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NSF 05-617: East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students

Program Solicitation

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East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students (EAPSI)

Program Solicitation
NSF 05-617
Replaces Document NSF 03-608

NSF Logo

National Science Foundation
Office of the Director
      Office of International Science and Engineering
NIH logo  

National Institutes of Health
     John E. Fogarty International Center


Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time):

December 13, 2005, Second Tuesday in December, Annually thereafter

Summary Of Program Requirements

General Information

Program Title:

East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students (EAPSI)

Synopsis of Program:

The East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes (EAPSI) provide U.S. graduate students in science and engineering 1) first-hand research experience in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, or Taiwan; 2) an introduction to the science and science policy infrastructure of the respective location; and 3) orientation to the society, culture and language. The primary goals of EAPSI are to introduce students to East Asia and Pacific science and engineering in the context of a research laboratory, and to initiate personal relationships that will better enable them to collaborate with foreign counterparts in the future. The institutes last approximately eight weeks from June to August. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) co-sponsor the Summer Institute in Japan.

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

  • EAPSI Program Manager, Office of International Science and Engineering, NSF, telephone: 703-292-8704, fax: 703-292-9175, email: eapinfo@nsf.gov

Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):

  • 47.075 --- Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences
  • 47.078 --- Office of Polar Programs
  • 47.049 --- Mathematical and Physical Sciences
  • 47.079 --- International Science and Engineering (OISE)
  • 47.050 --- Geosciences
  • 47.041 --- Engineering
  • 47.076 --- Education and Human Resources
  • 47.070 --- Computer and Information Science and Engineering
  • 47.074 --- Biological Sciences

Eligibility Information

  • Organization Limit:

    Applications are submitted directly by the individual graduate student, unlike standard NSF proposals that are submitted through the principal investigator's U.S. authorized organizational representative.
  • PI Eligibility Limit:

    As of the deadline date of the application year, applicants must be:

    • U.S. citizens or permanent residents;
    • Enrolled at U.S. institutions in 1) graduate programs (M.S. or Ph.D.) in science or engineering or 2) M.D. programs with an interest in biomedical research;
    • Pursuing studies in fields of science and engineering research and education supported by the National Science Foundation. (For Japan, fields of study may also include those supported by the National Institutes of Health.);
    • Pursuing studies in fields of science and engineering research and education that are represented among the potential host institutions at the desired location;
    • Previous EAPSI participants may apply only to locations in which they have not participated.
  • Limit on Number of Proposals: One application per student per year.

Award Information

  • Anticipated Type of Award: Fellowship
  • Estimated Number of Awards: 165 annually depending on the quality of applications and availability of funds.
  • Anticipated Funding Amount: $1,000,000 Each awardee will receive a $3,000 stipend and an international round-trip air ticket. (Certain travel restrictions will apply). In additon, each awardee is supported to attend a pre-departure orientation in the Washington, D.C. area.

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
  • Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: This solicitation contains information that supplements the standard Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) proposal preparation guidelines. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
B. Budgetary Information
  • Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is not required by NSF.
  • Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: There are no indirect costs allowed.
  • Other Budgetary Limitations: Not Applicable.
C. Due Dates
  • Full Proposal Deadline Date(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time):

    December 13, 2005, Second Tuesday in December, Annually thereafter

Proposal Review Information

  • Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review considerations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Award Administration Information

  • Award Conditions: Standard NSF award conditions apply.
  • Reporting Requirements: Additional reporting requirements apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

I. Introduction

The East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes (EAPSI) provide U.S. graduate students in science and engineering 1) first-hand research experience in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, or Taiwan; 2) an introduction to the science and science policy infrastructure of the respective location; and 3) orientation to the society, culture and language. The primary goals of EAPSI are to introduce students to East Asia and Pacific science and engineering in the context of a research laboratory, and to initiate personal relationships that will better enable them to collaborate with foreign counterparts in the future. Current information is available at the NSF Summer Institutes Website (https://www.nsf.gov/eapsi).

II. Program Description

Support of international activities is an integral part of the NSF mission to sustain and strengthen the nation’s science, mathematics, and engineering capabilities, and to promote the use of those capabilities in service to society. In particular, NSF recognizes the importance of enabling U.S. researchers and educators to advance their work through international collaborations, and of helping ensure that future generations of U.S. scientists and engineers gain professional experience beyond this nation’s borders early in their careers.

