USA Scholarships
HUGO Lab PhD Scholarship 2027 - South Carolina Funded PhD
The HUGO Lab PhD Scholarship 2027 is really two funded PhD places in a brand new lab. Dr. Jangwoon Park joined the University of South Carolina's Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing as an associate professor for 2026-27, arriving from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and he is now recruiting the first doctoral students for his Human Factors and Ergonomics (HUGO) Lab. His notice promises a full tuition waiver, a monthly stipend and guaranteed funding for the first two years, with later years tied to your research progress. No stipend figure has been published, so ask about it when you write. You have two jobs, not one: email your file to Dr. Park, and file a formal application to the USC Mechanical Engineering PhD by the Graduate School's deadline. For a Spring 2027 start, international applicants must apply by 1 October 2026 and US applicants by 15 October 2026. If that is too soon, the Fall 2027 intake closes on 1 May 2027 for international applicants and 15 May 2027 for domestic ones.
What is the HUGO Lab PhD Scholarship?
The HUGO Lab PhD Scholarship is not a university-wide award with a committee and a portal. It is one professor recruiting two doctoral students into his own lab, with funding attached. The professor is Jangwoon Park, who took up an associate professorship at the University of South Carolina for 2026-27 after coordinating the industrial engineering programme at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. HUGO stands for HUman factors and erGOnomics, and the name tells you what the work looks like: people, machines, and how well the two fit together.
Park's record gives you a good sense of the projects you would join. He earned his doctorate in industrial engineering at POSTECH in South Korea and spent two years as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. USC describes his research as human-machine interaction, user-centred design, human modelling and automotive ergonomics, including machine learning models used to fine-tune heated seats and thermal comfort systems. His recruitment notice widens that to human-AI and human-robot interaction, industrial safety and digital twins, with collaborators at Hyundai, the US Department of Transportation's pipeline safety agency and UMTRI.
Two intakes are open. Spring 2027 is the tight one. The Mechanical Engineering PhD deadline for international applicants is 1 October 2026, about three weeks after this guide was published, and US applicants have until 15 October. Can't get GRE scores and three referees together by then? The Fall 2027 round closes on 1 May 2027 for international applicants and 15 May for domestic ones, and the funding terms are the same.
One practical warning. Park has said the volume of email means he may not answer every message, and only shortlisted candidates get an interview. Your first email has to carry the whole case, so send a sharp cover letter that names the project area you want, a clean CV and a one-page research statement. Treat it like a job application, because that is closer to what it is.
Eligibility
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✓Master's degree in engineering or a related fieldThe HUGO Lab recruitment notice asks for a completed master's degree in engineering or a closely related discipline. Industrial, mechanical, systems and biomedical engineering backgrounds all fit the lab's work.
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✓Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0The notice sets a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. If your university grades on a different scale, include the official conversion with your transcript.
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✓GRE scores: Verbal 150+, Quantitative 155+USC's Graduate School requires official GRE scores for the Mechanical Engineering PhD. On top of that, the lab asks for at least 150 in Verbal Reasoning and 155 in Quantitative Reasoning.
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✓English proficiency for international applicantsUSC accepts TOEFL iBT 80 (or 4.0 on the new scale for tests taken after 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.5, PTE Academic 53 or Duolingo 120. A degree from a country where English is an official language can exempt you, but language of instruction alone does not.
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✓Admission to the USC Mechanical Engineering PhDThe funding follows admission. You must file a complete Graduate School application to the Mechanical Engineering PhD by 1 October 2026 (international) or 15 October 2026 (domestic) for Spring 2027, or by 1 May / 15 May 2027 for Fall 2027.
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✓A supervisor who will speak for youThe lab says a reference from your current or previous supervisor is part of selection. If you did a master's thesis, your thesis advisor is the obvious choice.
