- they have had a continuous interruption in graduate study of at least two consecutive years immediately prior to the application deadline; and
- are not enrolled in a degree-granting graduate program at the application deadline.
Limit on Number of Applications per Applicant: 1
An eligible applicant may submit only one application per annual competition.
Application Preparation and Submission Instructions
A. Application Preparation Instructions
- Letters of Intent: Not applicable
- Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not applicable
- Application Instructions: This solicitation contains information that deviates from the standard NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) proposal preparation guidelines. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
B. Budgetary Information
- Cost Sharing Requirements: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.
- Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: No indirect costs are allowed.
- Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
C. Due Dates
-
Application Deadline(s) (received by 5 p.m. local time of applicant's mailing address): October 21, 2019
Life Sciences, GeosciencesOctober 22, 2019
Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Engineering, Materials ResearchOctober 24, 2019
Psychology, Social Sciences, STEM Education and LearningOctober 25, 2019
Chemistry, Mathematical Sciences, Physics and AstronomyOctober 19, 2020
Life Sciences, GeosciencesOctober 20, 2020
Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Engineering, Materials ResearchOctober 22, 2020
Psychology, Social Sciences, STEM Education and LearningOctober 23, 2020
Chemistry, Mathematical Sciences, Physics and Astronomy
Application Review Information Criteria
Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved Merit Review Criteria (Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts) apply. Additional Solicitation-Specific Review Criteria also apply (see Section VI.A below).
Award Administration Information
Award Conditions: Fellowships are made subject to the provisions (and any subsequent amendments) contained in the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials. Reporting Requirements: See reporting requirements in full text of solicitation and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials. Fellows are required to submit annual activity reports and to declare fellowship status by May 1 each year. Additional reporting requirements are presented in Section VII.C of this solicitation.
I. Introduction
The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is a National Science Foundation-wide program that provides Fellowships to individuals selected early in their graduate careers based on their demonstrated potential for significant research achievements in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education. Three years of support is provided by the program for graduate study that leads to a research-based master's or doctoral degree in STEM or STEM education (see Fields of Study in Appendix). The program goals are: 1) to select, recognize, and financially support, early in their careers, individuals with the demonstrated potential to be high achieving scientists and engineers, and 2) to broaden participation in science and engineering of underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans. NSF especially encourages women, members of underrepresented minority groups, persons with disabilities, veterans, and undergraduate seniors to apply. GRFP is a critical program in NSF's overall strategy to develop the globally-engaged workforce necessary to ensure the Nation's leadership in advancing science and engineering research and innovation. The ranks of NSF Fellows include numerous individuals who have made transformative breakthrough discoveries in science and engineering, become leaders in their chosen careers, and been honored as Nobel laureates.
II. Program Description
The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) awards Fellowships for graduate study leading to research-based master's and doctoral degrees in STEM or in STEM education. GRFP supports individuals proposing a comprehensive plan for graduate education that takes individual interests and competencies into consideration. The plan describes the academic achievements, attributes, and experiences that illustrate the applicant's demonstrated potential for significant research achievements. The applicant must provide a detailed profile of their relevant education, research experience, and plans for graduate education that demonstrates this potential. Prospective applicants are advised that submission of an application implies their intent to pursue graduate study in a research-based program in STEM or STEM education at an accredited, non-profit institution of higher education having a campus located in the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. All applicants are expected to either have adequate preparation to enroll in a degree-granting graduate program by fall of the year the award is accepted, or be enrolled in a research based master's or doctoral program in STEM or STEM education. From the date of Acceptance through Completion or Termination of the Fellowship, applicants accepting the award (Fellows) must be enrolled in an accredited graduate degree-granting institution having a campus located in the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
III. Award Information
The NSF expects to award 1,600 Graduate Research Fellowships per fiscal year under this program solicitation pending availability of funds. Fellowship funding will be for a maximum of three years of financial support (in 12-month allocations, starting in summer or fall) usable over a five-year fellowship period. The anticipated announcement date for the Fellowship awards is early April each year. The institution at which a Fellow is enrolled receives up to a $46,000 award per Fellow who uses the fellowship support in a fellowship year. The Graduate Research Fellowship stipend is currently $34,000 for a 12-month tenure period, prorated in whole month increments of $2,833. The cost-of-education allowance to the institution is currently $12,000 per year of fellowship support. During receipt of the fellowship support, the institution is required to exempt Fellows from paying tuition and fees normally charged to students of similar academic standing, unless such charges are optional or are refundable (i.e., the institution is responsible for tuition and required fees in excess of the cost-of-education allowance). Refer to NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials for restrictions on the use of the cost-of-education allowance. GRFP awards are eligible for supplemental funding as described in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects as described in the PAPPG Chapter II.E.6. Fellows with disabilities may apply for assistance after consulting the instructions in the document NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials. NSF Career-Life Balance Initiative (NSF 13-099) offers limited paid and unpaid leave options for Fellows facing dependent-care issues (childbirth/adoption and elder care). Honorable Mention The NSF accords Honorable Mention to meritorious applicants who do not receive Fellowship awards. This is considered a significant national academic achievement.