The East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes (EAPSI) are administered in the United States by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) co-sponsor the Summer Institute in Japan. In East Asia and the Pacific, the Summer Institutes are sponsored and managed by the Australian Academy of Science; the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC); the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS); the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF); and the National Science Council of Taiwan (NSCT). The first summer institute began in Japan in 1990, followed by Korea in 1995, Taiwan in 2000, and Australia and China in 2004. The Summer Institute in Taiwan operates in line with the U.S.-Taiwan Relations Act (PL 96-8).

Key Elements

Pre-departure orientation: 2-day session in the Washington, D.C. area in April.

Orientation: During the first week of the summer program, students participate in a variety of organized activities that provide an introduction to the society, culture, language, and research policy of the host location.

Research: Approximately seven weeks are spent on research activities at the host institution. Students work collaboratively with host researchers on projects of mutual interest.

Visits to other laboratories/sites: Participants are encouraged to make arrangements to visit other research institutes in the host location, in order to learn about work in their field and to cultivate contacts for future collaboration. Such visits should be scheduled in consultation with host researchers, or be planned to occur following the conclusion of the Summer Institute.

Program Conditions/Requirements

As a set of structured programs jointly funded and managed by NSF and partner agencies in the East Asia and Pacific region, EAPSI has a number of requirements. Successful applicants must agree to the following terms and conditions:

  1. Program dates/duration: EAPSI programs last approximately eight weeks, from June to August. Exact starting and ending dates vary each year. Exact dates of each Summer Institute (Australia, China, Japan, Korea, or Taiwan) will be available in March. Participants must attend the EAPSI program in its entirety, including the opening and closing activities.
  2. Acceptance of host institution/researcher: Applicants identify potential host institutions and researchers in their applications. While EAPSI can support students to go to a wide variety of institutions and geographic locations, there are some limitations. Applicants are advised to review specific information for Australia, China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan under “Potential Host Institutions for East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes” on the Summer Institutes Website (https://www.nsf.gov/eapsi). NSF and the relevant foreign counterpart agency(ies) work together to finalize host arrangements for selected students. Placement at requested institutions will be attempted but cannot be guaranteed, and participants are expected to accept placement at a specific institution unless there are truly exceptional circumstances.
  3. Spouses and/or dependents are not permitted to accompany participants during the program.
  4. Participants are responsible for necessary medications, immunizations, and insurance coverage (health insurance coverage varies by location).
  5. Participants are responsible for obtaining passports, visas and any other required travel documents at their own expense. Before applying for the Summer Institutes, permanent U.S. residents should verify their ability to travel without difficulty outside of the United States and to Australia, China, Japan, Korea or Taiwan.
  6. Participants are acting as representatives of NSF and the United States. Failure to adhere to any of the above terms and conditions, or other behavior that reflects negatively upon either NSF or the United States may result in immediate expulsion from the program and the requirement that award funds be returned to NSF.

Location specific information can be found in the pertinent handbooks at (https://www.nsf.gov/eapsi). Note that information in the handbooks will be updated as details are finalized for the following year’s programs.

Approximate Timetable:

December – January:
NSF compliance check of proposals
January:
NSF merit review of proposals
February:
Notification to selected students of tentative acceptance or alternate status
April:
Pre-departure orientation in Washington, D.C. area
April:
Acceptance notices issued to confirmed students by NSF counterpart agencies in Australia, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan
April:
Authorization and instructions for travel issued
May – June:
Official awards and stipends or declinations issued
June – August:
Summer Institutes

III. Eligibility Information

  • To be eligible for EAPSI, as of the deadline date of the application year, applicants must be:

    • U.S. citizens or permanent residents;
    • Enrolled at U.S. institutions in 1) graduate programs (M.S. or Ph.D.) in science or engineering or 2) M.D. programs with an interest in biomedical research; and
    • Pursuing studies in fields of science and engineering research and education that are supported by the National Science Foundation (Biological Sciences; Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Education and Human Resources; Engineering; Geosciences; Mathematical and Physical Sciences; Polar Research; and Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences). See https://www.nsf.gov/funding/browse_all_funding.jsp for descriptions of these fields. For Japan, fields of study may also include those supported by the National Institutes of Health (http://www.nih.gov/science/).
    • Pursuing studies in fields of science and engineering research and education that are represented among the potential host institutions at the desired location.
    • Previous EAPSI participants may only apply to locations in which they have not yet participated.

