The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is run by the U.S. National Science Foundation and pays a $37,000 yearly stipend, plus a $16,000 cost-of-education allowance to your university, for three years of support used within a five-year window. It is for college seniors, bachelor’s graduates and first-year graduate students heading into research-based master’s or PhD programs in NSF-supported STEM fields. The 2026 competition closed between October 19 and October 23, 2026, depending on field, and NSF has not yet posted dates for the next competition.
The rules below come from the NSF GRFP program page and the current solicitation, NSF 26-526. NSF published the solicitation on August 25, 2026, and last updated the program page on October 2, 2026.
Who is eligible for the NSF GRFP
The solicitation sets out several conditions. You must meet all of them at the application deadline.
- Citizenship: you must be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident by the application deadline, and still hold that status if you accept a fellowship.
- Field: your graduate program must be research-based, in an NSF-supported STEM discipline, at an accredited, nonprofit U.S. college or university.
- Stage: “Second-year graduate students are not eligible to apply.” First-year graduate students must have completed less than one academic year of study, as shown on a registrar-issued transcript at the deadline.
- Prior awards: you must never have accepted a Graduate Research Fellowship before.
- One application per year: NSF allows only one application per annual competition.
The number of tries depends on where you are. If you hold a bachelor’s degree and have never enrolled in graduate school, you may apply an unlimited number of times before you start a graduate program. Students in a joint bachelor’s-master’s program get one try, in their final undergraduate year or first graduate year. “Graduate students can apply only once, in the first year of their first graduate program.”
That rule matters for timing. If you apply as a senior and miss, you can try again as a first-year graduate student. If you wait until grad school, you get one chance.
What the fellowship pays
| Item | Amount (NSF 26-526) |
|---|---|
| Stipend | $37,000 per tenure year, for a 12-month tenure |
| Cost of Education allowance | $16,000 per tenure year, paid to the school in place of tuition and mandatory fees |
| Length of support | Three years of support over a five-year fellowship period |
| Estimated awards | 1,500, “pending the availability of funds” |
The stipend is paid through your institution. The fellowship can move with you to another eligible school after the first fellowship year, which is useful if you change programs or advisors. Because the five-year window is longer than the three years of support, you can pause the paid years and be funded by your university or a research grant in between.
How selection works
NSF reviews applications against its two standard merit review criteria, approved by the National Science Board: Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts. Reviewers are organized by field of study, and the field you pick decides your deadline.
The application has three main parts:
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- A Personal, Relevant Background, and Future Goals Statement, up to three pages.
- A Graduate Research Plan Statement, up to two pages.
- Reference letters: you list at least three writers and up to five, and the top three letters are included. Each letter is limited to two pages.
Both statements must have separate headings titled “Intellectual Merit” and “Broader Impacts.” The page limits include references, figures and publication lists, so a long bibliography costs you space. NSF says applicants are notified of outcomes by early April.
Deadlines and timeline
NSF has not yet posted the next competition’s dates. For reference, these were the 2026 deadlines under NSF 26-526, each due by 8 p.m. Eastern Time:
| 2026 date | Fields |
|---|---|
| October 16 | Reference letters due (all fields) |
| October 19 | Life Sciences |
| October 20 | Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Materials Research; Psychology; Social Sciences |
| October 22 | Engineering |
| October 23 | Chemistry; Geosciences; Mathematical Sciences; Physics and Astronomy |
Notice that reference letters were due before every applicant deadline. In 2026 NSF also ran applicant webinars and office hours from September 17 to September 30. If the next cycle follows a similar pattern, the solicitation will appear in late summer, which leaves about two months to write.
How to make a strong NSF GRFP application
- Write to the two criteria by name. The headings are required, but reviewers score against them too. Under Broader Impacts, describe things you have actually done, such as mentoring, outreach or teaching, and what you plan to do next.
- Fit the research plan into two pages, citations included. Because references count toward the limit, use a short citation style and cite only what supports your plan.
- Pick your field carefully. Your field decides which reviewers read your file and which day your application is due. Choose the one your research plan actually belongs to.
- Get letters in early. The letter deadline came first in 2026. Line up at least three writers who know your research, and name a fourth or fifth as backup, since NSF lets you list up to five.
- Use your senior-year try. Applying before graduate school keeps your later attempt available. Applying only as a first-year graduate student uses up your one graduate-level try.
Similar programs to consider
The Hertz Fellowship funds PhDs in applied science and engineering on a similar fall schedule. Undergraduates aiming at research careers should look at the Goldwater Scholarship two years earlier. For loans, assistantships and the 2026 federal changes, read how to pay for graduate school, and search more awards in our scholarship finder.
NSF GRFP questions
Can international students apply for the NSF GRFP?
Only if they are U.S. permanent residents by the deadline. The solicitation requires U.S. citizenship, nationality or permanent residency.
Can I apply in my second year of graduate school?
No. NSF 26-526 says second-year graduate students are not eligible. First-year students must have completed less than one academic year.
Does the fellowship cover tuition?
NSF pays your school a $16,000 cost-of-education allowance per tenure year in place of tuition and mandatory fees. You receive the $37,000 stipend separately.
When are results announced?
NSF says applicants are notified of outcomes by early April of the competition year.