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NSF 05-601: Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

Program Solicitation

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Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

Program Solicitation
NSF 05-601
Replaces Document NSF 04-615

NSF Logo

National Science Foundation
Directorate for Education and Human Resources
      Division of Graduate Education



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

Deadline(s) are dependent on proposed field of study or specialization

    November 02, 2005

      Life Sciences

    November 03, 2005

      Psychology, Mathematical Sciences

    November 04, 2005

      Social Sciences

    November 07, 2005

      Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy

    November 08, 2005

      Engineering

    November 09, 2005

      Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Geosciences

Official Academic Transcript(s) (Required) due by deadline for Field of Study.

Reference Letters (Three Required) due December 31, 2005.

GRE Subject and General Test Scores (Optional) due December 31, 2005.

Revisions And Updates

  1. Application deadlines have changed.

  2. Eligibility Information has been updated and reformatted.

  3. Three Reference Letters are now required rather than one.

  4. The table of NSF Supported Fields of Study has been updated. Applicants are required to enter text for proposed fields that are not listed in the table.

  5. Application preparation and submission instructions have changed. The text instructions for essays are revised in the Fastlane Application Module, and applicants are required to use a twelve-point font and comply with the page limitations for each section. The essays must be written using the standard 8.5" x 11'" page size.

  6. The new Educational Testing Service address was added for applicants to mail the request for payment of the GRE subject test fee and the GRE subject test registration form.

  7. The Undergraduate GPA Form is no longer required.

Summary Of Program Requirements

General Information

Program Title:

Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

Synopsis of Program:

The National Science Foundation aims to ensure the vitality of the human resource base of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the United States and to reinforce its diversity by offering approximately 1,000 graduate fellowships in this competition. The Graduate Research Fellowship provides three years of support for graduate study leading to research-based master’s or doctoral degrees and is intended for students who are at the early stages of their graduate study. The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) invests in graduate education for a cadre of diverse individuals who demonstrate their potential to successfully complete graduate degree programs in disciplines relevant to the mission of the National Science Foundation.

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

  • Please see the full text of this funding opportunity for contact information.

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

  • 47.076 --- Education and Human Resources

Eligibility Information

  • Organization Limit:

    Fellowship applications must be submitted by the prospective Fellow. Applicants must register with Fastlane (http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov) prior to submitting an application and must affiliate with an accredited United States university, college, or non-profit academic institution or appropriate international institution of higher education offering advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics prior to activating the Fellowship award.
  • Applicant Eligibility Limit:  Refer to Section III. Eligibility Information.
  • Limit on Number of Proposals: Applicants are limited to only one application in this competition.

Award Information

  • Anticipated Type of Award: Fellowship
  • Estimated Number of Awards: 1000
  • Anticipated Funding Amount: $40,500,000 for new fellowships in FY 2006 pending the availability of funds.

Application Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Application Preparation Instructions
  • Application Preparation Instructions: This solicitation contains information that deviates from 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:

    No indirect costs are allowed.
  • Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
C. Due Dates
  • Application Deadline Date(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time):
      November 02, 2005
        Life Sciences
      November 03, 2005
        Psychology, Mathematical Sciences
      November 04, 2005
        Social Sciences
      November 07, 2005
        Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy
      November 08, 2005
        Engineering
      November 09, 2005
        Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Geosciences

Official Academic Transcript(s) (Required) due by deadline for Field of Study.

Reference Letters (Three Required) due December 31, 2005.

GRE Subject and General Test Scores (Optional) due December 31, 2005.

Proposal Review Information

  • Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria apply.

Award Administration Information

  • Award Conditions: Standard NSF award conditions apply.
  • Reporting Requirements: Standard NSF reporting requirements apply.
 

