NSF GRFP Guide Online

Are you applying for an NSF GRFP?

In 2018, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded 2,000 Graduate Research Fellowship Proposal (GRFP) applicants stipends of $34,000 per year for three years. With over 12,000 proposals submitted, this means only 16% of applicants received awards.

By highlighting proposal essentials with step-by-step instructions, our online guide is designed to help you maximize this opportunity.

NSF GRFP Guide Highlights Proposal Essentials

Undergraduate seniors and first-year graduate students are eligible to apply for this prestigious award, which provides three years of research funding and other benefits!

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program spotlights and supports elite graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based Master's and doctoral degrees at accredited United States institutions

NSF Fellowship Proposal

This online and self-paced course will give you:

• An understanding of the program requirements and the NSF review criteria
• Exact, detailed outlines for essential narrative sections (a three-page Personal, Relevant Background, and Future Goals Statement and a two-page Graduate Research Plan Statement)
• Writing and content essentials to help you craft a narrative that resonates with NSF reviewers

NSF GRFP Eligibility

To ensure that you are eligible please read over the Program Solicitation Guidelines. If you are a current graduate student you are limited to a one-time submission. Undergraduate seniors and bachelor holders may apply once prior to enrolling in a degree-granting graduate program, this does not count against your one-time submission once you are enrolled in a graduate school!

Effective with the 2020 competition (Fall 2019 deadline), individuals pursuing a master’s degree simultaneously with the bachelor’s degree (joint bachelor’s-master’s degree) will be limited to one application to GRFP; they will not be eligible to apply as a doctoral degree student. Individuals in this category applying in the 2019 competition (Fall 2018 deadline) will have one more opportunity to apply as first-year doctoral students in the 2020 competition.

Elements of a GRFP Application

The GRFP application consists of eight elements:

• Personal Information
• Electronic Transcripts
• Proposed Field(s) of Study
• Proposed Graduate Study and Graduate School Information
• Education, Work, and Other Experience
• Names and e-mail addresses of at least three reference letter writers
• Personal, Relevant Background, and Future Goals Statement (3 pages)
• Graduate Research Plan Statement (2 pages)

Taken together, these elements constitute “a holistic plan for graduate education that takes into account individual interest and competencies . . . experiences, attributes, and academic achievements that, when considered in combination, show how the applicant has demonstrated potential for significant research achievements in STEM or in STEM education.This course will focus on helping you prepare the items mentioned in the last two bullets above: your Personal, Relevant Background, and Future Goals Statement and your Graduate Research Plan Statement.

Upcoming NSF Proposal Deadlines

• October 21, 2019 - Life Sciences, Geosciences
• October 22, 2019 - Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Engineering, Materials Research
• October 24, 2019 - Psychology, Social Sciences, STEM Education and Learning
• October 25, 2019 - Chemistry, Mathematical Sciences, Physics and Astronomy