nsf grfp research proposal format

NSF Fellowship

The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship ( NSF GRFP ) is a great way to start a research career. I was a successful applicant in 2010. Below are some details about the program and some tips for applying. You will also find many examples of successful essays and you can even submit your own essays if you are willing to serve as inspiration for the next round of applicants.

Note, this advice was last updated in Sept 2021.

What is it?

The NSF GRFP provides $34,000 to the student and some money to your department for three years. You have the flexibility to defer for up to two years in case you have another source of funding (but you cannot defer to take a year off).

The basic requirements are:

1. US Citizen, US National, or permanent resident

2. Currently a graduating Senior or First/Second year graduate student

3. Graduate students may only apply in their first OR second year (NOT both) . I have some thoughts on which year to apply .

4. Going into science research (does not apply to medical school)

Check out the official requirements at the NSF GRFP website . Here is the more detailed NSF presentation on the requirements. The deadlines are usually the last week of October , but it is never too early to start.

Basic Outline of Application Process

You will need to write two essays:

Personal Statement, Relevant Background, and Future Goals (3 pages)

Graduate Research Statement (2 pages)

You will need to get at least three letters of reference

These essays will be reviewed on the criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.

And that's really it. The challenge is to sell yourself in 5 pages and to successful address the two criteria.

Tips for Getting Started

Read over the official NSF GRFP website , especially their tips .

Look through the NSF GRFP FAQ , with detailed answers here.

Here is a detailed website from Robin Walker . She has a very very thorough guide to the application .

Look at advice from past winners. There are lots of great advice out there, but in an interest to not overload you, here are my personal top choices. You can find more in my examples table at the bottom of the page.

Mallory Ladd - If you can follow her schedule, you should be more than prepared

Claire Bowen - Lots of advice interleaved with excerpts from successful essays

DJ Strouse - Applied under old system, but still great advice.

Blengineers - Fun video series of application tips

Read an example essay. I have posted all of my essays (and others) as well as my ratings sheets at the bottom of this page and organized into them into a table . Personally, I found this extremely useful and I have to give credit to two University of Wisconsin NSF GRFP winners who shared their essays with me, without which I was struggling on how to start the application.

Check out an old guide for reviewers .

For current discussions on the application process, check out this years NSF GRFP discussion at The GradCafe Forums . Some past years discussions include: 2020-2021 , 2019-2020 , 2018-2019 , 2017-2018 , 2016-2017 , 2015-2016 , 2014-2015 , 2013-2014 , 2012-2013 , 2011-2012 , and 2010-2011 .

General Advice

Every essay should address both Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.

Each essay needs explicit headers of Intellectual Merit / Broader Impacts .

NSF GRFP funds the person, not the project. The most important choice you make is designating the primary field (Chemistry vs Physics & Astronomy, etc). The subfield is less important. If you are an undergrad doing research, I would strongly suggest to make your research proposal related to what you are currently researching as long as: 1. you are going to apply to programs in the same primary field and 2. there is at least a small chance (even if only a few percent) that you could do something related to your proposal in graduate school. NSF will not force you to follow through with the research; instead they just want to see that you can actually write a proposal. I personally wrote about my undergraduate research. It was in physics and I only applied to physics graduate schools (so same primary field), but I was not sure I wanted to continue with it in graduate school, and in fact it ended up being impossible since I did not get into any graduate schools with anyone doing research in my proposed subfield.

Write for a general science audience and assume the reviewer is in your primary field, but not your subfield. This is NSF's tentative review panels , you can see that the only guarantee is that the reviewer is in your primary field.

Ask for letters of reference early and gently remind your writers of the deadline. Get a diverse set of letter writers. I had my current adviser (who was doing research similar to what I proposed), a past research adviser, and my boss at a tutoring center. Therefore, I had two letters addressing my intellectual merit, while one letter addressed broader impacts.

Ask for help. Your current university probably has a writing center . Don't be shy, they will love to help you. Also try asking around your department to find students who have applied previously.

Review Criteria Details

(Below is direct text from NSF but with sentences cut and added highlights)

General Review Criteria

In considering applications, reviewers are instructed to address the two Merit Review Criteria as approved by the National Science Board - Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts. Therefore, applicants must include separate statements on Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts in their written statements in order to provide reviewers with the information necessary to evaluate the application with respect to both Criteria as detailed below.

Reviewers will be asked to evaluate all proposals against two criteria:

Intellectual Merit: the potential to advance knowledge

Broader Impacts: the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.

The following elements should be considered in the review for both criteria:

What is the potential for the proposed activity to

Advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and

Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?

To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?

Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rationale ? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success ?

How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to conduct the proposed activities?

Are there adequate resources available to the PI (either at the home organization or through collaborations) to carry out the proposed activities?

Extra details on Broader Impacts: (additional tips from NSF here )

Broader impacts may be accomplished through the research itself , through the activities that are directly related to specific research projects , or through activities that are supported by, but are complementary to, the project . NSF values the advancement of scientific knowledge and activities that contribute to achievement of societally relevant outcomes. Such outcomes include, but are not limited to: full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); improved STEM education and educator development at any level; increased public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and technology; improved well-being of individuals in society; development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce; increased partnerships between academia, industry, and others; improved national security; increased economic competitiveness of the US; and enhanced infrastructure for research and education.

Merit Review Criteria specific to the GRFP

Intellectual Merit Criterion : the potential of the applicant to advance knowledge based on a holistic analysis of the complete application, including the Personal, Relevant Background, and Future Goals Statement, Graduate Research Plan Statement, strength of the academic record, description of previous research experience or publication/presentations, and references.

Broader Impacts Criterion : the potential of the applicant for future broader impacts as indicated by personal experiences, professional experiences, educational experiences and future plans.

Review Criteria: My Two Cents

Here is how I like to think of the review criteria, point by point.

How would answering this research question change science (Intellectual Merit) or society (Broader Impacts)?

Why should I fund you specifically, and not just this research question? What innovation do you specifically bring to the table?

Is there a detailed plan? With built in measures of success?

What are your qualifications?

Can you actual carry out the needed research?

At the end of each essay, you should be able to check off how you answered each point above for BOTH Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.

Personal Statement, Relevant Background, and Future Goals: Essay Prompt from NSF

Prompt in 2021:

Please outline your educational and professional development plans and career goals. How do you envision graduate school preparing your for a career that allows you to contribute to expanding scientific understanding as well as broadly benefit society?

Additional prompt previously provided by NSF:

Describe your personal, educational, and/or professional experiences that motivate your decision to pursue advanced study in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). Include specific examples of any research and/or professional activities in which you have participated. Present a concise description of the activities, highlight the results and discuss how these activities have prepared you to seek a graduate degree. Specify your role in the activity including the extent to which you worked independently and/or as part of a team. Describe the contributions of your activity to advancing knowledge in STEM fields as well as the potential for broader impacts (See Solicitation, Section VI, for more information about Broader Impacts).

NSF Fellows are expected to become globally engaged knowledge experts and leaders who can contribute significantly to research, education, and innovations in science and engineering. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate your potential to satisfy this requirement. Your ideas and examples do not have to be confined necessarily to the discipline that you have chosen to pursue.

Personal Statement, Relevant Background, and Future Goals Essay: My Two Cents

Based on the new emphasis NSF GRFP general requirements, I would write the essay in three main sections with two subsections for Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.

Personal Statement (~1 page). This is where you tell your unique story of either how you became interested in science, what makes you special, and/or any unique perspective you bring to science. Great place to mention if you had to overcome any hardships or would be adding to the diversity of the STEM field. Definitely use this section to highlight Broader Impacts.

Relevant Background (~1 page). Hopefully you already have research experience, so explain how that has prepared you for success in graduate school and beyond. Mainly use this section for Intellectual Merit, but also highly the Broader Impacts of your research experience.

Future Goals (~ 1/2 page). This is where you tie your personal background and scientific background into one cohesive vision for the future.

Intellectual Merit (~1/4 page). Conclude the essay by summarizing all of your contributions to Intellectual Merit. Make sure this is an explicit header.

Broader Impact (~1/4 page). Conclude the essay by summarizing all of your contributions to Broader Impact. Make sure this is an explicit header.

Graduate Research Statement: Essay Prompt from NSF

Present an original research topic that you would like to pursue in graduate school. Describe the research idea, your general approach, as well as any unique resources that may be needed for accomplishing the research goal (i.e. access to national facilities or collections, collaborations, overseas work, etc). You may choose to include important literature citations. Address the potential of the research to advance knowledge and understanding within science as well as the potential for broader impacts on society. The research discussed must be in a field listed in the Solicitation (Section X, Fields of Study).

Graduate Research Statement: My Two Cents

I would recommend structuring the essay as follows:

Introduction

Introduce the scientific problem and its impact on science and society (emphasis on Review Criteria 1)

Research Plan

Show the major steps that need to be accomplished

What is the creative part of your approach?

Have you thought of alternatives for hard or crucial steps?

What skills do you have to make this plan successful?

Intellectual Merit

Have a clear header for this section

Clearly demonstrate that tackling this problem will make an impact and advance science

Try to summarize how you hit all five Review Criteria

Broader Impacts

Paragraphs to address how this research impacts all five Review Criteria.

(Optional). Could use the Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts sections as conclusion. If not, e nd with several sentences summarizing your project .

This essay will be Intellectual Merit heavy, but still needs to address Broader Impacts. Show why the broader scientific community / society should care about your research!

Examples of Successful Essays

These are all the essays of recent winners that I could find online. If you want me to link to an example on your website, or if you are willing to share your essays but don't have a site, I can add it to the table if you fill out the contact form below .

Some notes:

Click here to apply your own sort / filters to the table .

Remember the format changed starting in 2014!

If I couldn't figure out the year, I filled in 2013 for old format and 2014 for new formats.

Proposal Column --- Graduate Research Plan ( >= 2014) or Proposed Research ( <= 2013)

Personal Column --- Personal, Relevant Background, and Future Goals ( >= 2014) or Personal ( <= 2013)

Previous Column --- Previous Research Statement ( <= 2013 only)

HM = Honorable Mention

Can't find an example in your area? Tip from GradCafe Forum : politely email past winners !

I've linked to a lot of sites, let me know if any links break! A suggested fix is even better :)

Example essays below, or open in Google Drive

Submit Example Here

Search form

• Graduate Students
• Grants to Promote Diversity

NSF GRFP Proposal Library

Filter by....

• Research Plans
• Personal Statements
• Reviewers' Comments

Award Status

• Honorable Mentions
• 1st Year Grad Student
• 2nd Year Grad Student
• Before Grad Training

Translational Interests

• Translational Research Interest

Home Program

Biochemistry

Bioengineering

Biomedical Informatics

Cancer Biology

Chemical and Systems Biology

Developmental Biology

Microbiology and Immunology

Molecular and Cellular Physiology

Neurosciences

Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Structural Biology

• Reset filters

This Proposal Library was created in collaboration with the Stanford Biosciences Student Association .

The proposal materials are only available to Stanford affiliates. Please use your Stanford email to sign into google drive for access.

Diego Almanza

Gabriel Amador

“Think big and keep the logic simple and clear! Your reviewers will likely not be in your exact subfield.”

Bella Archibald

Yohan Auguste

Benjamin N Bell

“Look at successful applications!! I got ideas for highlighting things I wanted to emphasize by looking at other applications.”

Alyssa Benjamin

“Don’t be shy about sending your proposal to others for feedback and don’t worry about making it perfect before you show it to someone! Getting feedback is a great way to help you focus on your best ideas and get inspiration for improvements.”

Jeremy Bjelajac

“Personal statement should tell a coherent story while highlighting your achievements, it may sound like you’re gloating but thats okay. The research statement needs to follow a logical progression, and neither of your aims should be able to “fail”, make it so that any result is useful knowledge.”

Rachel Brown

“I made my personal statement read more like a story than a series of statements. I lead them through my life and aspirations with imagery and something of a narrative thread.”

Kristy Carpenter

“The SBSA peer mentorship program was super valuable! It kept me accountable and gave me internal deadlines to make sure I finished all parts of the application on time. My peer mentor was really helpful and instrumental in me submitting a strong application!”

Joleen Cheah

“My professors’ input on my application was extremely useful.”

“I was so nervous to even start the proposal because I felt like I just got to grad school and had no idea what I was doing. The thing is that no first year grad students know what they’re doing! And that’s fine. My rotation mentor was a huge huge help with the research proposal and I wish I had started talking with her earlier rather than stressing by myself. Also, you can reuse lots of your grad school application materials for the personal statement.”

Isabel O Delwel

Tristram Dodge

“Feedback from my PI was important to make sure the science was right, and feedback from other professors who weren’t familiar with the system was helpful to make sure I was communicating clearly and including the necessary details.”

Honorable Mention

“It’s alright to go through multiple iterations of your proposal, even if it changes the direction drastically. Try to make sure there is some synergy between your personal statement and research proposal.”

Gina El Nesr

“Be creative! The best advice I got was to write a proposal for a project I would love to do, inspired by the research I’ve done and classes I’ve taken. With background in the material that would be involved to tackle the research, all that’s left was to dream big and have fun with the proposal.”

Lucas Encarnacion-Rivera

“Maximize your chances at getting it by thinking like a reviewer. “

Emma Esterman

“Write to the rubric — read what is being evaluated in terms of intellectual merit and broader impacts, and explicitly tie your experiences to those metrics. The biggest difference in my first and second application was framing my research plan to address a basic science question and thinking about the broader impacts of the research in terms of the scientific community instead of its translational applications.”

Scott Fleming

“Focus on your own personal experiences and commitments when thinking about the “Broader Impacts” criterion. Also be sure to get feedback from current students, especially those who may have already received the NSF GRFP.”

Andrea Sofia Flores Perez

“I would advise thinking about a scientific problem that you are passionate about, but also have some experience in. You will commit many many hours to writing an NSF proposal and if you’re not passionate about what you’re writing about, it will be a very daunting experience. That being said, don’t choose a topic you have no previous experience or knowledge in – the reviewers will think you are not fit to conduct that research. So choose carefully!”