IV. Award Information

  • Each awardee will receive an NSF stipend of $3,000 that is meant to compensate in part for loss of summer employment. (Awardees can receive only one stipend from NSF or other Federal agencies during the period of the EAPSI.)
  • Each awardee will receive an international round-trip air ticket. (Certain travel restrictions will apply.)
  • Living expenses will be supported by NSF’s partner organizations in the East Asia and the Pacific region.
  • Each awardee is supported to attend a pre-departure orientation in the Washington, D.C. area.

V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

Full Proposal Instructions:

Proposals submitted in response to this program announcement/solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF Website at: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg. Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

In cases where requirements given in this program solicitation differ from those given in the Grant Proposal Guide, this program solicitation takes precedence.

All page limits indicated within this program solicitation include images, figures, graphics, tables, etc. Applicants must adhere to page limitations, font size (no smaller than 10 point), and margins (minimum of 2.5 cm). Proposals that do not conform to the requirements will be returned without review.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Unlike standard proposals to NSF, EAPSI proposals are submitted directly to NSF without going through your university. EAPSI proposals must be submitted electronically on the NSF FastLane website.

  1. Follow specific instructions from 'How to Apply' found by selecting 'Postdoctoral Fellowships and Other Programs', 'I am an Applicant', and then 'East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes' on the NSF FastLane website that can be accessed from the NSF homepage (https://www.nsf.gov/). 'How to Apply' can also be obtained from the Summer Institutes Website (https://www.nsf.gov/eapsi).
  2. In the FastLane application process for EAPSI, the applicant will be called a Principal Investigator (PI) or Proposer and must register as an individual researcher acting as the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR).
  3. The applicant must list names of Letter of Reference writers within "Add/Delete Letter of Reference Writers" section in FastLane Proposal Preparation. This must be done before the applicant's references can write their letters.

The EAPSI Proposal Consists of:

Cover Sheet - You must complete the cover sheet first. Check that your name and address show as both Awardee and Performing Organization. Select this program solicitation from the list shown. Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing.

Application Form - You are required to fill out the Application Form with the following information: Personal Information; Official Name; Citizenship Status; Current Degree Information; Mailing Address; Permanent Home Address; Current Academic Institutional Address; Proposed Research Area and Potential Host Institutions Information. Program staff will communicate by regular mail and email to the addresses you indicate. Please enter this information CORRECTLY.

You may list multiple potential host institutions in priority order and identify the specific research divisions that are of particular interest. Give the names and email addresses of researchers you would like to have considered as your potential host researchers. If you wish to be considered for more than one location (Australia, China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan), select your choices in order of preference on the application form. You should include information on potential host institutions and researchers for each location for which you would like to be considered.

While EAPSI can support students to go to a wide variety of institutions and geographic locations, there are some limitations. Applicants are advised to review specific information for Australia, China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan under “Potential Host Institutions for East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes” on the Summer Institutes Website (https://www.nsf.gov/eapsi).

Any questions should be discussed with the EAPSI program manager before submitting your application.

Additional information related to host institutions can be found on the Summer Institutes Website (https://www.nsf.gov/eapsi) under 1) How to Contact Prospective Hosts; and 2) Location-specific handbooks. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek information about foreign researchers and institutions from research advisors and other faculty members, from discipline-specific literature searches, and from the Internet.

Communications to/from potential hosts will strengthen your application and are highly recommended. Submission of scanned e-mail communication is preferred. Any such materials should be put in the "Supplementary Docs" section, and must be submitted via FastLane as part of your proposal.

For tentatively selected applicants, NSF will begin the process of matching individual students to individual host researchers. The matching process will take into consideration 1) the student's stated preferences, 2) numbers of students going to different geographical regions, and 3) the types (e.g., university, national institute, private company) of institutions participating as hosts. NSF makes formal requests for institutions/researchers to serve as hosts through the sponsoring organizations in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Requests may be declined for a variety of reasons, and when this happens, NSF will seek to arrange alternate placement.