Table Of Contents

Summary of Program Requirements

  1. Introduction

  2. Program Description

  3. Eligibility Information

  4. Award Information

  5. Application Preparation and Submission Instructions
    1. Application Preparation Instructions
    2. Budgetary Information
    3. Due Dates
    4. FastLane Requirements

  6. Application Review Information
    1. NSF Application Review Process

  7. Award Administration Information
    1. Notification of the Award
    2. Award Conditions
    3. Reporting Requirements

  8. Contacts for Additional Information

  9. Other Programs of Interest

I. Introduction

The purpose of the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to ensure the vitality of the scientific and technological workforce in the United States and to reinforce its diversity. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in the relevant science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees. NSF Fellows are expected to become knowledge experts who can contribute significantly to research, teaching, and innovations in science and engineering. These individuals will be crucial to maintaining and advancing the nation’s technological infrastructure and national security as well as contributing to the economic well being of society at large.

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program is designed to provide opportunities for advanced education that prepares students for a broad range of disciplinary and cross-disciplinary careers through its strategic investments in intellectual capital. Applicants, therefore, are urged to visit the NSF web page at https://www.nsf.gov for more information and guidance about current and emerging themes for the NSF directorates.

II. Program Description

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program awards fellowships for graduate study leading to research-based master’s or doctoral degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) relevant to the mission of the National Science Foundation (See NSF-Supported Fields of Study).

NSF Graduate Research Fellowships are intended for individuals in the early stages of their graduate study. All applicants are expected to have adequate preparation to begin graduate level study and research by Summer or Fall of 2006. In most cases, this will be demonstrated by a bachelor’s degree earned prior to Fall 2006.

Applicants may pursue graduate study at an institution in the United States or affiliate with a foreign institution. Prospective Fellows are responsible for all logistical arrangements required for affiliation with the foreign institution, including handling living arrangements and securing any necessary passports or visas.

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program supports a comprehensive holistic plan for graduate education and takes into account the individual interests and competencies of the Fellows. Thus, an applicant must provide a detailed profile of his or her relevant educational and research experiences and plans for graduate education in such a way as to demonstrate the potential to become an emerging knowledge expert in STEM disciplines.

III. Eligibility Information

The three eligibility requirements for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program -- citizenship, degree requirements, and field of study -- are described below. Applicants are advised to read the entire program solicitation carefully to be sure that the requirements are interpreted properly. Applicants must exercise judgment in assessing eligibility.

The GRF Operations Center will respond to inquiries concerning these guidelines. However, eligibility will be determined only on the basis of a completed submitted application.

Citizenship

Applicants must be United States citizens or nationals, or permanent resident aliens of the United States.

The term "national" designates a native resident of a commonwealth or territory of the United States, such as American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or the Northern Mariana Islands. It does not refer to a citizen of another country who has applied for U.S. citizenship.

Degree Requirements

Fellowships are intended for individuals in the early stages of their graduate study. Applicants must have completed no more than twelve months of full-time graduate study at the time of their application. Below are general guidelines for determining eligibility according to the degree requirements criterion.

  • Part-time students: Nine (9) semester hours of part-time study are equal to a full-time semester, and six (6) semester hours of part-time study are equal to a summer session.
  • Applicants are expected to have adequate preparation to begin graduate study and research by summer or fall 2006. In most cases, this will be demonstrated by receipt of a bachelor's degree earned prior to Fall 2006.
  • Individuals are typically eligible to apply during the senior year of college or prior to or during the first year of graduate school.
  • Applicants in joint BS/MS programs are typically eligible to apply prior to the completion of any further graduate study.
    • In four-year joint programs, applicants may apply in the fourth year and after the completion of the program. Completion of any further graduate study outside the joint program will disqualify an applicant.
    • In five-year joint programs, applicants may apply in the fourth and fifth years of the program and after the completion of the program. Completion of any further graduate study outside the joint program will disqualify an applicant.
  • Applicants may be considered eligible based on extenuating circumstances, such as a significant change of field, interruption in study to gain work experience, or career interruption due to family or medical reasons. The interruption must be for a period of more than two years prior to November 2005.
  • Categories of applicants that are always ineligible:
    • Those who earned a Ph.D. in science, mathematics, or engineering or any medical degree, such as an M.D., D.D.S. or D.V.M. after October 1, 1999.
    • Those who have already received and held tenure as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow.

