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Prepare Your Application
This page outlines the key documents and information you must gather in order to submit a complete and eligible application. Reviewing the details below in advance will help ensure your application meets all requirements by the deadline.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the following information carefully and in full before beginning the application process.
Documents You Will Need
To complete your application, you must submit two required documents—your college transcript and your resume—that meet specific formatting and content criteria.
Transcript
You must submit a recent, valid transcript with your application. All criteria listed below are mandatory. Applications submitted with transcripts that do not meet these requirements will not be evaluated, and the applicant will be deemed ineligible for participation.
To be considered valid, your transcript:
- Must be in PDF format
- May be formal or informal
- Must include your first and last name
- Must include the name of your college or university
- Must include your field of study
- Must include your GPA
- Must include your course list
- Must be no older than Spring 2025
Please note: If your informal transcript does not meet all the above criteria, you must request and submit a formal transcript. Transcripts that do not meet these requirements cannot be accepted, regardless of how your institution typically issues informal records.
Resume and Cover Letter
You must submit a current resume and cover letter with your application. Some of the criteria below are mandatory, while others are strongly recommended. If your resume does not meet the required criteria, your application cannot be evaluated, and you will be ineligible for participation.
Your resume must include:
- Your full name
- Your phone number
- Your email address
- Your work history
- Your educational history
- An attached or embedded cover letter
It is recommended that you also include:
- Certifications you currently hold
- Honors or awards received
- Technical proficiencies or programming languages (e.g., databases, coding tools)
- Special academic or training programs you have participated in
- Previous internships
- Any other career- or field-specific accomplishments
Your resume must be submitted in PDF format and must not exceed four pages in length.
Cover Letter Guidance
While most elements of your application consist of factual information, your cover letter is one of the few opportunities to convey who you are beyond the data. This is your chance to present your passions, professional goals, and scientific curiosity—qualities that your transcript and résumé alone cannot fully express.
We strongly recommend using your cover letter to speak directly and persuasively to the mentors who may select you for this internship. Consider sharing why the Army HBCU-MI SPARK internship is important to you, how it fits into your career path, and why you believe you are a strong fit for the program. A thoughtful, well-crafted cover letter can distinguish you and leave a lasting impression on reviewers.
Essay Questions
The application includes two required essay questions for all applicants and a third, additional question for applicants who have previously participated in the program. These essays are critical to the evaluation process and help mentors better understand which applicants may be a strong fit for their research teams.
We strongly recommend drafting your responses in a separate document before entering them into the application system.
Essay Guidelines
- Each response must be at least 200 characters.
- Responses may not exceed 1,000 characters.
- Essays should be carefully proofread and free of spelling and grammar errors.
Required for All Applicants
- Why do you want a summer research internship with the Army?
- How will a summer research experience with an Army research facility align with your educational goals and research interests?
Additional for Returning Interns
- How will another summer internship at an Army research facility enhance your educational growth and facilitate your career goals?
Essay Guidance
Along with your cover letter, your responses to the essay questions offer a valuable opportunity to present yourself as more than a set of qualifications. This is your chance to speak directly to the mentors who may be considering you for a research role.
Each year, we receive many generic responses to these questions—missed opportunities to stand out. Mentors are not just evaluating your academic background; they are seeking someone who will be the right fit for their research team. Your essays are where you can help them understand why that might be you.
We strongly encourage you to answer these questions as personally and thoughtfully as possible. For example:
- Do you envision a career as an Army researcher, and see this internship as the first step in that path?
- Do you have a family connection to the military and see this work as your way to contribute to the nation’s defense mission?
- Are you deeply motivated by a particular scientific challenge that aligns with Army research priorities?
Whatever your reasons, let them come through clearly. Avoid expected or formulaic responses—this is your moment to express what makes you a unique and compelling candidate.
Prepare Your Application
If you meet the eligibility requirements and have gathered all required materials—including a transcript that satisfies the criteria listed above, a résumé and cover letter that meet formatting and content expectations, and complete responses to the essay questions—then you are ready to begin your application.
As you move through the application form, you will encounter field-specific guidance and, in some cases, additional prompts designed to assist you. We strongly encourage you to read all instructions and on-screen text carefully. Taking the time to do so will give you the best possible chance of submitting an eligible and complete application.