Project Summary – A generic summary is provided. You do not add or change anything.

Project Description (not to exceed three single-spaced pages with 1 inch margins) - The description should include:

  1. A clear statement of a hypothesis-driven research topic/project. The description should be understandable to a scientifically literate lay reader, but detailed and specific enough to be evaluated by disciplinary experts. In addition to being read by the NSF review panel, selected applications will be shared with potential host researchers to confirm common research interests and their desire to collaborate.
  2. Specific strengths of the proposed host institutions/researchers (e.g., expertise, facilities, data, access) and the benefits these would offer in terms of the proposed research topic/project.
  3. Value to the student’s research career in gaining experience in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, or Taiwan.
  4. Broader impacts of the proposed research and of your participation in the Summer Institute (See Section VI.A., for complete description of broader impacts).
  5. Your unique qualifications for participation in the Summer Institute.

Note: Selected applicants may be asked to submit revised research plans if consultation with the potential host researcher results in substantive changes to the proposed plan.

Biographical Sketch (not to exceed two single-spaced pages) - Provide a resume including your professional and academic history, awards, international experience, list of publications if any, and other information. Do not send reprints or abstracts of publications.

Two Letters of Reference - from two faculty members or other senior individuals qualified to comment on your abilities and potential as a scientific researcher. One reference must be from your current research advisor. (If you do not have a research advisor yet, ask your academic advisor or Department Chair.) Do not secure references from proposed foreign host researchers or institutions. Your reference letter writers must use FastLane to directly enter and submit them after you have listed their names within the “Add/Delete Letter of Reference Writers” section in your FastLane application. You must list their names before your references can submit their letters. You are responsible for assuring that your references use FastLane to submit their letters by the application deadline. If both letters are not received in FastLane by the deadline, the proposal may be returned without review.

Supplementary Docs - The following documents must be submitted electronically (by scanning, if necessary) via FastLane, as part of the application:

  • Undergraduate and Graduate Transcripts: Unofficial copies are acceptable.
  • An official statement from the registrar's office, Dean, or Department Chair attesting to your current enrollment in the graduate program. Email statements with their original headings including senders' email addresses and dates are acceptable.
  • Other documents such as communication to/from potential host researchers (strongly recommended).

All proposal materials must be submitted via FastLane, including letters of reference. Materials sent via other methods to NSF will not be reviewed and may result in the application being returned without review.

While stated previously, it is noted again that EAPSI applications tentatively selected by NSF are shared with foreign partner agencies and with potential host institutions/researchers. Any sensitive materials should not be included in applications.

Proposers are reminded to identify the program announcement/solicitation number (05-617) in the program announcement/solicitation block on the proposal Cover Sheet. Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing.

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing:

Cost sharing is not required by NSF in proposals submitted under this Program Solicitation.

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:

There are no indirect costs allowed.

Budget Preparation Instructions:

The proposal budget form is filled in automatically to reflect a $3,000 stipend. You do not add or change anything.

C. Due Dates

Proposals must be submitted by the following date(s):

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time):

December 13, 2005, Second Tuesday in December, Annually thereafter

D. FastLane Requirements

Proposers are required to prepare and submit all proposals for this announcement/solicitation through the FastLane system. Detailed instructions for proposal preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. For FastLane user support, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf.gov. The FastLane Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the FastLane system. Specific questions related to this program announcement/solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this announcement/solicitation.

Submission of Electronically Signed Cover Sheets. The Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must electronically sign the proposal Cover Sheet to submit the required proposal certifications (see Chapter II, Section C of the Grant Proposal Guide for a listing of the certifications). The AOR must provide the required electronic certifications within five working days following the electronic submission of the proposal. Proposers are no longer required to provide a paper copy of the signed Proposal Cover Sheet to NSF. Further instructions regarding this process are available on the FastLane Website at: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov

VI. Proposal Review Information

A. NSF Proposal Review Process

Reviews of proposals submitted to NSF are solicited from peers with expertise in the substantive area of the proposed research or education project. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with the oversight of the review process. NSF invites the proposer to suggest, at the time of submission, the names of appropriate or inappropriate reviewers. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts with the proposer. Special efforts are made to recruit reviewers from non-academic institutions, minority-serving institutions, or adjacent disciplines to that principally addressed in the proposal.