IV. Eligibility Information
Organization Limit: Fellowship applications must be submitted by the prospective Fellow. Applicants must register with Research.gov (https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do) prior to submitting an application. Confirmation of acceptance in a graduate degree program in science or engineering is required at the time of Fellowship acceptance, no later than May 1 of the year the award is accepted. Prospective Fellows must enroll in a non-profit university, college, or other institution of higher education accredited in, and having a campus located in, the United States, its territories, or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico that offers advanced degrees in STEM or STEM education no later than fall of the year the award is accepted. All Fellows from the date of Acceptance through Completion or Termination of the Fellowship must be enrolled in a graduate degree-granting institution accredited in, and having a campus located in, the United States, its territories, or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Applicant Eligibility:
- Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident
- Intend to enroll or be enrolled full-time in a research-based graduate degree program in an eligible Field of Study in STEM or STEM education (See Appendix and Section IV.3 for eligible Fields of Study)
- Have never previously accepted a GRFP award
- If previously offered a GRFP award, have declined by the deadline
- Have never previously applied to GRFP while enrolled in a graduate degree program
- Have never earned a doctoral or terminal degree in any field
- Have never earned a master's or professional degree (see joint bachelor's-master's degree information below) in any field, unless (i) returning to graduate study after an interruption of two (2) or more consecutive years immediately preceding the deadline, and; (ii) are not enrolled in a graduate degree program at the application deadline
- Not be a current NSF employee
- Undergraduate seniors and bachelor's degree holders may apply before enrolling in a degree-granting graduate program.
- Graduate students enrolled in a degree-granting graduate program are limited to only one application to the GRFP, submitted in the first year or at the beginning of the second year of their degree program.
- Individuals pursuing a master's degree simultaneously with the bachelor's degree (joint bachelor's-master's degree) must have completed three (3) years in the joint program and are limited to one application to GRFP; they will not be eligible to apply again as a doctoral degree student. Individuals in this category who applied in the FY2019 competition (Fall 2018 deadline) are eligible to apply as first-year doctoral students only in the FY2020 competition (Fall 2019 deadline).
- Individuals holding joint bachelor's-master's degrees currently enrolled as first-year doctoral students, who have not previously applied as graduate students and enrolled in the doctoral program the semester following award of the joint degree, may apply as first-year doctoral students only.
- Applications withdrawn by November 15 of the application year do not count toward the one-time graduate application limit. Applications withdrawn after November 15 count toward this one-time limit.
- Applications not reviewed by NSF (returned without review) do not count toward the one-time graduate application limit.
- There is a limited opportunity for returning graduate students to apply for a graduate research fellowship. Individuals who have (i) completed more than one academic year in a degree-granting program, (ii) earned a previous master's degree of any kind (including bachelor's-master's degree), or (iii) earned a non-doctoral professional degree are eligible only if:
- they have had a continuous interruption in graduate study of at least two consecutive years immediately prior to the application deadline; and
- are not enrolled in a degree-granting graduate program at the application deadline.
Limit on Number of Applications per Applicant: 1
An eligible applicant may submit only one application per annual competition.
Additional Eligibility Info:
- Undergraduate students on track to receive a bachelor's degree prior to the fall of the year following the application (e.g., senior or final year of bachelor's degree)
- Bachelor's degree holders never enrolled in a graduate degree program can apply any time. However, they must be prepared to enroll in a full-time graduate degree program in the summer or fall of the year they are offered a GRFP award.