Alyssa Lyn Fortier

“I would have to do. The NSF GRFP application needs to capture your story, so you really have to craft a narrative that explains your journey to grad school. I wasn’t really sure what my journey was, so I had to think long and hard about the actions and thought processes that led me here.”

Matthew Gill

“My advice to new grad students: 1. Avoid stressing about it! The GRFP won’t make or break your career. Don’t let it get in the way of enjoying your rotation(s). 2. Ask for help! Pick other folks’ brains about both research topics/questions if you’re unsure about them. Folks love to give helpful feedback around here.”

Emily Greenwald

“Outreach and a diversity of prior experience is a big plus. They care most about intellectual merit and broader impacts, so use those words a LOT. Make a broader impacts plan for your time at grad school and state it.”

Meagan Hamblin

“Halfway through writing my research proposal I completely changed the aims I was proposing. After getting feedback I realized my proposal would be stronger with the different experiments. Don’t be afraid to seek out feedback and be open to brainstorming lots of different project ideas and experiments in the beginning stages.”

“Start early and solicit feedback often! The back and forth of ideas with peers and mentors is what produces the best writing!”

Ariel Hannum

“Definitely start early and talk to people about your proposal and personal statement. Whether it is fellow grad students, mentors, or friends that are not in your field, they can be a resource to bounce ideas off of. Having a friend take a fresh look before you submit your application is extremely helpful, as they can pick up on grammatical errors you may have missed after looking at your document over several months. “

Angela Hickey

“It helps to write something you know and have previous experience with since the reviewers are looking at your capability as a scientist. Also remember that most reviewers are reading hundreds of applications so highlight important information in the first or last sentence of a paragraph.”

Jolie Huang

“My SBSA mentor helped a lot in revising my personal statement! It helped that he didn’t have expertise in my research areas so he could point out the areas where I was less clear.”

Lynnette Jackson

“The best advice I received is that the GRFP funds individuals rather than just their research proposals. Make sure that each aspect of your application is telling the reviewers who you are as a scientist and a person. Also the broader impacts and intellectual merit are often overlooked but they are critical for getting funded!”

Christina Jensen

“The personal statement and broader impacts deserve just as much, if not more attention than the research statement. The NSF is funding the researcher, not the research.”

“A good approach to the application is to get started early, or at least to start thinking about what to write for the Research Plan and Personal Statement as soon as possible, so ideas have time to get fleshed out and go through multiple revisions. For me, getting useful feedback from several different sources was probably the most important factor in strengthening my proposal.”

“Read lots of examples and be sure to show your research proposal to faculty in advance!”

“Writing a proposal for the NSF taught me how to identify novel research areas and outline an experimental plan for filling a gap in knowledge.”

Yannick Clency Lee-yow

“Don’t stress about NSF GRFP too much. It doesn’t really change your graduate school experience in the slightest.”

“Your draft will go through many iterations – this is totally ok, and asking for opinions is helpful! However, there will come a time when sometimes different opinions will contradict one another, which can be overwhelming – at that point, have confidence in yourself and know that it’s your decision in the end what to include. “

Steven Massa

Samson Mataraso

“My advice for writing the NSF GRFP is to make sure that you are very clear about how your work will contribute to the advancement of science.”

Alma G. Mendoza

“Make sure that your personal statement gives the reviewers insight into who you are and what drives you. This is your only chance to let them get to know why they should invest in your future.”

Elisabeth Meyer

“Start with topics you can get help on (e.g. from your current rotation lab) and from there, pick something you find interesting. For the personal statement, it can feel embarrassing but have as many people read over it as possible.”

Katherine Miller

“Start early, ensure you get as many eyes on your writing as possible before submission. NSF is not the NIH and wants you to remember that. I did not include any clinical interest or health applications of my research in my proposal.

Formatting matters. Clearly define each section of your writing. It’s especially important to define “Intellectual Merit” and “Broader Impact” sections separately. The more explicit roadmapping you do, the better.”

Michael Montgomery

“Identify a broad scientific question and think about how this question is related to the work you have already done and your goals for graduate school. This will save you a lot of time in creating a proposal that has well connected aims and makes sense within the context of your current scientific training and career trajectory.”

“The biggest change I made to improve the quality of my statements was revising key sentences to make sure that they very, very clearly conveyed the intellectual merit and broader impact of my proposal as a whole. I focused on making sure that someone who read only these bolded/italicized sentences would still be able to understand what I was proposing and how it fulfilled the funding criteria.”

“You almost certainly won’t end up doing exactly what you say in your Research Plan statement, but it’s still a valuable experience to write. The process makes you think hard about what you want to get out of your PhD, and is hopefully an opportunity for you to co-produce an exciting idea with your research mentors.”

Maike Morrison

“Talk to your PI about your application materials and ask for advice, especially when developing your research proposal. You don’t have to come up with the ideas behind your materials alone.”

Rahul Nagvekar

“Having an application that is both clearly basic-science focused and has clear broader impacts can be difficult! It is also subjective, so make sure to have multiple people read drafts of your application and ask for their feedback as to whether both of these aspects are apparent.”

Abena Peasah

“It’s a really good idea to start early.”

Rachel Porter

“Reviewers need to see that you are a qualified candidate and can propose an original project idea, but they also want to get a sense of who you are as a person, and how that has influenced your work. Including personal details or experiences can really strengthen your application, and the lack of can count against you.”

“Start early and it’s ok to switch ideas and make multiple drafts. You can end up combining ideas or getting a better understanding of what sort of projects you want to pursue.”

Ramya Rangan

“I wish I had shown more people my application materials! I only showed my research advisor at the time. It would have given me a sense for whether I was on the right track.”

“For the personal statement, the biggest positive change I made between the first and second submission was explicitly splitting my essay into an “Intellectual Merits” section and a “Broader Impacts” section.”

Rebecca Rodell

“Start planning months in advance and go through many rounds of feedback! People are generally happy to read over a draft, so ask them to and give them a reasonable amount of time (about 1 week) to do so.”

Adonis Alexandre Rubio

Erin Sanders

“My PI helped me really hone a “theme” for my personal statement, a unifying idea that you can come back to repetitively. My theme was “fearless”. The key is to tell a story about yourself that the reviewers actually want to read, that is not just a laundry list of your accomplishments. Tell them what you did, why it was interesting and how it shaped you. You can even try to tie in the theme to your proposal. This strategy sets your essay apart from all the others that start “when i was a kid….”. Not that this can’t be an effective strategy, but a LOT of people use it. Think about what makes you and your story special.”

Venkat Sankar

“When the NSF says they want basic science, they mean it – try to not even mention disease or human health impacts in your proposal, and focus applications on the advancement of basic biology.”

Lucas Sant’Anna

“Get as many opinions as possible. You work very hard on it and sometimes become completely blind to how other people will react when reading it for the first time.”

Danica Schmidtke

“Getting feedback from lots of people is good, but remember that you do NOT have to use every suggestion you get. Make sure you don’t lose your voice!”

Daniel A Shaykevich

“The GRFP is mostly about you and your potential as a scientist, not the project you are proposing! It’s important to think about why you do science and what you want to accomplish, in addition to the mechanics of your project. “

Nicole Tanenbaum

“A common piece of advice I have heard about the NSF GRFP is that the NSF is not only funding your science, but is also funding you as a person. Therefore, it is helpful to include how you became interested in science or the unique perspective you can bring to the scientific community. When drafting your proposal, take it in chunks. First start with outlines. Keep good documentation of your sources. Once the ideas are there, flesh it out into a more eloquent narrative and format citations. Once you have a draft, seek as much feedback from as many different sources as possible. It’s good to seek advice from people in your lab, people outside of your lab, and people at all different stages of their scientific careers. And of course, be respectful of everyone’s time and sincerely thank them for their feedback!”

Sebastian Toro Arana

“My rotation PI and the SBSA peer mentoring program really strengthened my proposal.”

Rachel Varnau

“Ask professors and other mentors for feedback at every stage, and read others’ applications before writing your own. “

Maggie Wang

“If you can, try to get feedback from both domain experts (e.g. your advisor) and people who may not be as familiar with your particular area of research (e.g. PhD students in other biosciences programs). The former are great for helping you sharpen the technical rigor of your application. The latter probably won’t understand all the nitty gritty details, which means they can challenge you to see the bigger picture of why your proposed research matters and how it aligns with the NSF research mission.

To emphasize the “Intellectual Merit” and “Broader Impacts” of my research plan, I explicitly incorporated phrasing and vocabulary from the NSF definitions of intellectual merit and broader impacts. I had initially thought this might be too blunt, but it helps to make it really clear how your plan meets the NSF criteria, especially for reviewers who might be reading your essay very quickly.”

Jonathan Weiss

“One huge piece of advice I was given was that NSF funds YOU, not your project. Make sure you emphasize the qualities that make you a unique, capable, and impactful researcher!”

Ali Wilkening

“Think broadly when it comes to broader impacts and intellectual merit and make sure those qualities are easily found by the reviewer. Think about all the broader impacts your work could possibly make and how you are uniquely poised to enact them then make a list and choose the top few to emphasize in your proposal and tie those into your experiences in your personal statement. For my second application, I started working on it much earlier and got help from a lot more people and with broader backgrounds/relationships to me. I also made sure to frame my personal statement into a story to demonstrate what personal factors drove me to complete the broader impacts I claimed in my proposal.”

Alexa Wnorowski

“My advice to you is ask for lots of feedback! Don’t be afraid to reach out to others who have applied or received the fellowship before, especially if they’re in a similar field.”

“I signed up for the NSF GRFP mentoring program through SBSA! This was by far the most helpful resource – my mentor offered their time each week to give me personalized feedback and the overall program set manageable deadlines that kept me on track. The NSF GRFP is not something you can pull together in a weekend – start early, leave time to receive feedback from PIs, mentors, labmates, friends, etc., and keep writing!”

“Think carefully about your hypothesis but also have fun thinking about science you would be excited about doing!”

Ilana Zucker-Scharff

“People are super willing to share their insight/proposals if you just reach out.”

• Maps & Directions
• Search Stanford
• Terms of Use
• Emergency Info

© Stanford University .  Stanford , California 94305 . Copyright Complaints     Trademark Notice

NSF GRFP Research Proposal Template

A LaTeX template for the NSF GRFP Research Proposal. Automatically conforms to all of the formatting requirements (as of 2020). Can easily be used for the personal statement by leaving the preamble and changing the document contents.

Get in touch

Have you checked our knowledge base ?

Message sent! Our team will review it and reply by email.

Email: 

NSF GRFP Research Proposal

Criteria for success.

• Your proposed research is eligible for the Fellowship (e.g., you do not propose research about a particular disease or on clinical practice).
• Your research proposal convinces a panel of academics that you are qualified to receive the Fellowship, especially with respect to the Intellectual Merit and Broader Impact criteria.
• You show that the proposed research is creative, original, or transformative.
• You show that you are actually capable of performing the research.
• Your proposal meets the formatting and page limit criteria.

Structure Diagram

The sections, their sizes, and their order is just an example, not the rule.

Identify Your Purpose

Your research proposal (technically, the “Graduate Research Plan Statement”) is part of an application that should convince the selection panel to award you the Fellowship. The proposal is the part of the application where you get to lay out a plan for your graduate research career. The personal statement gives you space to explain the big picture of your past and future career; the research proposal is a place for more nuts and bolts. It is an opportunity to convince the selection panel that you are capable of being a successful researcher: that you have the intellectual ability to propose a creative, feasible plan of research.

Note that if you win the Fellowship, no one will actually hold you to this particular research plan; this is a demonstration of critical thinking, not a commitment.

Analyze Your Audience

Your entire application will be “reviewed online by virtual panels of disciplinary and interdisciplinary scientists and engineers and other professional graduate education experts”. These are academics, usually from your broad area of science (e.g., biology) but not from your specific area (e.g., polymer biomechanics). They will judge your application using some combination of (a) the NSF’s official criteria for the Fellowship and (b) their own ideas about what constitutes good science.

The people on the committee read many, many applications. Make it easy for them to figure out that you are qualified for the award by referencing the Intellectual Merit and Broader Impact criteria that they use to judge your application. It may be wise to, for example, have sections in your proposal that are explicitly labeled “Intellectual Merit” and “Broader Impacts”. It may also be wise to have an “Abstract” or “Executive Summary” at the beginning of the proposal. Use simple language rather than field jargon

The selection panel knows that this is a graduate student fellowship and not the sort of grant that is going to a principal investigator. Real grants are big documents with heaps of citations and references. Because this application is about funding you and not a specific project, the panel is more interested in seeing what your proposal says about you rather than about your project. Spend more words showing that you are capable and creative rather than showing that you can cite many papers.

Do your homework

A mature and sophisticated proposal for research is more likely to win you the Fellowship. Before sitting down to write, do your homework. Read a lot about the field in which you’re proposing research. Make sure the thing you’re proposing to do hasn’t been done before or hasn’t been generally regarded as impossible.

Find mentors. More senior scientists like postdocs and faculty members have a lot of experience crafting research proposals, and they are similar to the kinds of people who will be on your selection panel. Get their feedback and advice. Your proposal should also excite someone who is in your exact field. If they have any reservations about whether the project is interesting, then scientists outside your field will have an even more difficult time believing that it’s research worth pursuing.

Demonstrate creativity

There’s typically a tradeoff between risk/reward and credibility. Low-risk projects, like obvious, simple extensions of your undergraduate thesis research, tend to be very credible: it’s clear that you can do them. They also tend to be low on reward. Projects that are very ambitious and have huge rewards tend to be unbelievable and impossible for a grad student. There’s a sweet spot in between: find a problem that you can probably solve and that demonstrates that you took some initiative, know your field, and have some creative thoughts.