The National Science Board approved revised criteria for evaluating proposals at its meeting on March 28, 1997 (NSB 97-72). All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two merit review criteria. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.

On July 8, 2002, the NSF Director issued Important Notice 127, Implementation of new Grant Proposal Guide Requirements Related to the Broader Impacts Criterion. This Important Notice reinforces the importance of addressing both criteria in the preparation and review of all proposals submitted to NSF. NSF continues to strengthen its internal processes to ensure that both of the merit review criteria are addressed when making funding decisions.

In an effort to increase compliance with these requirements, the January 2002 issuance of the GPG incorporated revised proposal preparation guidelines relating to the development of the Project Summary and Project Description. Chapter II of the GPG specifies that Principal Investigators (PIs) must address both merit review criteria in separate statements within the one-page Project Summary. This chapter also reiterates that broader impacts resulting from the proposed project must be addressed in the Project Description and described as an integral part of the narrative.

Effective October 1, 2002, NSF will return without review proposals that do not separately address both merit review criteria within the Project Summary. It is believed that these changes to NSF proposal preparation and processing guidelines will more clearly articulate the importance of broader impacts to NSF-funded projects.

The two National Science Board approved merit review criteria are listed below (see the Grant Proposal Guide Chapter III.A for further information). The criteria include considerations that help define them. These considerations are suggestions and not all will apply to any given proposal. While proposers must address both merit review criteria, reviewers will be asked to address only those considerations that are relevant to the proposal being considered and for which he/she is qualified to make judgments.

    What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?
    How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of the prior work.) To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original concepts? How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? Is there sufficient access to resources?
    What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?
    How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning? How well does the proposed activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society?

NSF staff will give careful consideration to the following in making funding decisions:

    Integration of Research and Education
    One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to foster integration of research and education through the programs, projects, and activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators, and students and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through the diversity of learning perspectives.
    Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities
    Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens -- women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities -- is essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports.
    Additional Review Criteria:

    The review criteria above are for standard NSF proposals. For the EAPSI program, the reviewers are asked to consider the following additional criteria:

    • Qualifications of applicant, including potential for continued growth and the probable effect of participation in the Summer Institute on the applicant’s career
    • Resources and capabilities of the proposed host institution(s) and researcher(s), and/or the current stature of research in the student’s field of interest in the chosen location (Australia, China, Japan, Korea, or Taiwan)
    • Merit, complementarity, and expected mutual benefits of the proposed international collaboration.

    Previous EAPSI participants may apply only to locations in which they have not yet participated. Preference will be given to applicants who have never been supported by EAPSI.

    Because EAPSI is funded and managed in partnership with organizations in the East Asia and Pacific region, final selection of participants is dependent on mutual agreement between NSF and the partner foreign organizations. Thus, some applicants may be declined, even if they are tentatively selected based on merit review.


B. Review Protocol and Associated Customer Service Standard

All proposals are carefully reviewed by at least three other persons outside NSF who are experts in the particular fields represented by the proposals. Proposals submitted in response to this announcement/solicitation will be reviewed by Panel Review.

Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either support or decline each proposal. The Program Officer assigned to manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate a recommendation.

A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers, are sent to the Principal Investigator/Project Director by the Program Director. In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of the decision to award or decline funding.

NSF is striving to be able to tell proposers whether their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months. The time interval begins on the closing date of an announcement/solicitation, or the date of proposal receipt, whichever is later. The interval ends when the Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation.

In all cases, after programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of Grants and Agreements for review of business, financial, and policy implications and the processing and issuance of a grant or other agreement. Proposers are cautioned that only a Grants and Agreements Officer may make commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of funds. No commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred from technical or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer. A Principal Investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel commitments in the absence of a grant or cooperative agreement signed by the NSF Grants and Agreements Officer does so at their own risk.

VII. Award Administration Information

A. Notification of the Award

Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements. Organizations whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant NSF Program Division administering the program. Verbatim copies of reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided automatically to the Principal Investigator. (See section VI.A. for additional information on the review process.)