Field of Study

Fellowships are awarded for graduate study leading to research-based master’s or doctoral degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics supported by the National Science Foundation (See NSF-Supported Fields of Study). The NSF welcomes applications for interdisciplinary programs of study and research. However, applicants are instructed to indicate the primary field of study for the proposed graduate program in the Fastlane Application Module so that the application can be assigned to the most appropriate review panel. The primary field of study also should be used to determine the appropriate application submission deadline. For example, applications with engineering as the primary field of study are due November 8, 2005. The guidelines below should be used to assess eligibility according to the field of study criterion.

  • Research in bioengineering with diagnosis or treatment-related goals may be eligible for support if it applies engineering principles to problems in biology and medicine while advancing engineering knowledge. Bioengineering research to aid persons with disabilities may also be eligible. Applications emphasizing bio should be submitted under life sciences on November 2, 2005 while those emphasizing engineering should be submitted under engineering on November 8, 2005.
  • Basic research may be eligible, notwithstanding long-term implications to the medical sciences.
  • Research in a policy science is eligible only if applicants are pursuing research oriented master's or Ph.D. degrees.
  • Categories of study that are always ineligible:
    • Clinical, counseling, business, or management fields, social work, education (except in science education Ph.D.), or history (except in history of science).
    • Practice-oriented professional degree programs, joint science-professional degree programs (MD/PhD and JD/PhD), and medical, dental, law, or public health programs.
    • Medical sciences or research with disease-related goals, including work on the etiology, diagnosis or treatment of physical or mental disease, abnormality or malfunction in human beings or animals, animal models of such conditions, or the development or testing of drugs or other procedures for their treatment .

Women in Engineering and Computer and Information Science Awards

The Women in Engineering and Computer and Information Science awards are for women who intend to pursue graduate research degrees in Engineering or Computer and Information Science and Engineering. Additional funding for these awards is provided by the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and the Directorate for Engineering. Eligibility and review criteria are the same as for applicants in other fields.

IV. Award Information

The NSF expects to award 1,000 Graduate Research Fellowships under this program solicitation. The affiliated institution receives a $40,500 award for the costs described below. Fellows Abroad receive direct NSF grant awards up to the same amount.

The Graduate Research Fellowship stipend currently is $30,000 for a 12-month tenure period, prorated monthly at $2,500 for shorter periods.

The cost of education allowance currently is $10,500 per tenure year. For Fellows Abroad, all tuition and assessed fees will be reimbursed to the Fellow up to a maximum of $10,500 per tenure year. Refer to the Information for Graduate Fellows document for restrictions on the use of the cost-of-education allowance.

Fellows are allowed a one-time $1,000 International Research Travel Allowance.

All awards will be for a maximum of three years usable over a five-year period. The anticipated award date is late March 2006.

Honorable Mention

The NSF accords Honorable Mention to meritorious applicants who do not receive fellowship awards. Honorable Mention is considered a significant academic achievement nationwide.

V. Application Preparation And Submission Instructions

A. Application Preparation Instructions

Fellowship applications must be submitted electronically using the NSF Fastlane Graduate Research Fellowship Program Application Module at https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/ according to the field of study deadline. Thus, applicants must first register as a Fastlane user at that web site. The official transcript(s) is due at the same time as the field of study and must be submitted to the GRF Operations Center at the address shown in this section. See the Applicant User Guide for instructions on completing and submitting an application.

The Fastlane Application Module includes the following information: Personal Profile, Education and Work Experience, Planned Graduate Program, Personal Background Statements, Previous Research Experience, Proposed Plan of Research, and References. Do not send extraneous information or materials such as CDs, manuscripts, resumes, medical reports, or news clippings. These items will not be reviewed with your application.