Include Intellectual Merit and Broader Impact criteria

Read the program solicitation so you know what “Intellectual Merit” and “Broader Impacts” mean to the NSF, and show that your proposed research meets those criteria. In particular, do not just make up your own ideas about what “Broader Impacts” means. The NSF has specific lists of activities that constitute Broader Impacts. These criteria are so important that the solicitation even says that “applicants must include separate statements on Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts in their written statements [… and] should include headings for Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts in their statements.”

Write for a reader who is outside of your field and short on attention

It’s more important that all the members of your panel understand your work than that you impress the one member of the panel who happens to be in your field. When you write a paper or a grant, it will probably be minutely reviewed by people in your exact field. However, your panel for the NSF GRFP will likely not be in your field, and your application will be one of many they read. They may very well miss points in your proposal that you think are “subtle” or “implicit.” Explicitly state what you’re doing and why, and make it clear even to someone who doesn’t know your field, and who is fatigued from reading many applications.

Lay out concrete hypotheses, approaches, and outcomes

Strong research proposals say what motivates the project, how the project will get done, and what the project’s outcome will mean with respect to the motivating scientific question. In the life sciences, scientists often label their hypotheses or objectives as “specific aims”.

When discussing research approach and outcomes, make it clear that the project has a clear endpoint that is well within the timeline of a PhD. It’s great if your project leads into a lifelong line of research, but the NSF GRFP only funds graduate study. To win the Fellowship, the proposed research should be able to be completed within a few years.

As best you can, describe concrete outcomes. Will you discover a protein? Will you have designed a certain tool? Having a concrete outcome can help you show how your research will meet the Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts criteria, by saying, “Once I have thing X in hand, Y will be intellectually possible or will have Z effect on society.”

Your research proposal will be judged, in part, on the basis of whether or not the panel members believe you will actually be able to carry it out. It might therefore be wise to name the key resources in your target institution and program. Your success as a graduate student will depend on your advisor’s mentorship, the opportunity for collaboration with other scientists, and the resources that you will have at your target institution. Make it clear that you will have the right equipment and intellectual input that you will need to solve your problem. (Again, this is not because you’ll be expected to actually complete this research. Rather, the goal is to demonstrate your resourcefulness, and the likelihood that you’ll excel as a researcher in general.)

Resources and Annotated Examples

Annotated example 1.

This is a research statement that was part of an MIT BE graduate student’s successful NSF GRFP application. 4 MB

Annotated Example 2

This is a research statement that was part of an MIT BE graduate student’s successful NSF GRFP application. 1 MB

/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="nsf grfp research proposal format"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Nsf grfp: craft your competitive proposal for 2024.

August 12, 2024

The Graduate School is hosting a series of sessions to help graduate students craft effective proposals for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) as applications are due in October.

A GRFP overview session will be held via Zoom on Friday, Sept. 6 from 10-11 a.m. and will provide general information about the program. The session will also feature a panel of current fellows who will speak about their successful application processes and answer questions.

Later in September, there will be two in-person, peer review sessions for those interested in more hands-on assistance. Students working on their proposals will sign up for time slots with current GRFP awardees, and Graduate Writing Service editors and tutors and English Language Support Office tutors will be available to offer support as well. Sessions on Monday, Sept. 16 will be held from 3-5 p.m., and sessions on Tuesday, Sept. 17 will be held from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. All sessions will take place in 102 Mann Library.

Students who sign up for a time slot should plan to  provide their peer reviewer with a draft of their application materials via email no less than 24 hours before their peer review appointment . In your email to your reviewer, please make sure you introduce yourself and let them know the time slot you are signed up for. We do not anticipate the peer reviewers having time to do an in-depth review of your materials before your appointment, as this is what the appointment is meant for. However, their ability to do an initial read of your materials before your appointment will help make your time with them more productive.

Graduate students interested in additional review are invited to workshop their proposals in one-on-one consultations with Graduate Writing Service tutors. Students are also invited to browse the GRFP proposal library via the   External Fellowship Portal , hosted by the Graduate School, to read past successful proposals while crafting their own. Please note: You must be logged in with your Cornell NetID to access the essays.

2024 GRFP deadlines :

• Chemistry, Geosciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physics, and Astronomy: October 15, 2024
• Life Sciences: October 16, 2024
• Engineering: October 17, 2024
• Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Materials Research;
• Psychology; Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences; STEM Education and Learning: October 18, 2024

An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS. A lock ( Lock Locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

Eligibility: general.

How can I determine if I am eligible to apply to the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)?

How do I determine my Academic Level (1-4)?

At what point in my academic career can I apply to NSF GRFP?

Can I apply if I plan to attend a non-US institution?

Are non-US citizens/permanent 5 residents eligible to apply?

ELIGIBILITY: CURRENT UNDERGRADUATES

I have a Bachelor's degree, but no graduate study yet. I am in the process of applying to graduate school this year. Can I apply to the upcoming NSF GRFP competition, or must I wait until I'm in graduate school?

I will be entering a Master's program next year. Am I eligible to apply to NSF GRFP?

ELIGIBILITY: JOINT BACHELOR'S-MASTER'S DEGREE

How do the eligibility rules apply to joint Bachelor's-Master's degree students?

What does GRFP consider to be a joint Bachelor's-Master's program?

What if I previously applied in the fourth year of my joint Bachelor's-Master's program? Under the one-time rule for graduate applicants, am I still eligible to apply in the final year of my joint Bachelor's-Master's program?

What if I previously applied in the final year of my joint Bachelor's-Master's program? Under the one-time rule for graduate student applicants, am I still eligible to apply in the first year of my Ph.D. program?

What if I previously earned a joint Bachelor's-Master's degree?

ELIGIBILITY: CURRENT GRADUATE STUDENTS

I am currently a beginning graduate student. When can I apply to NSF GRFP?

I enrolled in a graduate program earlier than Fall of the application year (i.e., Winter, Spring, or Summer semester), so I will have completed at least one semester's worth of graduate study by this year's application deadline in October. How does that affect my eligibility?

I applied last year as an undergraduate. I am now in graduate school, am I eligible to apply again?

I applied last year as a first-year graduate student. I have changed fields, or the degree type I am pursuing, this year and I am in the first year of a different graduate program. Am I eligible to apply this year?

I am a second-year graduate student and completed one academic year of a graduate program last year. However, before my current graduate program I took several additional graduate courses after my Bachelor's degree. Am I still eligible?

If I apply as a first-year graduate student for this year's competition, will I be able to apply as a second-year graduate student for next year's competition?

I am in the 1st year of my Ph.D. program, I previously earned a Master's degree, am I still eligible?

I am in the beginning of the second year of my graduate program. My transcript shows that I registered for research hours the summer before my first year in the graduate program. Am I still eligible?

ELIGIBILITY: PREVIOUS GRADUATE STUDY

I have completed more than one academic year of graduate study. Are there any circumstances in which I could be eligible?

I hold a Master's degree and plan to return to graduate school after an interruption of longer than two years. Can I enroll in another Master's program?

I completed a Master's degree in less than 12 months, with no additional graduate study after that. Am I still eligible?

I have been working for several years since getting my doctoral degree and would like to go back to graduate school in another field. Can this count as an "interruption" in graduate study, for the purposes of applying to NSF GRFP?

I took some graduate-level courses after finishing my undergraduate program, but they were not part of a degree program. Do they count as "graduate study" for the NSF GRFP?

My job required me to take some continuing education credits for a professional credential and these continuing education credits were at the graduate level. Do these count towards the limit of allowed graduate study?

ELIGIBILITY: FIELD OF STUDY

How can I find out if my specific research topic is eligible?

What are the new subfields for Geosciences and how do I add one of these to my field of study in the application module?

I am enrolled in a clinical psychology program. Am I eligible?

I am enrolled in a biology program, and I am conducting biomedical research. Am I eligible?

Are there any restrictions on the type of research that NSF GRFP will support?

I am enrolled in a bioengineering program and my research will involve applications that aid people with disabilities. Am I eligible?

What is Other or Interdisciplinary used for when selecting Field of Study?

What are the high priority research areas mentioned in the NSF GRFP Solicitation?

I am changing fields of study. Does NSF consider that to be an extenuating circumstance that would merit an exception to the limit on previous graduate study?

Can I accept the Fellowship but change the field of study? Can I accept the Fellowship but change the degree program?

ELIGIBILITY: ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

Can I apply to NSF GRFP and wait to apply to graduate school in a future year, if I am offered a Fellowship?

If I apply for the NSF GRFP this year and I am not offered a Fellowship can I re-apply?

Can I apply for the NSF GRFP if I do not know where I will be attending graduate school? I don't know if I will be accepted by the program of my choice so the research I plan to conduct may change.

What if I am offered a Fellowship, but change my mind and decide to put off enrolling in graduate school? Can I defer the Fellowship?

Who is NOT eligible to apply to the NSF GRFP?

Do you have additional questions about eligibility?

MERIT REVIEW CRITERIA

What are NSF's Merit Review Criteria for the NSF GRFP?

What counts as evidence of Intellectual Merit?

How are Broader Impacts defined by NSF?

How much weight is given to Intellectual Merit versus Broader Impacts when applications are reviewed? Must I address each of these Criteria in each of my statements?

NSF GRFP FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION DOCUMENT UPLOAD

What format is required by the GRFP Application Module for uploading documents?

What are the PDF upload document formatting and compliance requirements?

Why is there a margin error for my PDF? My margins are set to one inch.

Why do I receive a font error upon document upload when the font was set to an acceptable font type and size using "Select All"?

What should I consider if I include images in my statement files?

What other known issues should I be aware of regarding unallowable fonts when exporting a file to PDF?

How do I check to see if all my documents have been submitted?

Can I email a part of the application if it does not load before the deadline?

If my deadline has passed, can I submit it with another FOS?

Can a reference writer submit the letter of support via email after the deadline?

My module was not working and therefore I missed the deadline, where do I go from here?

Fastlane never answered my request before the deadline and I could not submit it, how do I submit it now that the date has passed?

TRANSCRIPTS

Are transcripts required?

Do the transcripts uploaded with my application need to be official transcripts?

My school doesn't give electronic transcripts. How do I include transcripts in my application?

I just started at my current institution and do not have a transcript. What can I do?

My school offers official electronic transcripts that require the recipient to login and download the transcript. May I list the NSF GRFP's contact information, and have the NSF GRFP download the transcript and add it to my application?

My school's official electronic transcripts are password protected. Can I still submit them?

I receive an error when uploading my transcript file.

I have attended several schools. Do I need to list all of them and upload all of the transcripts?

APPLICATION

Are GRE scores required for the NSF GRFP application?

Can I include links with supplemental material, such as papers, videos, etc. for reviewers to consider?

Can I obtain copies of past applications or statements from previously awarded applications?

Will my application be reviewed if I submit it right after the deadline?

How should I select my Major Field of Study?

My intended study is interdisciplinary, so I will select multiple fields for my application. Will my application be reviewed by reviewers drawn from these multiple fields?

STATEMENT FORMATTING

What are the formatting requirements for the statements?

What are the page limits for the statements?

Do I need to put my name, applicant ID or other identifying information on the statements?

Should I put my name, the statement title, and page numbers in the margins on the statements?

Can I use a smaller font for figures and tables?

For the Graduate Research Plan Statement, can I put my references on a third page?

Must my Graduate Research Plan Statement have a reference section?

When I upload my statement in the NSF GRFP Application Module, there is an additional blank page at the end, which causes my statement to exceed the page limit. Will my statement be accepted?

Can I use "exactly 11 point" line spacing?

How should I ensure that my application complies with the format requirements and isn't rejected by the GRFP Application Module?

REFERENCE LETTERS

How can I find out if my reference letters have been submitted?

What happens if more than three of my reference letters are submitted?

Can I change the priority rankings for my references?

My reference writer was asked to provide letters for several applicants and other applicants show up on his/her list of applicants, my name does not. How can I ensure that the letter is submitted?

Can reference letters be submitted by email or by physical mail?

My reference writer did not receive the email nominating them to serve as a reference writer or the email containing their temporary password.

I missed the deadline to submit my reference letter, how can I submit it now?

NOTIFICATIONS

When will applicants be notified of the results?

How are notifications sent?

I did not receive a notification. What should I do?

Can I receive additional feedback beyond the comments I received on my reviews?

Can I appeal the results of my application if I was not offered a Fellowship?

Does NSF offer any additional Fellowships after the selection announcements?

Is there a waiting list for NSF GRFP, and if so, how can I be placed on the waiting list?

INFORMATION FOR REFERENCE WRITERS

I am unable to log in using the temporary password I received via email.

I did not receive the email nominating me to serve as a reference writer or the email containing my temporary password.

I was asked to provide letters for several applicants, but one is not showing up on my list of applicants. How can I submit the letter?

What are the format requirements for the letters of reference?

Is there a page limit for letters of reference?

INFORMATION FOR REVIEWERS

How can I become an NSF GRFP Reviewer?

I have served as an NSF GRFP Reviewer before. Do I need to view the training materials and participate in the orientation webinar again?

Are NSF GRFP Reviewers paid?

How will I receive the flat rate fee?

I do not have a PhD, am I eligible to serve as a reviewer?

I am a current postdoc, am I eligible to serve as a reviewer?

Am I eligible to serve if my student is applying or I have written a letter of recommendation for an NSF GRFP applicant?

I work at an institution or organization outside the United States, am I eligible to serve as a reviewer?

See chart below. More information regarding applicant level is at https://nsfgrfp.org/ .

You can apply both before you begin your graduate studies and as an early graduate student. Undergraduates (typically seniors) can apply if they are ready to enroll full-time in a graduate program by the following Fall. Bachelor's degree-holders with no graduate study can apply every year until they enroll in a graduate degree program.

If you did not apply while enrolled in the joint Bachelor's-Master's degree program and continued directly to a doctoral program after completion of the joint degree, you are eligible to apply only as a first-year doctoral student.