- Applicants must not have completed more than one academic year of graduate study as defined by the universities attended as of the application deadline (see exception below).
- Applicants re-entering graduate study: applicants who have completed more than one academic year of graduate study or earned a previous graduate or professional degree are eligible only if they have had an interruption in graduate study of at least two consecutive years immediately prior to the application deadline, and are not enrolled in a graduate program at the deadline. Applicants must not have engaged in any graduate coursework during the interruption. Applicants should address the reasons for the interruption in graduate study in the Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement.
- Individuals pursuing a master's degree simultaneously with the bachelor's degree (joint bachelor's-master's degree) must have completed three years in the joint program and are limited to one application to GRFP; they will not be eligible to apply again as a doctoral degree student. Individuals in this category who applied in the FY2019 competition (Fall 2018 deadline) are eligible to apply as first-year doctoral students only in the 2020 competition if they meet all other eligibility requirements.
- Individuals holding joint bachelor's-master's degrees currently enrolled as first-year doctoral students, who have not previously applied as graduate students and enrolled in the doctoral program the semester following award of the joint degree, may apply as first-year doctoral students only.
- Applicants must not have completed more than one academic year of graduate study as defined by the universities attended, as of the application deadline. Pre-graduate participation in summer activities (e.g., bridge programs, field studies, lab rotations) offered by a graduate program prior to the start of the fall graduate program is not included in this total.
- Graduate coursework taken without being enrolled in a graduate degree-granting program is not counted in this limit.
3. Field of Study
Fellowships are awarded for graduate study leading to research-based master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education. If awarded, Fellows must enroll in a graduate degree program consistent with the field of study proposed in their application. The guidelines below should be used to assess eligibility according to the field of study. Applicants are encouraged to carefully read the exceptions as applications ruled ineligible will be returned without review.
The following programs, areas of graduate study, and research are ineligible for Fellowship support:
Individuals are not eligible to apply if they will be enrolled in a practice-oriented professional degree program such as medical, dental, law, and public health degrees at any time during the fellowship. Ineligible degree programs include, but are not limited to, MBA, MPH, MSW, JD, MD, DVM and DDS. Joint or combined professional degree-science programs (e.g., MD/PhD or JD/PhD) and dual professional degree-science programs are also ineligible. Individuals enrolled in a graduate degree program while on a leave of absence from a professional degree program or professional degree-graduate degree joint program are ineligible.
Individuals are not eligible to apply if they will be enrolled in graduate study focused on clinical practice, counseling, social work, patient-oriented research, epidemiological and medical behavioral studies, outcomes research, and health services research. Ineligible study includes investigations to provide evidence leading to a scientific basis for consideration of a change in health policy or standard of care, and includes pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic, and behavioral interventions for disease prevention, prophylaxis, diagnosis, or therapy. Individuals pursuing graduate study focused on community, public, or global health, or other population-based research including medical intervention trials are also ineligible.
Individuals are not eligible to apply if they will conduct research for which the goals are directly health-related, such as etiology, diagnosis, or treatment of physical or mental disease, abnormality, or malfunction in humans and other animals. Research activities using animal models of disease, for developing or testing of drugs or other procedures for treatment of disease, and statistical modeling for which the purpose is diagnosis or epidemiology also are not eligible for support. Studies focused on basic questions in plant pathology are eligible, however, applied studies focused on maximizing production in agricultural plants or impacts on food safety, are not eligible.
Certain areas of bioengineering research directed at medical use are eligible. These include research projects in bioengineering to aid persons with disabilities, or to diagnose or treat human disease, provided they apply engineering principles to problems in medicine while primarily advancing engineering knowledge. Applicants planning to study and conduct research in these areas of bioengineering should select biomedical engineering as the field of study.
The Graduate Research Fellowship Operations Center is responsible for responding to questions about the program. For questions concerning eligibility and fields of study, contact the Graduate Research Fellowship Operations Center, (866) 673-4737, international (202) 331-3542, or info@nsfgrfp.org.
