NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

NSF GRFP — Fellowship

Funds graduate students in United States STEM fields to pursue research fellowships during PhD studies.

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), established in 1952, is the oldest fellowship of its kind in the United States. Administered under solicitation NSF 25-547, released September 5, 2025, the FY2026 competition awarded 2,500 fellowships for the 2026–2027 academic year. Each fellow receives a $37,000 annual stipend and a $16,000 cost-of-education allowance per tenure year; NSF pays a combined $53,000 per year to the fellow's institution for each tenure year used. Fellows receive three years of funded support within a five-year fellowship period, allowing flexibility in when the funded years are drawn down.

Eligibility is restricted to U.S. citizens, nationals, and permanent residents pursuing full-time, research-based master's or doctoral degrees in STEM fields or STEM education at qualifying institutions. An eligible applicant may submit only one application per annual competition. Discipline-specific deadlines fall in early-to-mid November each year; applicants submit through the companion portal nsfgrfp.org rather than NSF's main Research.gov system. The FY2026 solicitation carried a condensed submission timeline of approximately 47 days, shorter than NSF's stated 90-day minimum.

GRFP fellowships are awarded on two criteria: intellectual merit of the applicant's prior research and proposed research, and broader impacts of the applicant's contributions to science, education, and society. Strong applications demonstrate a clear research agenda, evidence of academic and research achievement, and a compelling narrative of how the fellowship will advance both the applicant's career and a broader scientific or societal benefit. The FY2027 competition cycle is expected to open approximately September 2026 under a new solicitation number.