Benefits
- Tuition Full tuition waiver
- Living stipend Paid monthly (amount not published)
- Guaranteed funding First two years
- Years three onward Continues with satisfactory progress
- Health insurance USC subsidy for graduate assistants (confirm with the lab)
- Application fee Paid by you
- Travel, visa and relocation Not mentioned in the notice
- Industry partner Hyundai Motor Company
- Federal partner US Department of Transportation (PHMSA)
- Research partner University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute
- Research topics Human-AI and human-robot interaction, safety, digital twins
- Application areas Transportation and industrial systems
Document checklist
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✓One-page cover letterAddressed to Dr. Park. Name the research area you want to work on and what you bring to it. Keep it to one page.
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✓CVDegrees, GPA, publications, research projects, software skills and work experience. List MATLAB and statistics experience clearly, since the lab names both as preferred.
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✓Research interests statementOne page on the questions you want to study and how they connect to human factors, safety, human-AI interaction or digital twins.
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✓Official transcriptsFrom every university you attended, for both the email to the lab and the Graduate School application.
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✓Three letters of recommendationThe Mechanical Engineering PhD requires three. Make one of them your current or previous supervisor.
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✓Personal statementRequired by the Graduate School. Use it to explain your path into ergonomics or human factors research and your plans after the PhD.
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✓Official GRE scoresSent by ETS to the University of South Carolina. Aim for Verbal 150+ and Quantitative 155+.
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✓English test scoresInternational applicants only. TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic or Duolingo, sent officially to USC.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the HUGO Lab at the University of South Carolina?
HUGO is the Human Factors and Ergonomics Lab led by Dr. Jangwoon Park, an associate professor who joined USC's Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing for the 2026-27 academic year. The lab studies how people interact with machines, vehicles and AI systems, with work on automotive ergonomics, thermal comfort, industrial safety and digital human modelling.
Is the HUGO Lab PhD scholarship fully funded?
Yes, according to the lab's recruitment notice. Both places come with a full tuition waiver and a monthly living stipend, and funding is guaranteed for the first two years. After that, support continues if your academic and research progress is satisfactory. The notice gives no stipend amount, so ask for the figure before you accept.
What is the HUGO Lab PhD scholarship deadline for 2027?
It depends on the intake and where you apply from. For Spring 2027, the USC Mechanical Engineering PhD deadline is 1 October 2026 for international applicants and 15 October 2026 for domestic applicants. For Fall 2027 the dates are 1 May 2027 and 15 May 2027. Email your documents to Dr. Park well before the Graduate School cut-off too.
Can international students apply for the HUGO Lab PhD positions?
Yes. Separate deadlines are set for international and domestic applicants. USC accepts TOEFL iBT 80 (or 4.0 on the new scale for tests taken after 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.5, PTE Academic 53 or Duolingo 120. A degree from a country where English is an official language may exempt you, but USC does not waive the test just because your classes were taught in English.
Do I need a master's degree to apply?
The recruitment notice asks for a master's degree in engineering or a related field, plus an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 out of 4.0. If you hold only a bachelor's degree but have serious research experience, email Dr. Park and ask before you pay the application fee.
Is the GRE required for the USC Mechanical Engineering PhD?
Yes. The Graduate School lists official GRE scores among the required documents for the Mechanical Engineering PhD. The HUGO Lab adds its own bar on top, asking for at least 150 in Verbal Reasoning and 155 in Quantitative Reasoning.
How do I contact Dr. Jangwoon Park about the PhD positions?
Email [email protected] with your cover letter, CV and one-page research statement attached. He has warned that he may not be able to reply to every message, and only shortlisted candidates are interviewed, so make your first email complete. For questions about the formal application, the Mechanical Engineering programme contact is Renee Jenkins at [email protected].
What research will HUGO Lab PhD students work on?
The notice lists human-AI interaction, human-robot interaction, ergonomics, industrial safety, human variability, digital twin systems and human-centred design, applied to transportation and industrial systems. Students get the chance to work with Hyundai Motor Company, the US Department of Transportation's PHMSA and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. Published research, MATLAB and statistics skills all help your case.
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