V. Application Preparation And Submission Instructions
A. Application Preparation Instructions
Applicants must first register as a Research.gov user on the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program website at https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do. Fellowship applications must be submitted electronically using the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Application Module at https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do according to the deadline corresponding with the Field of Study selected in the application. Instructions for preparing and submitting applications are available through the "Applicant Help" link in the GRFP Application Module.
Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. local time, as determined by the applicant's mailing address provided in the application. Applications received after the Field of Study deadline will be returned without review.
All reference letters must be submitted electronically by the reference writers through the GRFP Application Module and must be received by the reference letter deadline (see Application Preparation and Submission Instructions/C. Due Dates of this Solicitation), by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Two reference letters are required for applications to be reviewed. Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide three reference letters. If fewer than two reference letters (one or none) are received by the reference letter deadline, the application will be returned without review.
Applicants must submit the following information through the GRFP Application Module: Personal Information; Education, Work and Other Experience; electronic transcripts; Proposed Field(s) of Study; Proposed Graduate Study and Graduate School Information; the names and email addresses of at least three reference letter writers; Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement; and Graduate Research Plan Statement.
Only the information required in the GRFP Application Module will be reviewed. No additional items or information will be accepted or reviewed. No materials will be accepted via email. Do not provide links to web pages within the application, except as part of citations in the References Cited section. Any images must be included in the page limits. Review of the application and reference letters is based solely on materials received by the application and reference letter deadlines.
Applicants must follow the instructions in the GRFP Application Module, including the instructions found at the "Applicant Help" link in the Module, for completing each section of the application. The statements must be written using the following guidelines:
- standard 8.5" x 11" page size
- 12-point, Times New Roman font
- 10-point font may be used for references, footnotes, figure captions and text within figures
- 1" margins on all sides
- Single-spaced (approximately 5 lines per inch) or greater line spacing. Do not use line spacing options such as "exactly 12 point," that are less than single spaced.
Compliance with these guidelines will be judged based on the document as it appears in the GRFP Application Module after it is uploaded. Applicants are strongly encouraged to proofread and upload their documents early to ensure compliance and avoid potential formatting issues caused by the PDF conversion process. Applications that are not compliant with these format requirements will be returned without review.
The maximum length of the Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement is three (3) pages. The maximum length of the Graduate Research Plan Statement is two (2) pages. These page limits include all references, citations, charts, figures, images, and lists of publications and presentations. Applicants must certify that the two statements (Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement, and Graduate Research Plan Statement) in the application are their own original work. As explained in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG): "NSF expects strict adherence to the rules of proper scholarship and attribution. The responsibility for proper scholarship and attribution rests with the authors of a proposal; all parts of the proposal should be prepared with equal care for this concern. Authors other than the PI (or any co-PI) should be named and acknowledged. Serious failure to adhere to such standards can result in findings of research misconduct. NSF policies and rules on research misconduct are discussed in the PAPPG, as well as 45 CFR Part 689."
Both statements must address NSF's review criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts (described in detail in Section VI). In each statement, applicants should address Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts under separate headings to provide reviewers with the information necessary to evaluate the application with respect to both Criteria.
In the application, applicants must list their baccalaureate institution, and all graduate institutions attended with a start date prior to the fall term in which the application is submitted. Transcripts are required for all institutions listed. If the applicant started at the current institution in the fall of the application year and the institution does not provide unofficial or official transcripts prior to completion of the first term, the applicant may submit a class schedule/enrollment verification form in place of a transcript. At least one transcript must be included for the application to be accepted by the GRFP Application Module.
Transcripts must be submitted electronically through the GRFP Application Module by the Field of Study application deadline. Applicants should redact personally-identifiable information (date of birth, individual Social Security Numbers, personal financial information, home addresses, home telephone numbers and personal email addresses) from the transcripts before uploading. Transcripts must be uploaded in a format that is supported by FastLane as described in the FastLane GRFP Application Module. The GRFP Application Module does not accept encrypted or password-protected transcripts.
Applicants who earned master's degrees in joint bachelor's-master's degree programs should submit transcripts that clearly document the joint program. If the transcript does not document the joint program, applicants must upload a letter from the registrar of the institution certifying enrollment in a joint program, appended to the transcript for that institution. Failure to provide clear documentation of a joint program may result in an application being returned without review.
