NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Information Session
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) funds graduate study within the United States leading to research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in specific STEM and social sciences disciplines, including Chemistry, Computer & Information Sciences and Engineering, Geosciences, Life Sciences, Materials Research, Mathematical Sciences, Physics & Astronomy, Psychology, Social Sciences, and STEM Education & Learning Research.
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 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 in science and engineering of women, persons who are members of groups historically underrepresented in STEM, persons with disabilities, and veterans. NSF actively encourages women, persons who are members of groups historically underrepresented in STEM, persons with disabilities, veterans, and undergraduate seniors to apply.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the NSF GRFP, you must:
- be a US citizen, US national, or permanent resident
- intend to pursue a research-based Master’s or Ph.D. program in a GRFP-supported field
- be enrolled in an eligible program at an accredited United States graduate institution, with a US campus, by fall following selection
be at an early stage in your graduate career
- have completed no more than one academic year of full-time graduate study (or the equivalent)
- Graduate students are limited to only one application to the GRFP
On Tuesday, September 13 at 4:00 to 5:00 pm, there will be an information session about the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program presented by the International and National Fellowship Director via Zoom. Please register for the information session here if you are interested in attending.
Eligible Graduate Programs
If awarded, Fellows must enroll in a graduate degree program consistent with the Major Field of Study proposed in their 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.
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 MBA, MPH, MSW, JD, MD, and DDS. Joint or combined professional degree-science programs (e.g., MD/PhD or JD/PhD) and dual professional degree-science programs are also ineligible.
Application Limit
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.
Graduate students enrolled in a degree-granting graduate program are limited to only one application to the GRFP, submitted in the first year or beginning of the second year of their degree program.
Learn More About the NSF GRFP
Get started with developing your application strategy by checking out NSF 101: The Graduate Research Fellowship Program and these bios of former NSF fellows who are conducting ground-breaking scientific research today. Where will the NSF GRFP take you?
Visit https://careers.unl.edu/experiences/national-science-foundation-graduate-fellowship/ for more information about UNL resources concerning the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.