215:. This distribution has been suggested to perpetuate inequality in science, as graduate students at less elite academic universities often have a greater need for funding. In addition, elite universities, both graduate and undergraduate level, often have greater resources designed to help students submit successful applications. Awareness of the fellowship, resources to help apply, research opportunities in undergrad, financial freedom to work in a lab in college, and undergraduate support are also important factors considered contributors to an uneven distribution. Between 2019 and 2021, the distribution has favored the so-called "elite" institutions less, with the top ten's share dropping to 26% and the share of the top three dropping to 12%.
36:
453:
funding is not being drawn the student is on 'reserve', while funding is being drawn the student is 'tenured'. For instance, a recipient might postpone the grant's funding while working as a teaching assistant or research assistant. This is referred to as "reserve". On the third year of reserve, the recipient will automatically forfeit any remaining years of tenure.
223:
chances of undergraduate applicants who have not yet chosen a graduate program. These improved chances were to encourage more undergrads to apply. However, in 2018 the number of awards received by the top 10 universities was greater than any since 2011, and an even greater number of undergraduates awarded the fellowship came from the top 30 schools.
436:
program, however once enrolled in a graduate program graduate students are limited to only one application submitted their first or beginning of their second year. Generally applicants cannot have a masters or professional degree when applying, unless returning after two or more years and not enrolled in a graduate program.
443:
Applications are typically due in late
October, with different deadlines for different scientific fields. Letters of recommendation are typically due in early November. Fellows and students selected for Honorable Mention are usually notified in April of the year following their application. Together,
153:
The
Graduate Research Fellowship was first awarded in 1952, with the goal of encouraging basic scientific research and ensuring comprehensive, competitive research programs for U.S. students. Since 1952, the NSF has funded over 46,500 Graduate Research Fellowships out of over 500,000 applicants. Many
435:
The competition is open to U.S. citizens and national and permanent residents who are enrolled or intend to be enrolled in full-time research-based graduate programs in an eligible STEM field. Undergraduates seniors and bachelor degree holders may apply before enrolling in a degree granting graduate
456:
In 2020, the NSF announced it will emphasize the fields of artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and computationally intensive research when awarding fellowships. This received criticism from the science community largely due to concerns that the new focus could further disadvantage
452:
The grant is administered through the institution the student is attending. The fellowship is five years with three years of funding, and the funding can be postponed for up to two 12-month increments as long as the recipient continues to engage in work leading to the eligible graduate degree. When
222:
Until 2016 the NSF GRFP allowed any number of applications before starting graduate school, and two applications once enrolled. In 2016 the NSF reduced the number of times an enrolled graduate student could apply to only once during their graduate career. This was announced as a way to improve the
144:
Each recipient could previously apply for a one-time-only travel award for $ 1,000. This travel award was previously for international research activities or presenting at an international scientific conference. However, in 2010, this opportunity was converted to the Nordic
Research Opportunity,
140:
to approximately 2,000 students pursuing research-based Master's and doctoral degrees in the natural, social, and engineering sciences at US institutions. As of 2024, the fellowship provides an honorarium of $ 16,000 to be placed towards the cost of tuition and fees at the university the fellow
218:
An alternative explanation is that the students awarded the GRFP, who come from many different social and economic backgrounds, naturally gravitate towards the best nationwide institutions for research. The GRFP often vastly increases awardee's academic freedom to choose between labs and
226:
Between 2015 and 2021, Berkeley (504), MIT (440), and
Cornell (271) were the top universities from which fellows received undergraduate degrees; the top three universities affiliated with graduate students receiving NSF-GRFP awards were Berkeley (758), Stanford (634), and MIT (531).
439:
In order to apply, the applicant must submit biographical information, undergraduate and graduate transcripts where applicable, three letters of recommendation, and two essays: a personal statement with relevant experience and a research proposal stating future goals.
202:
The NSF GRFP has struggled with an uneven distribution of the award to a select few graduate schools. In 2019, 31% of the grants were awarded to students of only 10 elite academic universities, with 14% of them awarded to just the top three:
900:
905:
145:
which is intended to facilitate collaborations between U.S. graduate fellows and scholars at
Finnish, Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian research institutions.
141:
attends; it also awards the student directly with an annual $ 37,000 stipend for three years, leading to an anticipated total award amount of $ 159,000.
691:
100:
471:
72:
556:
79:
293:
267:
208:
910:
86:
257:
249:
204:
68:
119:
57:
50:
393:
365:
311:
419:
598:
808:
401:
375:
159:
137:
93:
46:
444:
the
Fellows and Honorable Mention students make up about the top 30% of applicants with around 2,000 each.