B. Award Conditions

An NSF award consists of: (1) the award letter, which includes any special provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2) the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of expense, on which NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates any specific approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced in the award letter; (4) the applicable award conditions, such as Grant General Conditions (NSF-GC-1); * or Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) Terms and Conditions * and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that may be incorporated by reference in the award letter. Cooperative agreement awards are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Agreement Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC). Electronic mail notification is the preferred way to transmit NSF awards to organizations that have electronic mail capabilities and have requested such notification from the Division of Grants and Agreements.

*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/. Paper copies of these documents may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions is contained in the NSF Grant Policy Manual (GPM) Chapter II, available electronically on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpm. The GPM is also for sale through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402. The telephone number at GPO for subscription information is (202) 512-1800. The GPM may be ordered through the GPO Website at http://www.gpo.gov.

C. Reporting Requirements

For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the PI must submit an annual project report to the cognizant Program Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current budget period.

The co-sponsoring organizations in Australia, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan have independent reporting requirements and deadlines. EAPSI participants are expected to comply with their instructions.

Within 90 days after the expiration of an award, the PI also is required to submit a final project report. Failure to provide final technical reports delays NSF review and processing of pending proposals for the PI and all Co-PIs. PIs should examine the formats of the required reports in advance to assure availability of required data.

PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project reporting system, available through FastLane, for preparation and submission of annual and final project reports. This system permits electronic submission and updating of project reports, including information on project participants (individual and organizational), activities and findings, publications, and other specific products and contributions. PIs will not be required to re-enter information previously provided, either with a proposal or in earlier updates using the electronic system.

VIII. Contacts For Additional Information

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:

  • EAPSI Program Manager, Office of International Science and Engineering, NSF, telephone: 703-292-8704, fax: 703-292-9175, email: eapinfo@nsf.gov

For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:

IX. Other Programs Of Interest

The NSF Guide to Programs is a compilation of funding for research and education in science, mathematics, and engineering. The NSF Guide to Programs is available electronically at https://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gp. General descriptions of NSF programs, research areas, and eligibility information for proposal submission are provided in each chapter.

Many NSF programs offer announcements or solicitations concerning specific proposal requirements. To obtain additional information about these requirements, contact the appropriate NSF program offices. Any changes in NSF's fiscal year programs occurring after press time for the Guide to Programs will be announced in the NSF E-Bulletin, which is updated daily on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/home/ebulletin, and in individual program announcements/solicitations. Subscribers can also sign up for NSF's MyNSF News Service (https://www.nsf.gov/mynsf/) to be notified of new funding opportunities that become available.

NSF’s Office of International Science and Engineering supports several types of activities:

  1. Planning visits and workshops that are likely to be catalytic and lead to innovative international collaborations;
  2. International research experiences for U.S. students and early-career scientists and engineers; and
  3. Building international partnerships within an institutional framework.

The program solicitations for these activities can be found at the OISE homepage: https://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?org=OISE

Of particular relevance for U.S. students seeking opportunities for international research experience is the program solicitation “Developing Global Scientists and Engineers.” https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=12831

Recent Ph.D. recipients and individuals who will soon obtain their Ph.D. should consider the “International Research Fellowship Program.” https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5179

About The National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. Awardees are wholly responsible for conducting their project activities and preparing the results for publication. Thus, the Foundation does not assume responsibility for such findings or their interpretation.

NSF welcomes proposals from all qualified scientists, engineers and educators. The Foundation strongly encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to compete fully in its programs. In accordance with Federal statutes, regulations and NSF policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin or disability shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from NSF, although some programs may have special requirements that limit eligibility.

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student research assistants) to work on NSF-supported projects. See the GPG Chapter II, Section D.2 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of proposals.

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Privacy Act And Public Burden Statements

The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in connection with the selection of qualified proposals; project reports submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and reporting within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information requested may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the proposal review process; to applicant institutions/grantees to provide or obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award decisions, or the administration of awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government agencies needing information as part of the review process or in order to coordinate programs; and to another Federal agency, court or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a party. Information about Principal Investigators may be added to the Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve as peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See Systems of Records, NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," 63 Federal Register 267 (January 5, 1998), and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records," 63 Federal Register 268 (January 5, 1998). Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete information, however, may reduce the possibility of receiving an award.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to an information collection unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 120 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding this burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Suzanne Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, Division of Administrative Services, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230.

OMB control number: 3145-0058.

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