As a currently enrolled graduate student, you can apply only once, and only if you have completed no more than one academic year of graduate study as indicated on the Registrar-issued transcript from the university attended as of the application deadline. That means you can apply in your first year or the beginning of the second year of graduate school.

Your graduate status indicated on the Registrar-issued academic transcript will determine your eligibility status at the application deadline. If your transcript indicates more than one academic year of graduate study has been completed, you are not eligible. You must also meet the other eligibility requirements.

IMPORTANT: Graduate status is determined to begin on the date indicated on the Registrar-issued transcript. If your transcript indicates your student status is graduate in the summer before the start of Fall courses, you are considered a graduate student who began graduate study in the summer.

For the 2024 GRFP application there are 16 new GEO subfields:

Coastal marine science Coastal studies Ocean technology (ROVs, AUVs, sensors) Geoinformatics Paleooceanography Earth System Science Heliospheric Physics Ionospheric Physics Space Weather Geochronology Marine Ecology Volcanology Environmental Science Geology Remote Sensing Sea Ice

NSF does not fund research for which the goals are directly human disease- or health-related, including the etiology, diagnosis, and/or treatment of disease or disorder is not eligible for support. See section IV.3 of the NSF GRFP Solicitation for detail explanation.

GRFP applications are reviewed in the first Major Field of Study selected and assigned to reviewers with expertise in the subfields listed in the solicitation. "Other" indicates a subfield not included in the list, thus there may not be reviewers with corresponding expertise. Applications indicating "Other" subfields will be randomly assigned to reviewers in the Major Field of Study.

The "Interdisciplinary" designation is collected solely for informational purposes and applications marked "Interdisciplinary" will not be reviewed by experts in all the fields selected.

Only if you meet eligibility requirements for the active competition.

• Individuals who are not U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents are not eligible. Foreign nationals who are in the U.S. on a student visa and those awaiting green cards are not eligible.
• Individuals who do not intend to enroll or be enrolled in a research-based graduate degree program at a non-profit 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, in an eligible Field of Study in STEM or STEM education (see Appendix and Section IV.3 in the NSF GRFP Solicitation for eligible Fields of Study) by Fall of the year Fellowship is offered, are not eligible.
• Individuals who have previously accepted an NSF GRFP offer are not eligible.
• Individuals who were offered the Fellowship and did not notify NSF of their intention to accept or decline the fellowship by the published deadline for accepting the fellowship are not eligible.
• Individuals who have previously applied while enrolled in a degree-granting graduate program are not eligible.
• Individuals who have earned a doctoral or terminal degree in any field are not eligible.
• Individuals who are current NSF employees are not eligible.
• Individuals who 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 are not eligible. Ineligible degree programs include, but are not limited to, MBA, MPH, MSW, JD, MD, DVM, PharmD, and DDS.
• Individuals who plan to enroll in a joint science-professional degree program (such as an MD/Ph.D. or JD/Ph.D.) even if they are proposing to use the GRFP only for the Ph.D. part of their program are not eligible. Additionally, applicants who are enrolled, or plan to enroll, in a graduate degree program while on a leave of absence from a professional degree program or professional degree-graduate degree joint program are not eligible.

The official NSF GRFP eligibility guidelines are published in the NSF GRFP Solicitation . Read the eligibility criteria thoroughly to ensure you, your field of study, proposed degree program, and proposed research are all eligible.

Reviewers evaluating applications submitted to the Graduate Research Fellowship Program may consider the following with respect to the Intellectual Merit Criterion:

What is the potential for the proposed activity to:

• Advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and
• Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?
• To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?
• Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rationale? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success?
• How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to conduct the proposed activities?
• Are there adequate resources available to the applicant (either at the home organization or through collaborations) to carry out the proposed activities?

Broader impacts may be accomplished through the research itself, through the activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or through activities that are supported by, but are complementary to, the project. NSF values the advancement of scientific knowledge and activities that contribute to achievement of societally relevant outcomes.

Both Criteria are to be given full consideration during the review and decision-making processes; each Criterion is necessary but neither, by itself, is sufficient. Therefore, applicants must fully address both Criteria in each statement.

Applicants are reviewed on their demonstrated potential to advance knowledge and to make significant research achievements and contributions to their fields throughout their careers. Reviewers are asked to assess applications using a holistic, comprehensive approach, giving balanced consideration to all components of the application, including the educational and research record, leadership, outreach, service activities, and future plans, as well as individual competencies, experiences, and other attributes. The aim is to recruit and retain a diverse cohort of early-career individuals with high potential for future achievements, contributions, and broader impacts in STEM and STEM education.

All application documents must be uploaded in PDF format. These documents include:

• Transcripts
• Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement
• Graduate Research Plan Statement
• Reference Letters

PDF-compatible templates for both Personal Statement and Graduate Research Plan are available at https://nsfgrfp.org/ .

• Times New Roman font for text, Cambria Math for equations, Symbol font for non-alphabetic characters (it is recommended that equations and symbols be inserted as an image)
• Font size 11-pt or higher (except text that is part of an image)
• No less than single spacing (approximately six lines of text within a vertical space of one inch)
• 1" margins on all sides, no text inside 1" margins (no header, footer, name, or page number)
• Standard letter paper size (8.5" by 11")
• File cannot be a scanned image
• File size cannot exceed 10 MB
• File cannot be password protected
• File cannot be empty
• Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement cannot exceed 3 pages
• Graduate Research Plan Statement cannot exceed 2 pages

Reference letters and transcripts must conform to the following requirements:

• File cannot be password protected or encrypted
• Reference letter cannot exceed 2 pages

Some potential root causes may be:

• Remove page numbers: Be sure that the document has no text in the header or footer including page numbers.
• Review inserted images or shapes: Margins can be set to one inch, but a stray image or shape can violate the margin rule. Setting the margin rule to one inch would not automatically correct the images or shapes within margins.

It may be due to the word processor used to export files to PDF.

For Microsoft Office, "Select All" will not include inserted images, shapes, and numbered lists or bullets. Each object will have its own font and those would have to be updated to accepted fonts and sizes. Be mindful of images inserted into shapes, as each image and shape can have its own font type.

• OpenOffice inserts an unallowable font for superscript and subscript.
• Google Docs may not properly export bulleted text and should not be used.
• Certain LaTeX-generated PDF elements are not yet supported. If using LaTeX, use the function to create a PDF and check to ensure that it is accepted by the GRFP Application Module well in advance of the deadline .
• Microsoft Office for Macs "Save as PDF" functionality "Best for Printing" may not be supported. Instead, select the "Best for electronic distribution and accessibility (uses Microsoft online service)" option.
• Older versions of Microsoft Word (2007 or earlier) may produce font errors.
• For Microsoft Office, do not use "Print as PDF" to create a PDF. Instead, use "Export" and "Create PDF."

If you just started at your current institution, you can upload an unofficial transcript, a class schedule, or enrollment verification form from your school showing the courses for which you are registered. It is helpful if the document you upload shows what courses you are taking in the fall as it gives reviewers some information about your coursework.

No. The only application content that is considered by reviewers is what is submitted via the NSF GRFP Application Module by the application deadline. Do not submit any other material. Nothing will be accepted via email.

Select the Major Field of Study and the subfield that is closest to your research interests. If the subfield is not listed, it may not be eligible for NSF GRFP.

No. Your application will be reviewed in the Major Field of Study that you select. Check the list of eligible Fields of Study and the subfields in the NSF GRFP Solicitation Appendix and choose as your Major Field of Study the one that you consider most compatible with your research interests. Your reviewers will be drawn from experts within that field. You can consult your advisor(s) for input about this decision.

We strongly recommend using the templates for both Personal Statement and Graduate Research Plan available at https://nsfgrfp.org/ to ensure the statements will be format-compliant.

See templates available at https://nsfgrfp.org/ .

The statements must be written using:

• Standard 8.5" x 11"-page size
• Times New Roman font for all text, Cambria Math font for equations, Symbol font for non-alphabetic characters (it is recommended that equations and symbols be inserted as an image)
• 11-point or higher font, except text that is part of an image
• No less than single spacing (approximately 6 lines per inch). Do not use line spacing options such as "exactly 11-point," that are less than single spaced.

Compliance with these requirements will be automatically checked by the GRFP Application Module. If your documents are not compliant, they will not be accepted by the NSF GRFP Application Module.

We strongly recommend using the templates available at https://nsfgrfp.org/ .

No. All reference letters must be submitted online through the NSF GRFP Application Module. If you need assistance with the reference letter submission process, please contact the NSF Help Desk at [email protected] or 1-800-673-6188.

There are a few reasons that your reference writer may not have received the email nominating them as a reference writer. Please check the following if this occurs:

• Ensure you have initiated sending the email . When adding your reference writer to your application, you must hit the "Send Email" link on the References Screen to send the email notification to the reference writer.
• Check the reference writer's email address . Check to ensure that the email address you have entered for the reference writer is accurate. An exact email address is crucial to matching the reference writer and the applicant in the NSF GRFP Application Module. If there is a typo or you need to change the email address, you can choose to edit the reference writer record (either from your unsubmitted application or from the Manage References link in the NSF GRFP Application Module). After editing the reference writer email address, the "Send Email" link will reappear on the references screen, allowing you to re-send the nomination email.
• Check spam folders . Ask your reference writer to check their spam or junk folder to ensure that the email did not get sent to one of those folders inadvertently.
• Ask your reference writer for an alternate email addres s. It is possible that the email domain used by your reference writer is rejecting the email and not allowing delivery. In this case, request an alternate email from your reference writer to be used for this purpose. You can then edit the email address and use the "Send Email" link that appears to re-send the nomination email.
• If you have confirmed that the email address entered for the reference is accurate but they have not received the request, you must delete the reference and add it again .
• Ensure that the reference writer is not forwarding their email to another account. NSF emails might not be forwarded from the email address that is in the Application Module.

If you have received your temporary password and are unable to log in to the NSF GRFP Reference Writer Module, check the following:

• Check your email address . Check to confirm you are trying to log in using the same email address entered for you by the applicant. The email address provided by the applicant can be found in the body of the email you received with your temporary password. An exact email address is crucial to matching the reference writer and the applicant in the NSF GRFP Application Module.
• Check the temporary password . Record the temporary password and type it into the module manually rather than copying and pasting.
• Ensure you are using the most recent Temporary Password received . Occasionally, a user will inadvertently select "Create A Password" multiple times. If this occurs, use the temporary password in the most recent email you received.

There are a few reasons that you may not have received the email nominating you as a reference writer. Please check the following if this occurs:

• Confirm your email address with the applicant . Check to ensure that the email address the applicant entered for you is accurate. If there is a typo or if they need to change the email address, the applicant can edit the reference writer record in their application and have the nomination email resent to you. An exact email address is crucial to matching the reference writer and the applicant in the NSF GRFP Application Module.
• Check spam folders . Check your spam or junk folder to ensure that the email did not get sent to one of those folders inadvertently.
• Use an alternate email address . It is possible that your email domain is rejecting the email and not allowing delivery. In this case, provide an alternate email address to the applicant and they will be able to edit your reference writer record in their application and re-send the nomination email

The letter must be a PDF and adhere to the following requirements:

• Letter must be signed
• Use institutional or professional letterhead, if possible
• 2-page limit, standard 8.5" x 11" page size
• Times New Roman, 11-point font in the body of the letter
• Name and title of reference writer
• Department and institution or organization

No. All reference letters must be submitted online through the NSF GRFP Module. If you need assistance with the reference letter submission process, please contact the NSF Help Desk at [email protected] or 1-800-673-6188.

An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS. A lock ( Lock Locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Archived funding opportunity

Nsf 23-605: graduate research fellowship program (grfp), program solicitation, document information, document history.

• Posted: July 18, 2023
• Replaces: NSF 22-614
• Replaced by: NSF 24-591

Program Solicitation NSF 23-605

Application Deadline(s) (received by 5 p.m. local time of applicant’s mailing address):

     October 16, 2023

Life Sciences

     October 17, 2023

Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Materials Research, Psychology, Social Sciences, STEM Education and Learning

     October 19, 2023

Engineering

     October 20, 2023

Chemistry, Geosciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physics and Astronomy

Important Information And Revision Notes

• This solicitation covers the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 competition.
• Applicants must use the Research.gov/GRFP site ( https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do ) to register in Research.gov and submit their applications through the GRFP Application Module. Do not send application materials outside of the GRFP Application Module.
• Applications are due on the deadline date at 5:00 p.m. local time of the applicant’s mailing address.
• Currently enrolled second-year graduate students are strongly advised to provide official Registrar-issued transcripts as part of their application.
• NSF will continue to emphasize high priority research in alignment with the priorities laid out in pages 127-128 of the FY2024 budget https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/budget_fy2024.pdf
• Portions of the eligibility criteria have been rewritten for clarity.
• Reference letter writers must use the Research.gov/GRFP site ( https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do ) to register in Research.gov and submit reference letters through the Reference Letter System. Reference letters are due October 27 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
• Applicants and reference letter writers requiring accessibility accommodation are asked to notify the GRF Operations Center at least four weeks before the deadline to coordinate assistance with NSF in submitting the application or reference letter.

Summary Of Program Requirements

General information.

Program Title:

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the quality, vitality, and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time research-based master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education. The GRFP provides three years of support over a five-year fellowship period for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements in STEM or STEM education. NSF actively encourages submission of applications from the full spectrum of diverse talent in STEM. NSF GRFP was established to recruit and support individuals who demonstrate the potential to make significant contributions in STEM. Thus, NSF especially encourages applications from undergraduate seniors and Bachelor's degree-holders interested in pursuing research-based graduate study in STEM. First- and second-year graduate students in eligible STEM fields and degree programs are also encouraged to apply.

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.