411:
769:
846:
476:
357:
790:
383:
339:
321:
275:
212:
347:
329:
303:
285:
163:
864:
171:
854:
712:
670:
466:
652:
155:
885:
850:
191:
187:
748:
734:
577:
517:
894:
183:
539:
518:"Dear Colleague Letter: NSF Graduate Research Fellows Nordic Research Opportunity"
557:"NSF graduate fellowships disproportionately go to students at a few top schools"
179:
175:
35:
859:
834:
167:
868:
626:
17:
219:
universities, since they are less reliant on departmental funding.
835:"NSF grant changes raise alarm about commitment to basic research"
809:"NSF Defends New Emphases in Graduate Research Fellowship Program"
749:"Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Program Solicitation"
578:"The NSF graduate research fellowship program favors elites again"
134:
National
Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
29:
496:
599:"NSF Graduate Fellowships are a part of the problem"
499:. Washington, D.C.: National Science Foundation
154:former graduate fellows have gone on to become
136:(NSF-GRFP) is a grant awarded annually by the
735:"Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)"
8:
772:. Chicago, IL: National Science Foundation
770:"Award Offers and Honorable Mentions List"
751:. Chicago, IL: National Science Foundation
715:. Chicago, IL: National Science Foundation
694:. Chicago, IL: National Science Foundation
621:
619:
617:
615:
520:. Chicago, IL: National Science Foundation
497:"NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program"
162:. Some well known NSF GRFP alumni include
69:"NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program"
858:
472:Computational Science Graduate Fellowship
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
901:1952 establishments in the United States
627:"National Science Foundation GRFP Login"
229:
488:
906:Education finance in the United States
56:Please improve this article by adding
294:Massachusetts Institute of Technology
268:Massachusetts Institute of Technology
27:Program for funding graduate students
7:
551:
549:
713:"2020 GRFP Application Components"
692:"2020 GRFP Application Guidelines"
258:University of California, Berkeley
250:University of California, Berkeley
25:
833:Viglione, Giuliana (2020-08-06).
601:. Small Pond Science. April 2015
394:University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
366:University of Washington-Seattle
312:University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
34:
420:Georgia Institute of Technology
233:Awards by Top Undergrad. Inst.
1:
733:National Science Foundation.
671:"The price of a GRFP, part 2"
538:National Science Foundation.
402:University of Texas at Austin
376:University of Texas at Austin
58:secondary or tertiary sources
580:. Massive Sci. 11 April 2018
160:National Academy of Sciences
911:National Science Foundation
138:National Science Foundation
927:
860:10.1038/d41586-020-02272-x
457:under-represented groups.
241:Awards by Top Grad. Inst.
238:
657:MIT Grad Admissions Blog
653:"You got NSF, now what?"
431:Application requirements
791:"NSF FAQ-Reserve-Leave"
448:Additional information
45:relies excessively on
412:University of Chicago
358:Princeton University
851:2020Natur.584..177V
384:Columbia University
340:Columbia University
322:Stanford University
276:Stanford University
158:and members of the
559:. Science Magazine
348:Cornell University
330:Harvard University
304:Harvard University
286:Cornell University
198:Award distribution
845:(7820): 177–178.
428:
427:
172:Jennifer Richeson
130:
129:
122:
104:
16:(Redirected from
918:
886:Official website
873:
872:
862:
830:
824:
823:
821:
820:
805:
799:
798:
787:
781:
780:
778:
777:
766:
760:
759:
757:
756:
745:
739:
738:
730:
724:
723:
721:
720:
709:
703:
702:
700:
699:
688:
682:
681:
679:
678:
667:
661:
660:
648:
642:
641:
639:
637:
623:
610:
609:
607:
606:
595:
589:
588:
586:
585:
574:
568:
567:
565:
564:
553:
544:
543:
535:
529:
528:
526:
525:
514:
508:
507:
505:
504:
493:
477:NDSEG Fellowship
467:Hertz Fellowship
230:
125:
118:
114:
111:
105:
103:
62:
38:
30:
21:
926:
925:
921:
920:
919:
917:
916:
915:
891:
890:
882:
877:
876:
832:
831:
827:
818:
816:
807:
806:
802:
795:www.nsfgrfp.org
789:
788:
784:
775:
773:
768:
767:
763:
754:
752:
747:
746:
742:
732:
731:
727:
718:
716:
711:
710:
706:
697:
695:
690:
689:
685:
676:
674:
673:. Natalie Telis
669:
668:
664:
650:
649:
645:
635:
633:
625:
624:
613:
604:
602:
597:
596:
592:
583:
581:
576:
575:
571:
562:
560:
555:
554:
547:
537:
536:
532:
523:
521:
516:
515:
511:
502:
500:
495:
494:
490:
485:
463:
450:
433:
200:
156:Nobel laureates
151:
126:
115:
109:
106:
63:
61:
55:
51:primary sources
39:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
924:
922:
914:
913:
908:
903:
893:
892:
889:
888:
881:
880:External links
878:
875:
874:
825:
800:
782:
761:
740:
725:
704:
683:
662:
643:
611:
590:
569:
545:
530:
509:
487:
486:
484:
481:
480:
479:
474:
469:
462:
459:
449:
446:
432:
429:
426:
425:
422:
417:
414:
408:
407:
404:
399:
396:
390:
389:
386:
381:
378:
372:
371:
368:
363:
360:
354:
353:
350:
345:
342:
336:
335:
332:
327:
324:
318:
317:
314:
309:
306:
300:
299:
296:
291:
288:
282:
281:
278:
273:
270:
264:
263:
260:
255:
252:
246:
245:
242:
239:
237:
234:
199:
196:
192:John C. Mather
188:Burton Richter
150:
147:
128:
127:
42:
40:
33:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
923:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
898:
896:
887:
884:
883:
879:
870:
866:
861:
856:
852:
848:
844:
840:
836:
829:
826:
814:
810:
804:
801:
796:
792:
786:
783:
771:
765:
762:
750:
744:
741:
736:
729:
726:
714:
708:
705:
693:
687:
684:
672:
666:
663:
658:
654:
647:
644:
632:
628:
622:
620:
618:
616:
612:
600:
594:
591:
579:
573:
570:
558:
552:
550:
546:
541:
540:"GRF History"
534:
531:
519:
513:
510:
498:
492:
489:
482:
478:
475:
473:
470:
468:
465:
464:
460:
458:
454:
447:
445:
441:
437:
430:
423:
421:
418:
415:
413:
410:
409:
405:
403:
400:
397:
395:
392:
391:
387:
385:
382:
379:
377:
374:
373:
369:
367:
364:
361:
359:
356:
355:
351:
349:
346:
343:
341:
338:
337:
333:
331:
328:
325:
323:
320:
319:
315:
313:
310:
307:
305:
302:
301:
297:
295:
292:
289:
287:
284:
283:
279:
277:
274:
271:
269:
266:
265:
261:
259:
256:
253:
251:
248:
247:
243:
240:
235:
232:
231:
228:
224:
220:
216:
214:
210:
206:
197:
195:
193:
189:
185:
184:Steven Levitt
181:
177:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
149:Award history
148:
146:
142:
139:
135:
124:
121:
113:
102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
71: –
70:
66:
65:Find sources:
59:
53:
52:
48:
43:This article
41:
37:
32:
31:
19:
842:
838:
828:
817:. Retrieved
815:. 2020-08-17
812:
803:
794:
785:
774:. Retrieved
764:
753:. Retrieved
743:
728:
717:. Retrieved
707:
696:. Retrieved
686:
675:. Retrieved
665:
656:
646:
634:. Retrieved
631:research.gov
630:
603:. Retrieved
593:
582:. Retrieved
572:
561:. Retrieved
533:
522:. Retrieved
512:
501:. Retrieved
491:
455:
451:
442:
438:
434:
225:
221:
217:
201:
164:Eric Cornell
152:
143:
133:
131:
116:
110:October 2019
107:
97:
90:
83:
76:
64:
44:
813:www.aip.org
180:Amy Mainzer
176:Sergey Brin
895:Categories
819:2021-02-02
776:2019-10-10
755:2019-10-10
719:2019-10-10
698:2019-10-10
677:2019-12-04
651:G., Mark.
605:2019-12-04
584:2019-12-04
563:2019-12-04
524:2019-10-10
503:2013-04-08
483:References
168:Steven Chu
80:newspapers
47:references
869:32764688
461:See also
244:2015-21
236:2015-21
213:Stanford
205:Berkeley
847:Bibcode
636:1 March
94:scholar
18:NSF-GRF
867:
839:Nature
211:, and
190:, and
96:
89:
82:
75:
67:
101:JSTOR
87:books
865:PMID
638:2022
424:233
416:183
406:243
398:198
388:247
380:209
370:297
362:210
352:310
344:211
334:359
326:240
316:409
308:248
298:531
290:271
280:634
272:440
262:758
254:504
132:The
73:news
855:doi
843:584
209:MIT
49:to
897::
863:.
853:.
841:.
837:.
811:.
793:.
655:.
629:.
614:^
548:^
207:,
194:.
186:,
182:,
178:,
174:,
170:,
166:,
60:.
871:.
857::
849::
822:.
797:.
779:.
758:.
737:.
722:.
701:.
680:.
659:.
640:.
608:.
587:.
566:.
542:.
527:.
506:.
123:)
117:(
112:)
108:(
98:·
91:·
84:·
77:·
54:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
