explicitly says the deadline for applications and scholarship documents is strictly enforced. Do not wait for a scholarship decision before submitting the form, and do not assume an email containing only a CV counts as a complete request.
Another mistake is requesting funding while selecting audit status. Auditors do not complete the academic work required of scholarship recipients. Select a course and credit or grade route that you can actually complete. Also check the current availability of each course because several Winter 2027 classes have enrollment limits and some are already full.
Do not describe the $750 APS DPB award as a general USPAS grant. It is a separate, limited reimbursement for DPB members, and actual expenses require receipts. Similarly, do not assume that the ordinary scholarship covers airfare or other travel. Read the award description that applies to your request and line up backup funding for any uncovered amount.
Finally, do not overlook the computer and schedule requirements. The school is not an easy conference to attend around a normal full-time job. Coursework, homework, exams, evening study and required participation are central to the program. A realistic schedule and reliable computer access are part of being ready for the opportunity.
FAQ
Can an undergraduate apply for support?
Yes. The Winter 2027 application says currently enrolled university and college students may request financial support. The enhanced Mel Month and Sekazi K. Mtingwa scholarships specifically describe eligible recipients as actively enrolled STEM students, including domestic and foreign matriculated undergraduates and graduates.
Is the scholarship a cash stipend?
Not according to the published terms. USPAS describes support for registration, shared housing, meals and, for enhanced awards, most travel. The APS DPB award is a reimbursement of actual eligible travel expenses up to $750. The official materials do not promise a general unrestricted cash stipend.
Can someone outside the United States apply?
Yes. International participants may attend and may request financial sponsorship. They cannot earn Michigan State University credit if they live outside the United States, and scholarship recipients must still complete the work and receive a grade. Applicants from outside U.S. visa-waiver countries must already hold a visa valid for the full session.
Can a scholarship recipient attend only one week?
The answer depends on the host university credit arrangement and the applicant’s location. USPAS permits some supported students to take a single one-week course where that course is eligible for host credit. International scholarship students may attend one one-week course, but they must participate fully. Confirm the arrangement with USPAS before relying on a one-week plan.
Does USPAS pay for lunch?
The ordinary registration package includes group breakfasts and dinners, not lunch. The enhanced Month and Mtingwa scholarships are described as including a lunch per diem. The exact award decision and applicable terms control.
Where is the official application?
Use the USPAS Winter 2027 application form. Review the Winter 2027 program page and general program information for course choices, costs, housing, credit rules and session logistics. The USPAS financial-support FAQ explains the supporting documents and travel limitations.
Official next steps
First, read the current course descriptions and decide whether a full course or half-course combination fits your preparation and schedule. Second, submit the application before October 5, 2026 and select the financial-support options that match your actual need. Third, send the cover letter, CV and recommendation letter to the USPAS office before the same deadline. If you want the APS DPB travel award, confirm DPB membership before requesting it. Finally, keep a plan for visa processing, travel costs, laptop access and any amount not covered by your award.
The official application is the controlling source for current availability and instructions. Course capacity, hotel rates, award availability and administrative details can change, so check the USPAS pages again immediately before submitting.