Contact: GRF Operations Center, telephone: (866) 673-4737, email: [email protected]

• 47.041 --- Engineering
• 47.049 --- Mathematical and Physical Sciences
• 47.050 --- Geosciences
• 47.070 --- Computer and Information Science and Engineering
• 47.074 --- Biological Sciences
• 47.075 --- Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences
• 47.076 --- STEM Education
• 47.079 --- Office of International Science and Engineering
• 47.083 --- Office of Integrative Activities (OIA)
• 47.084 --- NSF Technology, Innovation and Partnerships

Award Information

Anticipated Type of Award:

Estimated Number of Awards: 2,500

NSF will support at least 2,500 new Graduate Research Fellowships per fiscal year under this program solicitation pending availability of funds.

Anticipated Funding Amount: $159,000

Per award (Fellowship), pending the availability of funds.

Each Fellowship provides three years of support over a five-year fellowship period. For each of the three years of support, NSF provides a $37,000 stipend and $16,000 cost of education allowance to the graduate degree-granting institution of higher education for each Fellow who uses the support in a fellowship year. The Fellowship is portable and can be transferred to a different institution of higher education if a Fellow chooses to transfer to another institution after completion of the first Fellowship year. While the Fellowship is offered to the individual, the Fellowship funds are awarded to the institution of higher education at which a Fellow is enrolled and the institution is responsible for disbursement of the stipend to the Fellow.

Eligibility Information

Organization Limit:

Fellowship applications must be submitted by the prospective Fellow. Applicants must use the GRFP application module in Research.gov ( https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do ) to submit the application. Confirmation of acceptance in a graduate degree program in STEM or STEM education is required at the time of Fellowship acceptance, no later than the deadline indicated in the fellowship offer letter, of the year the Fellowship is accepted. Prospective Fellows must enroll in a non-profit 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 the Fellowship is accepted. All Fellows from the date of Fellowship Start through Completion or Termination of the Fellowship must be enrolled in a graduate degree-granting 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.

See the Detailed Eligibility Requirements in Section IV for full information. Eligibility is based on the applicant's status at the application deadline. Applicants must self-certify that they are eligible to receive the Fellowship. To be eligible, an applicant must meet all of the following eligibility criteria at the application deadline: Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident Intend to enroll or be enrolled full-time in a research-based Master's or doctoral 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 completed no more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) while enrolled in a graduate degree program Never previously accepted a Graduate Research Fellowship Declined any previously offered Graduate Research Fellowship by the acceptance deadline Never previously applied to GRFP while enrolled in a graduate degree program Never earned a doctoral or terminal degree in any field Individuals holding joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees who did not progress directly to a doctoral program the semester following award of the joint degree must apply as returning graduate students (see below) Individuals with prior graduate enrollment who have: (i) completed more than one academic year in any graduate degree-granting program, (ii) earned a previous master's degree of any kind (including Bachelor's-Master's degree), or (iii) earned a professional degree must meet the following requirements: not enrolled in a graduate degree program at application deadline two or more consecutive years past graduate degree enrollment or completion at the application deadline Not be a current NSF employee Number of Times An Individual May Apply Undergraduate seniors and Bachelor's degree holders who have never enrolled in a graduate degree program have no restrictions on the number of times they can apply before enrolling in a degree-granting graduate program. Currently enrolled graduate students who have completed no more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) while enrolled in a graduate degree program can apply only once . Non-degree coursework does not count toward the one academic year limit. Individuals applying while enrolled in a joint Bachelor's-Master's degree program are considered graduate students who: i) must have completed three (3) years in the joint program, and; ii) are limited to one application to GRFP; they will not be eligible to apply again as doctoral students. For GRFP, joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees are defined as degrees concurrently pursued and awarded . Individuals holding joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees, currently enrolled as first-year doctoral students, who (i) have not previously applied as graduate students and (ii) enrolled in the doctoral program the semester following award of the joint degree, may only apply in the first year of the doctoral program. 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 do not count toward the one-time graduate application limit.

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 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:

NSF GRFP awards are made to the institution of higher education at which a Fellow is or will be enrolled. The awardee institution is responsible for financial management of the award and disbursement of Fellowship funds to the individual Fellow. The institution will administer the awards, including any amendments, in accordance with the terms of the Agreement and provisions (and any subsequent amendments) contained in the document NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials . All Fellowships are subject to the provisions (and any subsequent amendments) contained in the document 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 the deadline specified in the notification sent by email 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 over a five-year period are provided for graduate study that leads to a research-based master's or doctoral degree in STEM or STEM education (see eligible Fields of Study in Appendix).

The program goals are: 1) to select, recognize, and financially support early-career individuals with the demonstrated potential to be high achieving scientists and engineers, and 2) to broaden participation of the full spectrum of diverse talents in STEM. NSF actively encourages submission of applications from the full spectrum of diverse talent in STEM.

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 research-based master's or doctoral program, or be enrolled in such a program by fall of the year the Fellowship is accepted. From the date of the Fellowship Start through Completion or Termination of the Fellowship, applicants accepting the award (Fellows) must be enrolled in an accredited graduate degree-granting institution of higher education having a campus located in the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

In FY2024, NSF will continue to fund outstanding Graduate Research Fellowships in all areas of science and engineering supported by NSF and continue to emphasize high priority research areas in alignment with NSF goals and priorities listed in pages 127-128 of the FY2024 budget ( https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/budget_fy2024.pdf ). Applications are encouraged in all disciplines supported by NSF.

III. Award Information

Fellowship funding will be for a maximum of three years of financial support (in 12-month allocations, starting in fall or summer) usable over a five-year fellowship period. The anticipated announcement date for the Fellowship awards is early April each year.

The Fellowship is portable and can be transferred to a different institution of higher education if a Fellow chooses to transfer to another institution after completion of the first Fellowship year. While the Fellowship is offered to the individual, the Fellowship funds are awarded to the institution at which a Fellow is enrolled and is considered the official NSF awardee institution. The awardee institution receives up to a $53,000 award per Fellow who uses the support in a fellowship year. The awardee institution is responsible for disbursement of fellowship funds to the Fellow. The Graduate Research Fellowship stipend is $37,000 for a 12-month tenure period, prorated in whole month increments of $3,083. The Cost of Education allowance provides payment in lieu of tuition and mandatory fees to the institution of $16,000 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). Acceptance of fellowship funds by the awardee institution indicates acceptance of and adherence to these and other terms and conditions of the NSF GRFP award. 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 Chapter VI of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) ( NSF 23-1 ).

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 Chapter II.F of the PAPPG . 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.

Career-Life Balance Supplemental Funding Requests (Dear Colleague Letter NSF 21-021 ) can be requested by the awardee institution to provide additional personnel (e.g., technician) to sustain the research of Fellows on approved medical leave due to family leave situations.

Fellows are eligible to apply for non-academic INTERN supplements following guidance specific to GRFP.

Honorable Mention

The NSF accords Honorable Mention to meritorious applicants who do not receive Fellowship offers. This is considered a significant national academic achievement.

IV. Eligibility Information

Applicant Eligibility:

Limit on Number of Applications per Applicant: 1

Additional Eligibility Info:

Eligibility is based on the applicant's status at the application deadline. Detailed Eligibility Requirements: Described in detail below are the eligibility requirements for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program: (1) citizenship, (2) degree requirements, and (3) field of study, degree programs, and proposed research. Applicants are strongly advised to read the entire program solicitation carefully to ensure that they understand all the eligibility requirements. Applicants must self-certify that they meet all eligibility criteria. 1. Citizenship Applicants must be United States citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States by the application deadline. The term "national" designates a native resident of a commonwealth or territory of the United States. It does not refer to a citizen of another country who has applied for United States citizenship and who has not received U.S. citizenship by the application deadline, nor does it refer to an individual present in the U.S. on any type of visa. 2. Degree Requirements Applicants are eligible to apply: 1) as current undergraduates, or Bachelor's degree holders who have never enrolled in a degree-granting graduate program, and who will be prepared to attend graduate school in fall of the award year; 2) as current graduate students who have not completed more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) of any degree-granting graduate program; or 3) as returning graduate students who are not currently enrolled and who have had an interruption of at least two consecutive years in graduate study since their most recent enrollment in any graduate degree-granting program, regardless of whether the degree was completed or awarded. Below are detailed guidelines to determine eligibility: a) Applicants not currently enrolled in a graduate degree program, with no prior enrollment in a graduate degree-granting program (including joint Bachelor's-Master's programs): With no prior graduate degree program enrollment Undergraduate students on track to receive a Bachelor's degree by the fall of the year following the application (e.g., senior or final year of Bachelor's degree) and Bachelor's degree holders never enrolled in a graduate degree program can apply an unlimited number of times prior to enrolling in a graduate degree program. They must be prepared to enroll in a full-time graduate degree program by fall of the year they are offered a Graduate Research Fellowship. With one year or less of prior graduate degree-granting program enrollment Applicants must not have completed more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) of graduate study as indicated in the academic transcript issued by the Registrar of 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 (according to institution's academic calendar) of graduate study or earned a previous Master's 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. b) Applicants pursuing a Master's degree concurrently with a Bachelor's degree (joint Bachelor's-Master's degree program in which both degrees are awarded at the same time as indicated on the transcript): Individuals applying while enrolled in a joint Bachelor's-Master's degree program are considered graduate students, who: 1) must have completed three years in the joint program, and; ii) are limited to one application to GRFP; they will not be eligible to apply again as doctoral students. 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 only apply in the first year of the doctoral program. Individuals holding joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees who did not progress directly to a doctoral program the semester following award of the joint degree must apply as returning graduate students (see above). c) Applicants currently enrolled in a graduate degree program: Applicants must not have completed more than one academic year of graduate study as indicated in the academic transcript issued by the Registrar of the universities attended, as of the application deadline. Participation in non-degree summer activities PRIOR TO graduate status as indicated in the academic transcript issued by the Registrar before the start of the fall graduate program is not included in this total. Graduate status is understood to begin on the date indicated on the Registrar-issued transcript and ALL activities after that date will be considered graduate activities. Second-year graduate students are strongly advised to include official Registrar-issued transcripts with their application. If the transcript does not clearly indicate the start date of graduate status, applicants are strongly advised to include documents from the Registrar confirming the start of their graduate status. Graduate coursework taken without being enrolled in a graduate degree-granting program is not counted in this limit. 3. Field of Study, Degree Programs, and Proposed Research 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, in eligible Fields of Study listed below: Chemistry Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering Engineering Geosciences Life Sciences Materials Research Mathematical Sciences Physics & Astronomy Psychology Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences STEM Education and Learning Research A complete list of eligible Major Fields of Study and their subfields are listed in the Appendix. If awarded, Fellows must enroll in a graduate degree program consistent with the Major Field of Study proposed in their application. A fellowship will not be awarded in a different Major Field of Study from that indicated in the application. Only research-based Master's and doctoral degrees in STEM or STEM education are eligible for GRFP support. Professional degree programs and graduate programs that are primarily course-based with no thesis are ineligible for GRFP support. Within eligible fields of study, there are ineligible areas of study and ineligible areas of proposed research. See below for ineligible areas of study and proposed research. Applications determined to be ineligible will not be reviewed. a) Ineligible degree programs 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 not eligible. 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 not eligible. b) Ineligible areas of study 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 pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic, and behavioral interventions for disease or disorder prevention, prophylaxis, diagnosis, therapy, or treatment. Research to provide evidence leading to a scientific basis for consideration of a change in health policy or standard of care is not eligible. Graduate study focused on community, public, or global health, or other population-based research including medical intervention trials is also not eligible. c) Ineligible proposed research (i) Research for which the goals are directly human disease- or health-related, including the etiology, diagnosis, and/or treatment of disease or disorder is not eligible for support. Research activities using animal models of disease, for developing or testing of drugs or other procedures for treatment of disease or disorder are not eligible. (ii) Research 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. (iii) Research with implications that inform policy is eligible. Research with the expressed intent to influence, advocate for, or effect specific policy outcomes is not eligible. d) Limited exceptions to ineligible proposed research (i) 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 or disorder, 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. (ii) Certain areas of materials research directed at development of materials for use in biological or biomedical systems are eligible, provided they are focused on furthering fundamental materials research. (iii) Certain areas of research with etiology-, diagnosis-, or treatment-related goals that advance fundamental knowledge in engineering, mathematical, physical, computer or information sciences, are eligible for support. Applicants are advised to consult a faculty member, academic advisor, mentor, or other advisor for guidance on preparation of their research plans, and selection of Major Fields of Study and subfields.

V. Application Preparation And Submission Instructions

Fellowship applications must be submitted online using the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Application Module at https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/Login.do according to the deadline corresponding with the Field of Study selected in the application .

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 not be reviewed . Applications submitted to a Field of Study deadline not in alignment with the proposed research plan will not be reviewed.

All reference letters must be submitted online by the reference writers through the GRFP Application Module ( https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/Login.do ) and must be received by the reference letter deadline (see Application Preparation and Submission Instructions/C. Due Dates of this Solicitation), of 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Reference letter writers cannot be family members of the applicant. Applicants are required to provide the name and contact information for three (3) reference writers from non-family members. Up to five (5) potential reference letter writers can be provided. Two reference letters from non-family members must be received by the reference letter deadline applications to be reviewed. If fewer than two reference letters (one or none) are received by the reference letter deadline, the application will not be reviewed.

Applicants must submit the following information through the GRFP Application Module: Personal Information; Education, Work and Other Experience; Transcript PDFs; 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 PDF; and Graduate Research Plan Statement PDF.

Only the information required in the GRFP Application Module will be reviewed. No additional items or information will be accepted or reviewed. Do not provide links to web pages within the application, except as part of citations in the References Cited section. 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. Do not email application materials.