Applicants must follow the instructions in the user guide and applicant module for completing each section of the application and adhere to the 12-point font and page limit requirements for all essays. Failure to comply with these requirements could eliminate the application from consideration by review panels. Applicants are advised to submit applications early to avoid possible Fastlane system delays on the deadline dates.

Supplemental Application Materials are described below.

  • Official Academic Transcript(s) (Due by field of study deadline)

Applicants are required to have official transcript(s) from all undergraduate and graduate academic institutions attended, excluding Fall 2005 submitted to the GRF Operations Center in hard copy via postal mail, express service, or courier to:

GRF Operations Center
Suite T-50,
1818 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036

  • Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Test Scores (Optional -- Due December 31, 2005)

It is recommended that applicants have both the GRE General and Subject Test scores reported.  To have GRE scores reported, applicants should use the Fellowship Sponsor Code 5140 on the request form.  Only GRE scores from tests taken between October 1, 2000 and December 31, 2005 submitted by ETS will be accepted for the 2006 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship competition. Applicants should NOT submit scores themselves directly.

  • Three Reference Letters (Due December 31, 2005)

Applicants are required to submit three reference letters.  Reference writers should use letterhead, if possible, and include the following information:  Name and Title of reference writer, Department, and Institution or Organization. The reference letter should provide details explaining the nature of the relationship to the applicant, comments on the applicant’s academic potential and prior research experiences, statements about the applicant’s proposed research, and any other information to enable review panels to evaluate the application according to the NSF Merit Review criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.

Graduate Record Examination Registration

NSF will pay Subject Test registration fees for applicants who register for the December 10, 2005 administration under two conditions: (1) the NSF Fellowship application is the primary purpose, and (2) the GRE registration form for the December test is received at ETS no later than November 5, 2005.

The following condition is imposed on the reporting of the December 10, 2005 GRE Subject Test scores when NSF pays the test fee. Prior to May 1, 2006 these scores will be reported only for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, to the fellowship applicant, and to the applicant’s undergraduate institution.

Mail the Request for Payment of GRE Subject Test Fee form along with the GRE Subject Test registration form to:

ETS - GRE
Box 382013
Pittsburgh, PA 15251-8013

Application Completion Status

The Fastlane GRFP Application module will display the completion status of the fellowship application. The status function will indicate whether the application and the supplemental information, such as transcripts, reference letters, and GRE scores, have been received. Applicants must use the Fastlane user ID and password to access this information.

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing:

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

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:

No indirect costs are allowed.

Other Budgetary Limitations:

The NSF awards $40,500 to the affiliated institution for the costs described below. Fellows Abroad receive direct grant awards for up to the same amount.

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program fellowship stipend currently is $30,000 for a 12-month tenure period, prorated monthly at $2,500 for shorter periods.

The cost-of-education allowance currently is $10,500 per tenure year per fellow. For Fellows Abroad, all tuition and assessed fees are reimbursed to the Fellow up to a maximum of $10,500 per tenure year.

Fellows are allowed a one-time $1,000 International Research Travel Allowance.

C. Due Dates

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

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

    November 02, 2005
      Life Sciences
    November 03, 2005
      Psychology, Mathematical Sciences
    November 04, 2005
      Social Sciences
    November 07, 2005
      Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy
    November 08, 2005
      Engineering
    November 09, 2005
      Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Geosciences

Official Academic Transcript(s) (Required) due by deadline for Field of Study.

Reference Letters (Three Required) due December 31, 2005.

GRE Subject and General Test Scores (Optional) due December 31, 2005.

D. FastLane Requirements

Applicants are required to prepare and submit all applications for this announcement/solicitation through the FastLane system. Detailed instructions for application preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp. 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.

Vi. application Review Information

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is designed to provide opportunities for pre-doctoral education that prepares students for a broad range of disciplinary and cross-disciplinary careers through its investment in intellectual capital. Applicants are expected to propose a holistic plan for graduate education that demonstrates the potential to successfully complete a research-based graduate degree and the potential to become an emerging knowledge expert in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

A. NSF Application Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by disciplinary panels of scientists, mathematicians, and engineers and other professional experts in graduate education. Applications will be assigned to disciplinary panels based on the applicant’s chosen field(s) of study. Thus, applicants are advised to select a field of study in the FastLane applicant module that is most closely aligned to the proposed graduate program of study and research plan.

