NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
Offered by U.S. National Science Foundation
About This Scholarship
The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program is the oldest graduate fellowship of its kind in the United States, established in 1952 to recognize and support outstanding students pursuing full-time research-based master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including STEM education.
Each fellowship provides three years of financial support within a five-year fellowship period: a $37,000 annual stipend paid directly to the fellow, plus a $16,000 cost-of-education allowance paid to the institution to cover tuition and mandatory fees. That works out to $111,000 in direct stipend support and roughly $159,000 in total value. The fellowship is portable, meaning fellows can transfer it if they change institutions.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents who intend to enroll, or are enrolled, in an eligible research-based graduate program and have completed less than one academic year of graduate study. College seniors and early-stage graduate students apply directly online — no institutional nomination is required.
Eligibility
- U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident
- Pursuing (or planning to pursue) a full-time research-based master's or PhD in an eligible STEM field at an accredited U.S. institution
- Completed less than one academic year of graduate study at time of application
- Limited to one application per annual competition
How To Apply
- Register and apply online through Research.gov via the official GRFP site once the annual solicitation opens (typically late summer)
- Submit a personal statement, graduate research plan statement, transcripts, and three reference letters by your field's discipline-specific October deadline
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be in graduate school already to apply?
No. College seniors and bachelor's degree holders who have not yet started graduate school can apply, along with first-year graduate students who have completed less than one academic year of study.
How much is the NSF GRFP worth?
Fellows receive a $37,000 annual stipend for three years plus a $16,000 annual cost-of-education allowance paid to their university — roughly $159,000 in total support.