Office of Fellowships NSF-GRFP Overview

Who is eligible?

Applicants must self-certify that they are eligible to receive the Fellowship. To be eligible, an applicant must meet all of the following eligibility criteria at the application deadline:

• Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident
• Intend to enroll or be enrolled full-time in a research-based master's or doctoral degree program in an eligible field of study in STEM or STEM education
• Completed no more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) while enrolled in a graduate degree program
• Never previously accepted a Graduate Research Fellowship
• Declined any previously offered Graduate Research Fellowship by the acceptance deadline
• Never previously applied to GRFP while enrolled in a graduate degree program
• Never earned a doctoral or terminal degree in any field
• Individuals holding joint bachelor's-master's degrees who did not progress directly to a doctoral program the semester following award of the joint degree must apply as returning graduate students (see below)
• Individuals with prior graduate enrollment who have: (i) completed more than one academic year in any graduate degree-granting program, (ii) earned a previous master's degree of any kind (including Bachelor's-Master's degree), or (iii) earned a professional degree must meet the following requirements:
  • not enrolled in a graduate degree program at application deadline
    
  • be at two or more consecutive years past graduate degree enrollment or completion at the application deadline
• Not be a current NSF employee

Does this application require endorsement by the college?

No, however, the Office of Fellowships staff offers application support for current seniors and alums not currently enrolled in a graduate program. Students enrolled in a graduate program should seek support from staff at that institution.

How much funding is awarded and how can I use it?

This fellowship provides three years of support over a five-year fellowship period. For each of the three years of support, NSF provides a $37,000 stipend and $16,000 cost of education allowance to the graduate degree-granting institution of higher education for each Fellow who uses the support in a fellowship year. The Fellowship is portable and can be transferred to a different institution of higher education if a Fellow chooses to transfer to another institution after completion of the first Fellowship year. While the Fellowship is offered to the individual, the Fellowship funds are awarded to the institution of higher education at which a Fellow is enrolled and the institution is responsible for disbursement of the stipend to the Fellow.

Who from Amherst has won this award?

Numerous Amherst College seniors and alums have been awarded funding through the GRFP.  A comprehensive list of award offers and honorable mentions is updated annually on the NSF website. 

What is the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program's history and mission?

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is the country’s oldest fellowship program that directly supports graduate students in various STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields. In March 1951, Alan T. Waterman, the chief scientist at the Office of Naval Research, was appointed by President Truman to become the first Director of the National Science Foundation. Waterman defined the Foundation’s policy role as “one of advocating a research support program, improving government-university relations, and compiling reliable information on scientific research and manpower.” In 1951, Congress appropriated only $151,000 for the agency to start administrative operations. GRFP was established as the first program in the foundation’s history to encourage individuals to pursue graduate education in science. In developing the program, graduate school was targeted as the academic level most likely to quickly produce scientists and engineers who could contribute to scientific accomplishments and innovation in the U.S.

What to include in the letter:

• Include the name of your department and institution and a description of how long and in what capacity you have known the applicant. The more specific this information is, the better reviewers can evaluate the candidate. If you are the candidate’s research supervisor, comment on the originality of their research statement, and what role, if any, you played in assisting the student with the application.
• Include comments on the applicant’s potential for contributing to a globally-engaged United States science and engineering workforce, statements about the applicant’s academic potential and prior research experiences, observations about the applicant’s proposed research, and any other information that will enable review panels to evaluate the application according to the NSF Merit Review Criteria.
• The application will be evaluated on the basis of the two National Science Board approved Merit Review Criteria: Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts. Therefore, address both in your letter. It is acceptable to have sections labeled "Intellectual Merit" and "Broader Impacts" within your letter. Please refer to Section VI of the current GRF Program Solicitation for more information about the Review Process and Broader Impacts.

A review of "intellectual merit and broader impacts":

All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science Board approved merit review criteria.

Intellectual Merit: The Intellectual Merit criterion encompasses the potential to advance knowledge; and

Broader Impacts: The Broader Impacts criterion encompasses the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.

The following elements should be considered in the review for both criteria:

1. What is the potential for the proposed activity to: a. Advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and b. Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?

2. To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?

3. Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rationale? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success?

4. How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to conduct the proposed activities?

5. Are there adequate resources available to the PI (either at the home organization or through collaborations) to carry out the proposed activities?

Formatting and submission:

• Please limit your letter to two pages. The GRFP Module cannot accept letters that are longer than two pages.
• Please submit your letter on letterhead, if possible, and it should be signed. Please use standard 8.5″ x 11″ page size with 1 inch margin on all sides, and 11-point Times New Roman font.
• All reference letters must be submitted online as a PDF using the GRFP Module and must be received by the deadline posted.