Each application, therefore, will be reviewed independently on the basis of merit using all available information in the completed application. In considering applications, reviewers will be instructed to address the two Merit Review Criteria as approved by the National Science Board on March 28, 1997 – INTELLECTUAL MERIT and BROADER IMPACTS.  Applicants, therefore, must address each criterion in their written statements to provide reviewers with the information necessary to respond fully to both.  The following guidance is provided to interpret these requirements in the context of the Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

Intellectual Merit

The intellectual merit criterion includes demonstrated intellectual ability and other accepted requisites for scholarly scientific study, such as the ability (1) to plan and conduct research; (2) to work as a member of a team as well as independently; and (3) to interpret and communicate research findings. Panelists will consider: the strength of the academic record, the proposed plan of research, the description of previous research experience, references, Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General and Subject Tests scores, and the appropriateness of the choice of institution relative to the proposed plan for graduate education and research.

Broader Impacts

The broader impacts criterion includes contributions that (1) effectively integrate research and education at all levels, infuse learning with the excitement of discovery, and assure that the findings and methods of research are communicated in a broad context and to a large audience; (2) encourage diversity, broaden opportunities, and enable the participation of all citizens-women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities-in science and research; (3) enhance scientific and technical understanding; and (4) benefit society. Applicants may provide characteristics of their background, including personal, professional, and educational experiences, to indicate their potential to fulfill the broader impacts criterion.

VII. Award Administration Information

A. Notification of the Award

Notification of the fellowship award is made to the applicant by the Division of Graduate Education. Applicants whose applications are not selected for fellowship award will be advised as promptly as possible.

B. Award Conditions

An NSF Fellowship award consists of the award letter that includes the applicable terms and conditions and fellowship management instructions. All Fellowship awards are made subject to the provisions (and any subsequent amendments) contained in the document Information for Graduate Research Fellows.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program applicants will be notified in late March 2006 of their selection. The applicant must accept or decline the Fellowship within 30 days of notification by logging into the Graduate Research Fellowship Program link at (http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov) with the applicant User ID and password. Failure to comply with the deadline may result in revocation of the fellowship offer.

Other Opportunities for Fellowship Awardees and Honorable Mention Recipients

Fellows and Honorable Mention recipients may request computer time at one of the NSF supported Supercomputer Centers. The Centers consider requests for supercomputer use in support of the research project that is undertaken toward completion of the graduate program of study. (Refer to the Information for Graduate Research Fellows for additional guidance.)

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities (students and faculty) to work on NSF-supported projects. Fellowship awardees and Honorable Mention recipients with disabilities may apply for assistance by contacting grfp@nsf.gov.

C. Reporting Requirements

Annual Activity Report

Fellows are required to submit an Activity Report annually using NSF’s FastLane electronic fellowship management and reporting system. The system permits electronic submission and updating of activity reports, including information on research accomplishments and findings, presentations, publications, teaching and research assistantships, awards and recognitions, and other scholarly accomplishments.

Annual Tenure Declaration

Fellows must declare their intent to affiliate with an institution and to utilize the fellowship for the following year annually using the NSF FastLane fellowship management and reporting system. Failure to declare intent by the deadline established violates the terms and conditions for NSF fellowship awards.

Fellows Abroad

Starting Certificate: Fellows Abroad must submit the Fellowship Starting Certificate to initiate stipend payments and annually thereafter. The Starting Certificate must indicate the contact information for the Science Advisor at the affiliated institution.

ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form: Fellows Abroad must submit the ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form (SF 3881) to the Division of Financial Management at NSF in order for the U.S. Treasury Department to transmit payment data electronically to the Fellow’s U.S. bank account.

