Student Funding Source
Graduate Research Fellowships
The fellowship provides up to three years of support for graduate study leading to research-based master's or doctoral degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, social science, and mathematics. The fellowship is intended for students who are in the early stages of their graduate study and can be used over a three year period. About 1,000 fellowships will be awarded this year.
Deadline varies depending on research focus:
Full Proposal Deadline Date: November 2, 2009
Interdisciplinary fields of Study
Full Proposal Deadline Date: November 4, 2009
Mathematical Sciences; Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering
Full Proposal Deadline Date: November 5, 2009
Social Sciences; Psychology; Geosciences
Full Proposal Deadline Date: November 6, 2009
Life Sciences
Full Proposal Deadline Date: November 10, 2009
Chemistry; Physics and Astronomy
Full Proposal Deadline Date: November 12, 2009
Engineering
Individuals who have completed no more than 12 months of graduate study (or the equivalent in part-time study2 ) are eligible.
To be considered eligible for the competition, an applicant with more than 12 months of graduate study must meet one or both of the conditions explained below
1.) A significant change of field is proposed. Similarities between the proposed program of study and the previous study or research are examined in detail. Rarely sufficient for eligibility purposes are changes within a given discipline, such as from topology to geometry in mathematics. Changes from quite distinct fields, for example, from biology to economics, are generally considered to be sufficient. When the change is between related fields, such as from biology to ecology or from mechanical engineering to bio-medical engineering, the decision usually hinges on the path the student has followed. If there is considerable similarity in the research and the coursework between the previous study and the proposed study, such changes are not enough to make an applicant eligible. The case for eligibility may be strengthened somewhat if the change in field is also accompanied by a change in university.
2.) An interruption in studies is demonstrated. Applicants who have interrupted their graduate studies (for example, to gain work experience or for family or medical reasons) are usually eligible if the interruption is for a period of more than two years prior to November 2003. To be eligible because of such an interruption of studies, the applicant must also not have engaged in research that is akin to academic research and related to the applicant's proposed plan of research. However, an interruption of more than two years to pursue professional work in one's field is generally sufficient to qualify for this exception if no significant part of that work was research related to the applicant's proposed plan of research.
There are two situations in which applicants with graduate study completed are always ineligible:
Those who earned a PhD in science, mathematics or engineering, or any medical degree, such as the MD, DDS, or DVM, after October 1, 1999.
Those who have already received and held tenure as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow.
Tuition,Salary/stipend
* $30,000 Stipend per tenure year
* $10,500 cost-of-education allowance per tenure year
Guide to NSF Graduate Student Research Fellowship: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2006/nsf06592/nsf06592.pdf
* Online FastLane application at https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/
Includes:
* Personal Profile
* Education and Work Experience
* Planned Graduate Program
* Reference letter
* Personal statements
* Proposed plan of research
* Previous Research Experience
* Supporting materials to be submitted by mail:
* Official academic transcript(s) from all undergrad. and grad. academic institutions
* Undergraduate GPA form
*(optional) GRE Test Scores sent directly to NSF (code 5140) by ETS
A note on interdisciplinary applications:
The NSF welcomes applications for interdisciplinary programs of study and research. However, applicants are instructed to indicate the primary field of study for the proposed graduate program in the Fastlane Application Module so that the application can be assigned to the most appropriate review panel. The submission deadline for interdisciplinary applications is November 1, 2006. The guidelines below should be used to assess eligibility according to the field of study criterion. l If the field is interdisciplinary, but with a clear field of study, the application should be submitted under the primary field. Only truly interdisciplinary applications without a primary field should be submitted in the interdisciplinary field due date.