Failure to comply fully with the above requirements will result in the application being returned without review.
Applications that are incomplete due to missing required transcripts and/or reference letters (fewer than two letters received), or that do not have "received" status in the Application Module on the application deadline for the selected Field of Study) will be returned without review. Applicants are advised to submit applications early to avoid unanticipated delays on the deadline dates.
Reference Letters
Two reference lettersfrom non-family members are required for an application to be reviewed. Applicants are strongly encouraged to obtain three reference letters. Applications with fewer than two reference letters (one or none) will be returned without review.
All reference letters must be received in the GRFP Application Module by 5:00 p.m. ET (Eastern Time) on the letter submission deadline date (see the deadline posted in GRFP Application Module and in Application Preparation and Submission Instructions/C. Due Dates of this Solicitation). No exceptions to the reference letter submission deadline will be granted. Each letter is limited to two (2) pages. The GRFP Application Module allows applicants to request up to five (5) reference letters and to rank those reference letters in order of preference for review. If more than three reference letters are received, the top three will be considered for the application. Reference writers will be notified by an email of the request to submit a letter of reference on behalf of an applicant. To avoid disqualifying an application, reference writers should take into consideration the Eastern Time (ET) hours of operation of the NSF Help Desk as stated in the notification email. Letter writers will receive a confirmation email after submitting a letter via the GRFP Application Module.
Applicants must enter an email address for each reference writer into the GRFP Application Module. An exact email address is crucial to matching the reference writer and the applicant in the GRFP Application Module. Applicants should ask reference writers well in advance of the reference writer deadline, and it is recommended they provide copies of their application materials to the writers.
Applicant-nominated reference writers must submit their letters through the GRFP Application Module. Reference letter requirements include:
- Institutional (or professional) letterhead, if available
- Two (2) page limit
- 12-point Times New Roman in the body of the letter
- Name and title of reference writer
- Department and institution or organization
The reference letter should address the NSF Merit Review Criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts (described in detail below). It should include details explaining the nature of the relationship to the applicant (including research advisor role), comments on the applicant's potential for contributing to a globally-engaged United States science and engineering workforce, statements about the applicant's academic potential and prior research experiences, statements about the applicant's proposed research, and any other information to aid review panels in evaluating the application according to the NSF Merit Review Criteria.
Application Completion Status
Applicants should use the "Application Completion Status" feature in the GRFP Application Module to ensure all application materials, including reference letters, have been received by NSF before the deadlines. For technical support, call the NSF Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf.gov.
Interdisciplinary Applications
NSF welcomes applications for interdisciplinary programs of study and research; however, data on interdisciplinary study is collected for informational purposes only. Interdisciplinary research is defined as "a mode of research by teams or individuals that integrates information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, and/or theories from two or more disciplines or bodies of specialized knowledge to advance fundamental understanding or to solve problems whose solutions are beyond the scope of a single discipline or area of research practice" (Committee on Facilitating Interdisciplinary Research, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, 2004. Facilitating interdisciplinary research. National Academies. Washington: National Academy Press, p. 2). Applications must be received by the deadline for the first Field of Study designated in the application. Applications will be reviewed by experts in the first Field of Study listed. If awarded, Fellows will be required to enroll in a degree program consistent with the Field of Study in which the application was funded.
Withdrawal of a GRFP application
To withdraw a submitted application, the applicant must withdraw their application using the Withdrawal option in the GRFP Application Module.
Applications withdrawn by November 15 of the application year do not count toward the one-time graduate application limit. Applications withdrawn after November 15 count toward this limit.
B. Budgetary Information
Cost Sharing:
Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.
Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:
No indirect costs are allowed.
Other Budgetary Limitations:
NSF awards $46,000 each year to the GRFP institution to cover the Fellow stipend and cost-of-education allowance for each NSF Graduate Research Fellow "on tenure" at the institution.
The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Fellowship stipend is $34,000 for a 12-month tenure period, prorated in monthly increments of $2,833. The institutional cost-of-education allowance is $12,000 per tenure year per Fellow.
C. Due Dates
- Application Deadline(s) (received by 5 p.m. local time of applicant's mailing address): October 21, 2019
