Upcoming Deadlines
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP)
Date and Time
Friday, November 7, 2025 5:00 PM
Description
The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is a U.S. 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 increase participation in science and engineering of the full spectrum of U.S. talent.
NSF GRFP is a critical program in NSF's overall strategy to develop the globally competitive 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 have been honored as Nobel laureates.
For FY2026, NSF GRFP will refocus on its original statutory and programmatic intent to affect students at the beginning of their STEM graduate training and to award fellowships “to the applicants in such a manner as will tend to result in a wide distribution of scholarships and fellowships throughout the United States.” 42 USC §1869(a). To achieve this goal, NSF GRFP will focus on the discovery and recruitment of individuals who demonstrate outstanding potential in STEM graduate study and will accept applications from undergraduate seniors in bachelor’s degree programs, bachelor’s degree-holders with no prior enrollment in any graduate degree program, individuals enrolled in joint bachelor's-master's degree programs, and first-year graduate students in their first graduate degree program.
Fellows share in the prestige and opportunities that become available when they are selected. Fellowships provide the student with a three-year annual stipend along with a cost of education allowance for tuition and fees (paid to the institution), as well as access to opportunities for professional development available to NSF-supported graduate students. Fellowships may only be used for an eligible graduate degree program at an academic institution accredited in, and having a campus located in, the US, its territories, possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
The fellowship is competitive, and those planning to apply should devote a sincere effort to their application. See the Applicants section for more information.
Eligibility:
- Must, at the time of submission, be a U.S. citizen, national, or a permanent resident (“green-card” holder)
- Must intend to enroll or be enrolled in an eligible research-based master's or doctoral degree program in an eligible field of study in STEM, including STEM education (See Appendix and Section IV.3 for eligible Fields of Study);
- Never have previously accepted a Graduate Research Fellowship;
- Have declined any previously offered Graduate Research Fellowship by the declination deadline (if applicable);
- Have completed less than one academic year in a graduate degree program (according to the institution’s academic calendar; non-degree coursework must be clearly identified in the transcript and does not count toward this limit).
This means individuals in the following statuses at the time of application are eligible:
- Undergraduate in the final (senior) year of a bachelor’s degree program
- Bachelor’s degree-holder with NO enrollment in a graduate degree program (non-degree graduate coursework allowed)
- Individual enrolled in a joint bachelor’s-master’s degree program with at least three undergraduate years completed
-
First-year
graduate student in their
first
graduate degree program with
less than
one academic year completed in the degree program (according to
institution’s academic calendar)
- Individuals enrolled in joint bachelor’s-master’s degree programs are considered graduate students. For GRFP, joint bachelor’s-master’s degrees are defined as degrees concurrently pursued and awarded.
- Not be a current NSF employee.
Specific application deadlines:
- November 10, 2025: Life Sciences
- November 12, 2025: Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Materials Research; Psychology; Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences; STEM Education and Learning
- November 13, 2025: Engineering
- November 14, 2025: Chemistry; Geosciences; Mathematical Sciences; Physics and Astronomy
All applications are due at 5:00 PM Local Time of Mailing Address.
This event has been tagged as academic, careercenter, fellowships, ours, research, science, and stem.
Information
For more information, please visit: https://www.nsfgrfp.org
Contact
For more information about this and other fellowships, email [email protected].