graduate research fellowship program

Graduate Research Fellowship Program

What is GRFP?

Fellowship benefits.

• Five year fellowship period with three years of financial support
• Annual stipend of $37,000
• Cost-of-education allowance of $16,000 to the institution
• No post-graduate study service requirement
• Access to supplemental funding to sustain research while on medical deferral (e.g. family leave)

Am I Eligible ?

To be eligible for the NSF GRFP, you must:

• be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or permanent resident
• intend to enroll or be enrolled full-time in a research-based master’s or doctoral program in an eligible field of study in STEM or STEM education
• be enrolled in a nonprofit university, college, or 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 and STEM education no later than fall of the year following award selection
• never have earned a doctoral degree or terminal degree in any field
• have completed no more than one academic year while enrolled in a graduate degree program
• never previously applied to GRFP while enrolled in a graduate degree program. Graduate students are limited to only one application to the GRFP, submitted either in the first year or in the second year of graduate school

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What's My Level?

Application level selection.

The GRFP Application requires you to select the academic level that best describes the stage of your academic career. Use the GRFP Academic Level Questionnaire to help you select the appropriate academic level in your application. Levels are determined as follows:

Level 1. You have not previously enrolled in a graduate degree-granting program but plan to start graduate study next fall. Includes undergraduates in the final year of a bachelor’s degree program and individuals who previously earned a bachelor’s degree.

Level 2. You are a first-year graduate student currently enrolled in a graduate degree-granting program, or you are a student currently enrolled in a joint Bachelor’s-Master’s degree program (must be in the final year of the program and enroll in a doctoral program at the beginning of the academic year immediately following the academic award year of the joint degree). Must never have applied to GRFP before as a graduate student or returning graduate student. Must not have a graduate degree and must not have completed more than one academic year of graduate study while enrolled in any graduate degree-granting program.

Level 3. You are a second-year graduate student currently enrolled in a graduate degree-granting program. Must never have applied to GRFP before as a graduate student or returning graduate student. Must not have a graduate degree and must not have completed more than one academic year of graduate study while enrolled in any graduate degree-granting program.

Level 4. You are planning to return to graduate school. You are not currently enrolled in a degree-granting graduate program. You have not been enrolled in a graduate-degree granting program or awarded a master’s or professional degree for at least two years prior to the GRFP application deadline (most recent enrollment or award must be prior to October of two years ago). Note: address the reasons for the interruption and why you should be considered to be in the early stages of your graduate education in the Personal, Relevant Background, and Future Goals Statement.

GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who demonstrate the potential to make significant contributions in STEM. Applicants must be pursuing full-time research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education at an accredited, U.S.-based institution.

• Oct. 17, 2022 - Life Sciences
• Oct. 18, 2022 - Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Materials Research, Psychology, Social Sciences, STEM Education and Learning
• Oct. 20, 2022 - Engineering
• Oct. 21, 2022 - Chemistry, Geosciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physics and Astronomy
• Oct. 28, 2022 - 5:00 PM ET
• Aug. 31, 2022 - 11:15 AM to 1:15 PM ET Info for Applicants Webinar 1
• Sept. 21, 2022 - 11:15 AM to 1:15 PM ET Info for Applicants Webinar 2
• Sept. 28, 2022 - 11:15 AM to 1:15 PM ET Reading the Fine Points of the GRFP Solicitation Webinar

NSF welcomes scientists and engineers to serve as reviewers of GRFP applications. Serving as a GRFP Reviewer is an excellent opportunity to apply your research and career expertise to help identify future science and engineering leaders.

• Sep. 15, 2022 - 5:00 PM ET
• Nov. 1, 2022 - 11AM to 1 PM ET Reviewer Training Webinar #1
• Nov. 4, 2022 - 2 PM to 4 PM ET Reviewer Training Webinar #2
• Nov. 10, 2022 - 2 PM to 4 PM ET Reviewer Training Webinar #3
• Nov. 15, 2022 - 2 PM to 4 PM ET Reviewer Training Webinar #4

Reference Writers

Reference letters are a key component of a robust GRFP application package. The most effective reference letters provide detailed and specific information about how an applicant meets the NSF Merit Review Criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.

• Oct. 5, 2022 - 11:15 AM to 1:15 PM ET Info for Reference Writers & Research Mentors
• Oct. 6, 2022 - 11 AM to 1 PM ET Reference Writers Webinar