Applicants must follow the instructions in the GRFP Application Module for completing each section of the application. The statements must be written using the following guidelines:

• standard 8.5" x 11" page size
• 11 point or higher font, except text that is part of an image
• Times New Roman font for all text, Cambria Math font for equations, Symbol font for non-alphabetic characters (it is recommended that equations and symbols be inserted as an image)
• 1" margins on all sides, no text inside 1" margins (no header, footer, name, or page number)
• No less than single-spacing (approximately 6 lines per inch)
• Do not use line spacing options such as “exactly 11 point,” that are less than single spaced
• PDF file format only

Compliance with these guidelines will be automatically checked by the GRFP Application Module. Documents that are not compliant will not be accepted by the GRFP Application Module. Applicants are strongly advised to proofread and upload their documents early to ensure they are format-compliant and that non-compliant documents do not delay upload of the complete application for receipt by the deadline. Applications that are not compliant with these format requirements will not be reviewed.

The maximum length of the Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement is three (3) pages (PDF). The maximum length of the Graduate Research Plan Statement is two (2) pages (PDF). 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). " Intellectual Merit" and "Broader Impacts" sections must be present under separate headings in both Personal and Research Plan statements. Applications that do not have separate headings for Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts will not be reviewed.

In the application, applicants must list their undergraduate 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 degree-granting programs listed. Transcripts may be included for all other institutions listed in the Education section. 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 uploaded 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 as a PDF to be accepted by the GRFP Application Module. Transcripts must not be encrypted; 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 and does not show that the Bachelor's and Master's degrees were conferred on the same date, 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 not being reviewed.

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 not be reviewed. Applicants are advised to submit applications early to avoid unanticipated delays on the deadline dates.

Reference Letters Reference writers cannot be family members of the applicant. Applicants are required to provide the name and contact information for three (3) reference writers from non-family members. Up to five (5) potential reference letter writers can be provided. Two reference letters from non-family members must be received by the reference letter deadline for an application to be reviewed. If fewer than two reference letters (one or none) are received by the reference letter deadline, the application will not be reviewed.

No changes to the list of reference writers are allowed after the application is submitted. Applicants are strongly advised to check the accuracy of email addresses provided for reference writers before submitting their application.

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 (PDF). 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 letters according to ranked preference 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. Reference writers will not be notified of the ranked preference for review provided by the applicant.

To avoid disqualifying an application, reference writers should upload the letter well in advance of the 5:00 p.m. ET deadline . No letters will be accepted via email. Letter writers will receive a confirmation email after successful upload via the GRFP Application Module.

For technical assistance with letter upload: NSF Help Desk: [email protected] ; 1-800-381-1532

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 upload their letters through the GRFP Application Module. Reference letter requirements include:

• Institutional or professional letterhead, if available
• SIGNED by the reference writer, including the name, professional title, department, and institution
• Two (2) page limit (PDF file format)
• Standard 8.5" x 11" page size
• 11-point or higher Times New Roman font and 1" margins on all sides
• Single spaced using normal (100%) single-line spacing

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 1-800-381-1532 or e-mail [email protected] .

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 Major Field of Study designated in the application. Applications will be reviewed by experts in the first Major Field of Study listed. If awarded, Fellows will be required to enroll in a degree program consistent with the Major 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.

Cost Sharing:

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:

NSF awards $53,000 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 $37,000 for a 12-month tenure period, prorated in monthly increments of $3,083. The institutional Cost of Education allowance is $16,000 per tenure year per Fellow.

D. Application Submission Requirements

Applicants are required to prepare and submit all applications for this program solicitation through the GRFP Application Module. Detailed instructions for application preparation and submission are available at: https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do . For user support, call the NSF Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 or e-mail [email protected] . The NSF Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the system. Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this solicitation.

VI. Application Review Information

A. merit review principles and criteria.

Applications are reviewed by disciplinary and interdisciplinary scientists and engineers and other professional graduate education experts. Reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with oversight of the review process. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts of interest with the applicants. Applications are reviewed in broad areas of related disciplines based on the selection of a Field of Study (see Fields of Study in Appendix). Selection of a Major Field of Study determines the application deadline, the broad disciplinary expertise of the reviewers, and the discipline of the graduate degree program if awarded a Fellowship. Applicants are advised to select the Major Field of Study in the GRFP Application Module (see Fields of Study in Appendix) that is most closely aligned with the proposed graduate program of study and research plan. Applicants who select “Other” must provide additional information describing their studies.

Each application will be reviewed independently in accordance with the NSF Merit Review Criteria using all available information in the completed application. In considering applications, reviewers are instructed to address the two Merit Review Criteria as approved by the National Science Board - Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts ( NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide ). Applicants must include separate statements on Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts in their written statements in order to provide reviewers with the information necessary to evaluate the application with respect to both Criteria as detailed below . Applicants should include headings for Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts in their statements.

The following description of the Merit Review Criteria is provided in Chapter III of the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) :

All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science Board approved merit review criteria. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.

The two merit review criteria are listed below. Both criteria are to be given full consideration during the review and decision-making processes; each criterion is necessary but neither, by itself, is sufficient. Therefore, proposers must fully address both criteria. (PAPPG Chapter II.C.2.d.i. contains additional information for use by proposers in development of the Project Description section of the proposal.) Reviewers are strongly encouraged to review the criteria, including PAPPG Chapter II.C.2.d.i., prior to the review of a proposal.

When evaluating NSF proposals, reviewers will be asked to consider what the proposers want to do, why they want to do it, how they plan to do it, how they will know if they succeed, and what benefits could accrue if the project is successful. These issues apply both to the technical aspects of the proposal and the way in which the project may make broader contributions. To that end, reviewers will be asked to evaluate all proposals against two criteria:

• Intellectual Merit : The Intellectual Merit criterion encompasses the potential to advance knowledge; and
• Broader Impacts : The Broader Impacts criterion encompasses the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.

The following elements should be considered in the review for both criteria:

1. What is the potential for the proposed activity to:

a. Advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and

b. Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?

2. To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?

3. Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rationale? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success?

4. How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to conduct the proposed activities?

5. Are there adequate resources available to the PI (either at the home organization or through collaborations) to carry out the proposed activities?

Additionally, Chapter II of the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide states:

Broader impacts may be accomplished through the research itself, through the activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or through activities that are supported by, but are complementary to, the project. NSF values the advancement of scientific knowledge and activities that contribute to achievement of societally relevant outcomes. Such outcomes include, but are not limited to: full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); improved STEM education and educator development at any level; increased public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and technology; improved well-being of individuals in society; development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce; increased partnerships between academia, industry, and others; improved national security; increased economic competitiveness of the US; and enhanced infrastructure for research and education.

B. Application Review and Selection Process

Applications submitted in response to this program solicitation will be reviewed online by Panel Review.

The application evaluation involves the review and rating of applications by disciplinary and interdisciplinary scientists and engineers, and other professional graduate education experts.

Applicants are reviewed on their demonstrated potential to advance knowledge and to make significant research achievements and contributions to their fields throughout their careers. Reviewers are asked to assess applications using a holistic, comprehensive approach, giving balanced consideration to all components of the application, including the educational and research record, leadership, outreach, service activities, and future plans, as well as individual competencies, experiences, and other attributes. The aim is to recruit and retain a diverse cohort of early-career individuals with high potential for future achievements, contributions, and broader impacts in STEM and STEM education.

The primary responsibility of each reviewer is to evaluate eligible GRFP applications by applying the Merit Review Criteria described in Section VI.A, and to recommend applicants for NSF Graduate Research Fellowships. Reviewers are instructed to review the applications holistically, applying the Merit Review Criteria and noting GRFP’s emphasis on demonstrated potential for significant research achievements in STEM or in STEM education. From these recommendations, NSF selects applicants for Fellowships or Honorable Mention, in line with NSF’s mission and the goals of GRFP. After Fellowship offers are made, applicants are able to view verbatim reviewer comments, excluding the names of the reviewers, for a limited period of time through the NSF GRFP Module.

VII. Award Administration Information

A. notification of the award.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program applicants will be notified of the outcomes of their applications by early April of the competition year. The NSF publishes lists of Fellowship and Honorable Mention recipients on the GRFP Module at https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do in early April.

B. Award Conditions

NSF GRFP awards are made to the institution of higher education at which a Fellow is or will be enrolled. The awardee institution is responsible for financial management of the award and disbursement of Fellowship funds to the Fellow. The NSF GRFP award consists of the award notification letter that includes the applicable terms and conditions and Fellowship management instructions. All Fellowships are made subject to the provisions (and any subsequent amendments) contained in the document NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials .

NSF GRFP awards provide funds for NSF Fellows who have "on tenure" status. The institution will administer the awards, including any amendments, in accordance with the terms of the Agreement and provisions (and any subsequent amendments) contained in the document NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials .

The applicant must accept or decline the Fellowship by the deadline indicated in the award notification letter by logging into the GRFP Module at https://www.research.gov/grfp/Login.do with the applicant User ID and password. Failure to comply with the deadline and acceptance of Fellowship Terms and Conditions by the deadline will result in revocation of the Fellowship offer and render applicants ineligible to re-apply.

Terms and Conditions

Awardees must formally accept and agree to the terms and conditions of the Fellowship award. Acceptance of the Fellowship constitutes a commitment to pursue a graduate degree in an eligible science or engineering field. Acceptance of a Fellowship award is an explicit acceptance of this commitment and assurance that the Fellow will be duly enrolled in a graduate degree program consistent with the field of study indicated in their application by the beginning of the following academic year. Major changes in scope later in the graduate career require NSF approval. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials includes the terms and conditions that apply to the Fellowship and subsequent institutional award, in addition to the eligibility requirements (U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident, degree requirements, and field of study) and Certifications in the application. Each institution, in accepting the funds, also certifies that the Fellows are eligible to receive the Fellowship under these terms and conditions. Fellows are expected to make satisfactory academic progress towards completion of their graduate degrees, as defined and certified by the Fellow's GRFP institution. In cases where Fellows have misrepresented their eligibility, or have failed to comply with the Fellowship Terms and Conditions, the Fellowship will be revoked, and the case may be referred to the Office of the Inspector General for investigation. This action may result in requiring the Fellow to repay Fellowship funds to the National Science Foundation.

An individual may not accept the Graduate Research Fellowship if the individual accepts or is supported by another federal graduate fellowship.

Responsible Conduct of Research

It is the responsibility of the Fellow, in conjunction with the GRFP institution, to ensure that all academic and research activities carried out in or outside the US comply with the laws or regulations of the US and/or of the foreign country in which the academic and/or research activities are conducted. These include appropriate human subject, animal welfare, copyright and intellectual property protection, and other regulations or laws, as appropriate. All academic and research activities should be coordinated with the appropriate US and foreign government authorities, and necessary licenses, permits, or approvals must be obtained prior to undertaking the proposed activities.

In response to the America COMPETES Act, all Fellows supported by NSF to conduct research are required to receive appropriate training and oversight in the Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research.

Research Involving Human Subjects

Projects involving research with human subjects must ensure that subjects are protected from research risks in conformance with the relevant Federal policy known as the Common Rule ( Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects , 45 CFR 690 ). All projects involving human subjects must either (1) have approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) before issuance of an NSF award; or, (2) must affirm that the IRB has declared the research exempt from IRB review, in accordance with the applicable subsection, as established in 45 CFR § 690.104(d) of the Common Rule. Fellows are required to comply with this policy and adhere to the organization's protocol for managing research involving human subjects.

Research Involving Vertebrate Animals

Any project proposing use of vertebrate animals for research or education shall comply with the Animal Welfare Act [7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.] and the regulations promulgated thereunder by the Secretary of Agriculture [9 CFR 1.1-4.11] pertaining to the humane care, handling, and treatment of vertebrate animals held or used for research, teaching or other activities supported by Federal awards. In accordance with these requirements, proposed projects involving use of any vertebrate animal for research or education must be approved by the submitting organization's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) before an award can be made. For this approval to be accepted by NSF, the organization must have a current Public Health Service (PHS) Approved Assurance.

Projects involving the care or use of vertebrate animals at an international organization or international field site also require approval of research protocols by the US grantee’s IACUC. If the project is to be funded through an award to an international organization or through an individual fellowship award that will support activities at an international organization, NSF will require a statement from the international organization explicitly listing the proposer’s name and referencing the title of the award to confirm that the activities will be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws in the international country and that the International Guiding Principles for Biomedical Research Involving Animals (see: http://www.cioms.ch/ ) will be followed.

Legal Rights to Intellectual Property

The National Science Foundation claims no rights to any inventions or writings that might result from its fellowship or traineeship grants. However, fellows and trainees should be aware that the NSF, another Federal agency, or some private party may acquire such rights through other support for particular research. Also, fellows and trainees should note their obligation to include an Acknowledgment and Disclaimer in any publication.

C. Reporting Requirements

Acknowledgment of Support and Disclaimer

All publications, presentations, and creative works based on activities conducted during the Fellowship must acknowledge NSF GRFP Support and provide a disclaimer by including the following statement in the Acknowledgements or other appropriate section:

"This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program under Grant No. (NSF grant number). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation."

Annual Activities Report and Annual Fellowship Status Declaration

Fellows are required to submit an Annual Activities Report and to complete Fellowship Status Declaration by the deadline date each year (deadline notification sent by email), using NSF's GRFP Module. The GRFP Module permits online submission and updating of activity reports, including information on research accomplishments and activities related to broader impacts, presentations, publications, teaching and research assistantships, awards and recognitions, and other scholarly and service accomplishments. These reports must be reviewed and satisfactory progress verified by the faculty advisor or designated graduate program administrator prior to submission to NSF.

Fellows must declare their intent to utilize the Fellowship for the following year using the NSF GRFP Module. Failure to declare Fellowship status by the established deadline violates the terms and conditions for NSF Fellowship awards, and results in termination of the Fellowship.

Program Evaluation

The Division of Graduate Education (DGE) conducts evaluations to provide evidence on the impact of the GRFP on individuals' educational decisions, career preparations, aspirations and progress, as well as professional productivity; and provide an understanding of the program policies in achieving the program goals. Additionally, it is highly desirable to have a structured means of tracking Fellows beyond graduation to gauge the extent to which they choose a career path consistent with the intent of the program and to assess the impact the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship has had on their graduate education experience. Accordingly, Fellows and Honorable Mention recipients may be contacted for updates on various aspects of their employment history, professional activities and accomplishments, participation in international research collaborations, and other information helpful in evaluating the impact of the program. Fellows and their institutions agree to cooperate in program-level evaluations conducted by the NSF and/or contracted evaluators. The 2014 GRFP evaluation is posted on the "Evaluation Reports" Web page for NSF's Directorate for STEM Education.

GRFP institutions are required to submit the GRFP Completion Report annually. The Completion Report allows GRFP institutions to certify the current status of all GRFP Fellows at the institution. The current status will identify a Fellow as: In Progress, Graduated, Transferred, or Withdrawn. For Fellows who have graduated, the graduation date is a required reporting element.

VIII. Agency Contacts

Please note that the program contact information is current at the time of publishing. See program website ( https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=6201 ) for any updates to the points of contact.

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:

For questions related to the use of GRFP Application Module, contact:

NSF Help Desk: telephone: 1-800-381-1532; e-mail: [email protected]

The Graduate Research Fellowship Operations Center is responsible for processing applications and responding to requests for information. General inquiries regarding the Graduate Research Fellowship Program should be made to:

Graduate Research Fellowship Operations Center, telephone: 866-NSF-GRFP, 866-673-4737 (toll-free from the US and Canada) or 202-331-3542 (international). email: [email protected]

IX. Other Information

The NSF website provides the most comprehensive source of information on NSF Directorates (including contact information), programs and funding opportunities. Use of this website by potential proposers is strongly encouraged. In addition, "NSF Update" is an information-delivery system designed to keep potential proposers and other interested parties apprised of new NSF funding opportunities and publications, important changes in proposal and award policies and procedures, and upcoming NSF Grants Conferences . Subscribers are informed through e-mail or the user's Web browser each time new publications are issued that match their identified interests. "NSF Update" also is available on NSF's website .

Grants.gov provides an additional electronic capability to search for Federal government-wide grant opportunities. NSF funding opportunities may be accessed via this mechanism. Further information on Grants.gov may be obtained at https://www.grants.gov .

Students are encouraged to gain professional experience in other countries through their university graduate programs, and to participate in international research opportunities offered by NSF at: Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) | NSF - National Science Foundation . Other funding opportunities for students are available at http://www.nsfgrfp.org/ .

About The National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent Federal agency created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (42 USC 1861-75). The Act states the purpose of the NSF is "to promote the progress of science; [and] to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare by supporting research and education in all fields of science and engineering."

NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. It does this through grants and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science organizations and other research organizations throughout the US. The Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of Federal support to academic institutions for basic research.

NSF receives approximately 55,000 proposals each year for research, education and training projects, of which approximately 11,000 are funded. In addition, the Foundation receives several thousand applications for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The agency operates no laboratories itself but does support National Research Centers, user facilities, certain oceanographic vessels and Arctic and Antarctic research stations. The Foundation also supports cooperative research between universities and industry, US participation in international scientific and engineering efforts, and educational activities at every academic level.

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. See the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide Chapter II.F.7 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of proposals.

The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD) and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation about NSF programs, employment or general information. TDD may be accessed at (703) 292-5090 and (800) 281-8749, FIRS at (800) 877-8339.

The National Science Foundation Information Center may be reached at (703) 292-5111.

The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering. To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the NSF Website at 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314 (NSF Information Center) (703) 292-5111 (703) 292-5090 Send an e-mail to: or telephone: (703) 292-8134 (703) 292-5111 Privacy Act And Public Burden Statements The information requested on the application materials is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. It will be used in connection with the selection of qualified applicants and may be disclosed to qualified reviewers as part of the review process; to the institution the nominee, applicant or fellow is attending or is planning to attend or is employed by for the purpose of facilitating review or award decisions, or administering fellowships or awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers and other individuals who perform a service to or work under a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, advisory committee, committee of visitors, or other arrangement with the Federal government as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government agencies needing data regarding applicants or nominees as part of the review process, or in order to coordinate programs; and to another Federal agency, court or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a party. Information from this system may be merged with other computer files to carry out statistical studies the results of which do not identify individuals. Notice of the agency's decision may be given to nominators, and disclosure may be made of awardees' names, home institutions, and fields of study for public information purposes. For fellows or awardees receiving stipends directly from the government, information is transmitted to the Department of the Treasury to make payments. See System of Record Notices , NSF-12, "Fellowships and Other Awards," 63 Federal Register 265 (January 5, 1998). Submission of the information is voluntary; however, failure to provide full and complete information may reduce the possibility of your receiving an award. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0023. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 12 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding this burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Suzanne H. Plimpton Reports Clearance Officer Policy Office, Division of Institution and Award Support Office of Budget, Finance, and Award Management National Science Foundation Alexandria, VA 22314 X. Appendix NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS Major Fields of Study Note: Applications are reviewed based on the selection of a Major Field of Study. As an example, CHEMISTRY is a Major Field of Study, and Chemical Catalysis is a subfield under CHEMISTRY. Selection of a Major Field of Study determines the application deadline, the broad disciplinary expertise of the reviewers who will review the application, and the discipline of the graduate program if the Fellowship is accepted. The subfield category designates specific expertise of the reviewers. Applicants can select “Other” if their specific subfield is not represented in the list of subfields under the Major Field of Study. The "Other" subfield category should be selected only if the proposed subfield is not covered by one of the listed subfields, and should not be used to designate a subfield that is more specific than the subfields listed. Artificial Intelligence Chemical Catalysis Chemical Measurement and Imaging Chemical Structure, Dynamics, and Mechanism Chemical Synthesis Chemical Theory, Models and Computational Methods Chemistry of Life Processes Computationally Intensive Research Environmental Chemical Systems Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry Other (specify) Quantum Information Science Sustainable Chemistry COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES & ENGINEERING Accessibility Algorithms and Theoretical Foundations Artificial Intelligence Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, Graphics, and Visualization Bioinformatics and Bio-inspired Computing Communication and Information Theory Computationally Intensive Research Computer Architecture Computer Security and Privacy Computer Systems Computer Vision Cyber-Physical Systems and Embedded Systems Data Science, Data Mining, Information Retrieval and Databases Electronic Design Automation and Design of Micro and Nano Computing Systems Fairness, Explainability, Accountability and Transparency in Analytics Formal Methods, Verification, and Programming Languages Human Computer Interaction Information Sciences Machine Learning Natural Language Processing Other (specify) Parallel, Distributed, and Cloud Computing Quantum Information Science Robotics Scientific Computing Social Computing Software Engineering Wired and Wireless Networking ENGINEERING Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering Artificial Intelligence Bioengineering Biomedical Engineering Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Computationally Intensive Research Computer Engineering Electrical and Electronic Engineering Energy Engineering Environmental Engineering Industrial Engineering & Operations Research Manufacturing Engineering Materials Engineering Mechanical Engineering Nuclear Engineering Ocean Engineering Optical Engineering Other (specify) Quantum Engineering Quantum Information Science Systems Engineering Wireless Engineering GEOSCIENCES Aeronomy Artificial Intelligence Arctic-Antarctic Atmospheric Chemistry Biogeochemistry Biological Oceanography Chemical Oceanography Climate and Large-Scale Atmospheric Dynamics Computationally Intensive Research Geobiology Geochemistry Geodynamics Geomorphology Geophysics Glaciology Hydrology Magnetospheric Physics Marine Biology Marine Geology and Geophysics Other (specify) Paleoclimate Paleontology and Paleobiology Petrology Physical and Dynamic Meteorology Physical Oceanography Quantum Information Science Sedimentary Geology Solar Physics Tectonics LIFE SCIENCES Artificial Intelligence Biochemistry Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Biophysics Cell Biology Computationally Intensive Research Developmental Biology Ecology Environmental Biology Evolutionary Biology Genetics Genomics Microbial Biology Neurosciences Organismal Biology Other (specify) Physiology Proteomics Quantum Information Science Structural Biology Systematics and Biodiversity Systems and Molecular Biology MATERIALS RESEARCH Artificial Intelligence Biomaterials Ceramics Chemistry of Materials Computationally Intensive Research Electronic Materials Materials Theory Metallic Materials Other (specify) Photonic Materials Physics of Materials Polymers Quantum Information Science MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES Algebra, Number Theory, and Combinatorics Analysis Applied Mathematics Artificial Intelligence Biostatistics Computational and Data-enabled Science Computational Mathematics Computational Statistics Computationally Intensive Research Geometric Analysis Logic or Foundations of Mathematics Mathematical Biology Other (specify) Probability Quantum Information Science Statistics Topology PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY Artificial Intelligence Astronomy and Astrophysics Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Computationally Intensive Research Condensed Matter Physics Nuclear Physics Other (specify) Particle Physics Physics of Living Systems Plasma Physics Quantum Information Science Solid State Physics Theoretical Physics Artificial Intelligence Cognitive Neuroscience Cognitive Psychology Comparative Psychology Computational Psychology Computationally Intensive Research Developmental Psychology Industrial/Organizational Psychology Neuropsychology Other (specify) Perception and Psychophysics Personality and Individual Differences Physiological Psychology Psycholinguistics Quantitative Psychology Quantum Information Science Social/Affective Neuroscience Social Psychology SOCIAL SCIENCES Anthropology, other (specify) Archaeology Artificial Intelligence Biological Anthropology Communications Computationally Intensive Research Cultural Anthropology Decision Making and Risk Analysis Economics Geography History and Philosophy of Science International Relations Law and Social Science Linguistic Anthropology Linguistics Medical Anthropology Other (specify) Political Science Public Policy Quantum Information Science Science Policy Sociology Urban and Regional Planning STEM EDUCATION AND LEARNING RESEARCH Artificial Intelligence Computationally Intensive Research Engineering Education Mathematics Education Other (specify) Quantum Information Science Science Education Technology Education Graduate Research Fellowship Program Individuals can access the application module here The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and STEM education fields within NSF’s mission . The GRFP provides up to three years of support for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant achievements in science and engineering research. The GRFP supports over 100 subfields. The GRFP encourages applications from underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans, in order to broaden and diversify those participating in science and engineering. How to Write a Research Proposal: (with Examples & Templates) Table of Contents Before conducting a study, a research proposal should be created that outlines researchers’ plans and methodology and is submitted to the concerned evaluating organization or person. Creating a research proposal is an important step to ensure that researchers are on track and are moving forward as intended. A research proposal can be defined as a detailed plan or blueprint for the proposed research that you intend to undertake. It provides readers with a snapshot of your project by describing what you will investigate, why it is needed, and how you will conduct the research.   Your research proposal should aim to explain to the readers why your research is relevant and original, that you understand the context and current scenario in the field, have the appropriate resources to conduct the research, and that the research is feasible given the usual constraints.   This article will describe in detail the purpose and typical structure of a research proposal , along with examples and templates to help you ace this step in your research journey.   What is a Research Proposal ?   A research proposal¹ ,²  can be defined as a formal report that describes your proposed research, its objectives, methodology, implications, and other important details. Research proposals are the framework of your research and are used to obtain approvals or grants to conduct the study from various committees or organizations. Consequently, research proposals should convince readers of your study’s credibility, accuracy, achievability, practicality, and reproducibility.    With research proposals , researchers usually aim to persuade the readers, funding agencies, educational institutions, and supervisors to approve the proposal. To achieve this, the report should be well structured with the objectives written in clear, understandable language devoid of jargon. A well-organized research proposal conveys to the readers or evaluators that the writer has thought out the research plan meticulously and has the resources to ensure timely completion.   Purpose of Research Proposals   A research proposal is a sales pitch and therefore should be detailed enough to convince your readers, who could be supervisors, ethics committees, universities, etc., that what you’re proposing has merit and is feasible . Research proposals can help students discuss their dissertation with their faculty or fulfill course requirements and also help researchers obtain funding. A well-structured proposal instills confidence among readers about your ability to conduct and complete the study as proposed.   Research proposals can be written for several reasons:³   To describe the importance of research in the specific topic   Address any potential challenges you may encounter   Showcase knowledge in the field and your ability to conduct a study   Apply for a role at a research institute   Convince a research supervisor or university that your research can satisfy the requirements of a degree program   Highlight the importance of your research to organizations that may sponsor your project   Identify implications of your project and how it can benefit the audience   What Goes in a Research Proposal?     Research proposals should aim to answer the three basic questions—what, why, and how.   The What question should be answered by describing the specific subject being researched. It should typically include the objectives, the cohort details, and the location or setting.   The Why question should be answered by describing the existing scenario of the subject, listing unanswered questions, identifying gaps in the existing research, and describing how your study can address these gaps, along with the implications and significance.   The How question should be answered by describing the proposed research methodology, data analysis tools expected to be used, and other details to describe your proposed methodology.    Research Proposal Example   Here is a research proposal sample template (with examples) from the University of Rochester Medical Center. 4 The sections in all research proposals are essentially the same although different terminology and other specific sections may be used depending on the subject.   Structure of a Research Proposal   If you want to know how to make a research proposal impactful, include the following components:¹   1. Introduction   This section provides a background of the study, including the research topic, what is already known about it and the gaps, and the significance of the proposed research.   2. Literature review   This section contains descriptions of all the previous relevant studies pertaining to the research topic. Every study cited should be described in a few sentences, starting with the general studies to the more specific ones. This section builds on the understanding gained by readers in the Introduction section and supports it by citing relevant prior literature, indicating to readers that you have thoroughly researched your subject.   3. Objectives   Once the background and gaps in the research topic have been established, authors must now state the aims of the research clearly. Hypotheses should be mentioned here. This section further helps readers understand what your study’s specific goals are.   4. Research design and methodology   Here, authors should clearly describe the methods they intend to use to achieve their proposed objectives. Important components of this section include the population and sample size, data collection and analysis methods and duration, statistical analysis software, measures to avoid bias (randomization, blinding), etc.   5. Ethical considerations   This refers to the protection of participants’ rights, such as the right to privacy, right to confidentiality, etc. Researchers need to obtain informed consent and institutional review approval by the required authorities and mention this clearly for transparency.   6. Budget/funding   Researchers should prepare their budget and include all expected expenditures. An additional allowance for contingencies such as delays should also be factored in.   7. Appendices   This section typically includes information that supports the research proposal and may include informed consent forms, questionnaires, participant information, measurement tools, etc.   8. Citations   Important Tips for Writing a Research Proposal   Writing a research proposal begins much before the actual task of writing. Planning the research proposal structure and content is an important stage, which if done efficiently, can help you seamlessly transition into the writing stage. 3,5   The Planning Stage   Manage your time efficiently. Plan to have the draft version ready at least two weeks before your deadline and the final version at least two to three days before the deadline. What is the primary objective of your research?   Will your research address any existing gap?   What is the impact of your proposed research?   Do people outside your field find your research applicable in other areas?   If your research is unsuccessful, would there still be other useful research outcomes?     The Writing Stage   Create an outline with main section headings that are typically used.   Focus only on writing and getting your points across without worrying about the format of the research proposal , grammar, punctuation, etc. These can be fixed during the subsequent passes. Add details to each section heading you created in the beginning.    Ensure your sentences are concise and use plain language. A research proposal usually contains about 2,000 to 4,000 words or four to seven pages.   Don’t use too many technical terms and abbreviations assuming that the readers would know them. Define the abbreviations and technical terms.   Ensure that the entire content is readable. Avoid using long paragraphs because they affect the continuity in reading. Break them into shorter paragraphs and introduce some white space for readability.   Focus on only the major research issues and cite sources accordingly. Don’t include generic information or their sources in the literature review.   Proofread your final document to ensure there are no grammatical errors so readers can enjoy a seamless, uninterrupted read.   Use academic, scholarly language because it brings formality into a document.   Ensure that your title is created using the keywords in the document and is neither too long and specific nor too short and general.   Cite all sources appropriately to avoid plagiarism.   Make sure that you follow guidelines, if provided. This includes rules as simple as using a specific font or a hyphen or en dash between numerical ranges.   Ensure that you’ve answered all questions requested by the evaluating authority.   Key Takeaways    Here’s a summary of the main points about research proposals discussed in the previous sections:   A research proposal is a document that outlines the details of a proposed study and is created by researchers to submit to evaluators who could be research institutions, universities, faculty, etc.   Research proposals are usually about 2,000-4,000 words long, but this depends on the evaluating authority’s guidelines.   A good research proposal ensures that you’ve done your background research and assessed the feasibility of the research.   Research proposals have the following main sections—introduction, literature review, objectives, methodology, ethical considerations, and budget.   Frequently Asked Questions   Q1. How is a research proposal evaluated?   A1. In general, most evaluators, including universities, broadly use the following criteria to evaluate research proposals . 6   Significance —Does the research address any important subject or issue, which may or may not be specific to the evaluator or university?   Content and design —Is the proposed methodology appropriate to answer the research question? Are the objectives clear and well aligned with the proposed methodology?   Sample size and selection —Is the target population or cohort size clearly mentioned? Is the sampling process used to select participants randomized, appropriate, and free of bias?   Timing —Are the proposed data collection dates mentioned clearly? Is the project feasible given the specified resources and timeline?   Data management and dissemination —Who will have access to the data? What is the plan for data analysis?   Q2. What is the difference between the Introduction and Literature Review sections in a research proposal ?   A2. The Introduction or Background section in a research proposal sets the context of the study by describing the current scenario of the subject and identifying the gaps and need for the research. A Literature Review, on the other hand, provides references to all prior relevant literature to help corroborate the gaps identified and the research need.   Q3. How long should a research proposal be?   A3. Research proposal lengths vary with the evaluating authority like universities or committees and also the subject. Here’s a table that lists the typical research proposal lengths for a few universities.           Arts programs  1,000-1,500  University of Birmingham  Law School programs  2,500    PhD  2,500      2,000    Research degrees  2,000-3,500  Q4. What are the common mistakes to avoid in a research proposal ?   A4. Here are a few common mistakes that you must avoid while writing a research proposal . 7   No clear objectives: Objectives should be clear, specific, and measurable for the easy understanding among readers.   Incomplete or unconvincing background research: Background research usually includes a review of the current scenario of the particular industry and also a review of the previous literature on the subject. This helps readers understand your reasons for undertaking this research because you identified gaps in the existing research.   Overlooking project feasibility: The project scope and estimates should be realistic considering the resources and time available.    Neglecting the impact and significance of the study: In a research proposal , readers and evaluators look for the implications or significance of your research and how it contributes to the existing research. This information should always be included.   Unstructured format of a research proposal : A well-structured document gives confidence to evaluators that you have read the guidelines carefully and are well organized in your approach, consequently affirming that you will be able to undertake the research as mentioned in your proposal.   Ineffective writing style: The language used should be formal and grammatically correct. If required, editors could be consulted, including AI-based tools such as Paperpal , to refine the research proposal structure and language.   Thus, a research proposal is an essential document that can help you promote your research and secure funds and grants for conducting your research. Consequently, it should be well written in clear language and include all essential details to convince the evaluators of your ability to conduct the research as proposed.   This article has described all the important components of a research proposal and has also provided tips to improve your writing style. We hope all these tips will help you write a well-structured research proposal to ensure receipt of grants or any other purpose.   References   Sudheesh K, Duggappa DR, Nethra SS. How to write a research proposal? Indian J Anaesth. 2016;60(9):631-634. Accessed July 15, 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5037942/   Writing research proposals. Harvard College Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. Harvard University. Accessed July 14, 2024. https://uraf.harvard.edu/apply-opportunities/app-components/essays/research-proposals   What is a research proposal? Plus how to write one. Indeed website. Accessed July 17, 2024. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/research-proposal   Research proposal template. University of Rochester Medical Center. Accessed July 16, 2024. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/MediaLibraries/URMCMedia/pediatrics/research/documents/Research-proposal-Template.pdf   Tips for successful proposal writing. Johns Hopkins University. Accessed July 17, 2024. https://research.jhu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Tips-for-Successful-Proposal-Writing.pdf   Formal review of research proposals. Cornell University. Accessed July 18, 2024. https://irp.dpb.cornell.edu/surveys/survey-assessment-review-group/research-proposals   7 Mistakes you must avoid in your research proposal. Aveksana (via LinkedIn). Accessed July 17, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-mistakes-you-must-avoid-your-research-proposal-aveksana-cmtwf/   Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.   Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.   Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!   Related Reads: How to write a phd research proposal. What are the Benefits of Generative AI for Academic Writing? How to Avoid Plagiarism When Using Generative AI Tools What is Hedging in Academic Writing?   How to Write Your Research Paper in APA Format The future of academia: how ai tools are changing the way we do research, you may also like, dissertation printing and binding | types & comparison , what is a dissertation preface definition and examples , how to write your research paper in apa..., how to choose a dissertation topic, how to write an academic paragraph (step-by-step guide), maintaining academic integrity with paperpal’s generative ai writing..., research funding basics: what should a grant proposal..., how to write an abstract in research papers..., how to write dissertation acknowledgements. 233 COMMENTS Statements The Graduate Research Plan Statement must also address NSF's merit review criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts. Applicants must include headings for Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts in their statements. The maximum length of the Graduate Research Plan Statement is two (2) pages. Statement Formatting Requirements. NSF GRFP Research Proposal : Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Purpose. Your research proposal (technically, the "Graduate Research Plan Statement") is part of an application that should convince the selection panel to award you the Fellowship. The proposal is the part of the application where you get to lay out a plan for your graduate research career. The personal statement gives you space to explain ... Alex Lang Every essay should address both Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.. Each essay needs explicit headers of Intellectual Merit / Broader Impacts.. NSF GRFP funds the person, not the project. The most important choice you make is designating the primary field (Chemistry vs Physics & Astronomy, etc). The subfield is less important. If you are an undergrad doing research, I would strongly ... NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) General inquiries regarding the Graduate Research Fellowship Program should be made to: Graduate Research Fellowship Operations Center, telephone: 866-NSF-GRFP, 866-673-4737 (toll-free from the US and Canada) or 202-331-3542 (international). email: [email protected]. Contact: GRF Operations Center. NSF GRFP Research Statement : EECS Communication Lab Unlike many funding opportunities, the NSF GRFP is designed to fund a person rather than a project. The goal of your research proposal is to show that you can propose feasible, original research of an appropriate scope. Even if you are awarded the Fellowship, you will not be limited to the details described in your research proposal. PDF U.S. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) was established to recruit and support individuals who demonstrate the potential to make significant contributions in STEM. GRFP recognizes and supports graduate students in NSF -supported ... This Guide references the following NSF documents and publications: • Proposal and Award Policies ... NSF GRFP Resources Download the NSF GRFP Template: https://nsfgrfp.org/resources/ Check out these helpful Templates & Other Resources: https://mitcommlab.mit.edu/broad/commkit/nsf ... NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies ... (GRIP). GRIP provides professional development to NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program ... Anticipated expenses should be itemized and reported in tabular format. Allowable expenses include ... NSF 20-587: Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) 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 [email protected]. PDF National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program tional Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship ProgramBackground on the NSF GRFP • The purpose of this award is to support the graduate education of young scientists who h. ve demonstrated potential for significant achievements in science and engineering research.• The long-term goal of the. rogram is to ensure the vitality and ... PDF NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP) Program (nsf16104) The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is NSF's oldest program, dating to the Foundation's first fully funded year of 1952. Since then, GRFP has supported over 50,000 US citizens, nationals, and permanent residents to pursue advanced degrees in science and engineering. Among its alumni are over 40 Nobel laureates, over 450 members ... Home What is GRFP? The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the quality, vitality, and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. A goal of the program is to broaden participation of the full spectrum of diverse talents in STEM. The five-year fellowship provides three years ... Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Administrative Guide NSF's mission is to advance the progress of science, a mission accomplished by funding proposals for research and education made by scientists, engineers, and educators from across the country. ... Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Administrative Guide. Available Formats: PDF Document Type: ... NSF GRFP Proposal Library "The first time I applied for the NSF GRFP, I got rejected without review because my proposal was too health-related. So when I applied the second time, I made sure to emphasize the non-health aspects of the research proposal (i.e. focusing on basic biology and the technical aspects of the projects)." Resources GRFP 2024 Applicant Info Webinar #1 (MP4) Applicants. Download. Info for Applicants (Powerpoint) Applicants. Download. Informational Brochure - NSF GRFP 2023-24 (pdf) Applicants, Reviewers. Download. NSF GRFP Research Proposal : NSE Communication Lab Your research proposal (technically, the "Graduate Research Plan Statement") is part of an application that should convince the selection panel to award you the Fellowship. The proposal is the part of the application where you get to lay out a plan for your graduate research career. The personal statement gives you space to explain the big ... How to write a winning NSF GRFP Proposal: Here's what you need to know Applying for an NSF GRFP is one of the best things you can do as you being your research career. The National Science Foundation offers highly prestigious graduate research fellowships that include three years of financial support with an annual stipend of $34,000 and tuition assistance of $12,000 to the institution. Apart from providing you ... NSF GRFP Research Proposal Template Creative Commons CC BY 4.0. Abstract. A LaTeX template for the NSF GRFP Research Proposal. Automatically conforms to all of the formatting requirements (as of 2020). Can easily be used for the personal statement by leaving the preamble and changing the document contents. Tags. NSF GRFP Research Proposal : Biological Engineering Communication Lab Your research proposal (technically, the "Graduate Research Plan Statement") is part of an application that should convince the selection panel to award you the Fellowship. The proposal is the part of the application where you get to lay out a plan for your graduate research career. The personal statement gives you space to explain the big ... FAQs Please verify your file and try your upload again. If the issue persists, you may contact the NSF Help Desk at [email protected] or 1-800-673-6188. Check if there are blank pages within the PDF. If so, complete the following steps: Export the PDF to Word; Delete the blank page(s) Re-save the Word document as a PDF; Upload the PDF to GRFP NSF GRFP: Craft Your Competitive Proposal for 2024 August 12, 2024. The Graduate School is hosting a series of sessions to help graduate students craft effective proposals for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) as applications are due in October.. A GRFP overview session will be held via Zoom on Friday, Sept. 6 from 10-11 a.m. and will provide general information about the program. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Graduate Research Fellowship Are there any restrictions on the type of research that NSF GRFP will support? NSF does not fund research for which the goals are directly human disease- or health-related, including the etiology, diagnosis, and/or treatment of disease or disorder is not eligible for support. See section IV.3 of the NSF GRFP Solicitation for detail explanation. NSF 23-605: Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) 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 Chapter VI of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies ... As an example, CHEMISTRY is a Major Field of Study ... PDF EPA GRIP/GRFP Projects NSF Graduate Research FellowshipProgram (GRFP Thecollaboration between NSF and the partner Universitythrough GRFP and EPA and that Universityand student is designed to exposegraduate studentsto the federal workplaceand providecareer mentoring through rewarding research experiences thatwillallow studentsto grow professionallyand build their network. Applicants The GRFP provides up to three years of support for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant achievements in science and engineering research. The GRFP supports over 100 subfields. The GRFP encourages applications from underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, persons with ... How to Write a Research Proposal: (with Examples & Templates) Before conducting a study, a research proposal should be created that outlines researchers' plans and methodology and is submitted to the concerned evaluating organization or person. Creating a research proposal is an important step to ensure that researchers are on track and are moving forward as intended. A research proposal can be defined as a detailed plan or blueprint for the proposed ... Application By Kalkidan Asaminew | 2024-08-09T09:01:33-04:00 August 9, 2024 | Comments Off on Application - Personal Statement Template Share This Story, Choose Your Platform! Facebook Twitter Reddit LinkedIn WhatsApp Tumblr Pinterest Vk Xing Email essay homework paper phd project resume review speech study thesis