VIII. General Inquiries Regarding This Program Solicitation Should Be Directed To:

  • Graduate Research Fellowship Operations Center: Toll Free 866-NSF-GRFP (866-673-4737), International Phone 202-331-3542, E-mail: help@nsfgradfellows.org

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.

  • International Research Fellowship Program (NSF 02-149)
  • Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program (NSF 05-585)
  • Discovery Corps Fellowships (NSF 05-593)
  • CEDAR, GEM, and SHINE Postdoctoral Research (NSF 04-573)
  • NSF Directors Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars (NSF 04-594)
  • Integrative Graduate Education and Research (IGERT) (NSF 05-517)
  • Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF 04-592)
  • Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowships and Supporting Activities (NSF 00-139)
  • GK-12: NSF Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (NSF 05-553)

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.

а

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.

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

NSF-Supported Fields of Study

CHEMISTRY

5230 Analytical
5250 Bio-inorganic
5240 Bio-organic
5260 Biophysical
9994 Environmental
5290 Inorganic
5330 Organic
5350 Physical
5331 Polymer
5370 Theoretical
5399 Chemistry, other (specify)

COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (CISE)

7240 Artificial Intelligence (including Robotics and Expert Systems)
7210 Computer Science - Languages and Systems
7200 Computer Science - Theory
7270 Computer Systems Design (including Signal Processing)
7230 Database Systems
7261 Graphics
7260 Human Computer Interaction
7250 Information Technology and Organizations
7290 Networks and Communications
7280 Scientific Computing and Informatics
7220 Software Engineering – Operating Systems and Middleware
0019 Software Engineering – Computer Architecture and Grids
0020 Software Engineering – Information Security and Assurance
7299 CISE, other (specify)

ENGINEERING

6210 Aeronautical and Aerospace
6240 Agricultural
6250 Bioengineering and Biomedical
6330 Chemical Engineering
6350 Civil Engineering
6388 Computer Engineering
6390 Electrical and Electronic
6741 Energy
6470 Engineering Mechanics
6532 Engineering Science
9996 Environmental
6580 Industrial Engineering
6476 Materials
6620 Mechanical Engineering
6660 Metallurgical
6740 Nuclear
6245 Ocean
6716 Petroleum
6480 Polymer
6585 Systems Engineering
6799 Engineering, other (specify)

GEOSCIENCES

5710 Aeronomy
5720 Atmospheric Chemistry
5750 Chemical Oceanography
5770 Climate Dynamics
5740 Geochemistry
5780 Geology
5800 Geophysics
5810 Hydrologic Sciences
5820 Large-scale Dynamics Meteorology
5830 Magnetospheric Physics
5840 Marine Geology and Geophysics
5850 Mesoscale Dynamic Meteorology
5870 Paleoclimate
5860 Paleontology
5880 Physical Meteorology
7799 Physical Oceanography
5890 Solar - Terrestrial
5889 Geosciences, other (specify)

LIFE SCIENCES

0399 Agriculture
0140 Agronomy
4510 Anatomy
4530 Animal Behavior
4531 Animal Science
0999 Biochemistry
1870 Biological Oceanography
1899 Biology
1299 Biophysics
1599 Botany (including Plant Physiology)
1820 Cell Biology
1860 Computational Biology
1840 Developmental Biology
1830 Ecology
4570 Entomology
9992 Environmental Sciences
1850 Evolutionary Biology
4590 Fish and Wildlife
0250 Forestry
2499 Genetics
0300 Horticulture
3293 Immunology
1874 Marine Biology
3299 Microbiology
1880 Molecular Biology
1829 Neurosciences
1890 Nutrition
2970 Pharmacology
3899 Physiology
1545 Plant Pathology
4540 Soil Science
1822 Structural Biology
3290 Virology
4699 Zoology
2299 Life Sciences, other (specify)

MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES

7010 Algebra or Number Theory
7030 Analysis
7050 Applied Mathematics (including Biometrics and Biostatistics)
7110 Geometry
7130 Logic or Foundations of Mathematics
7140 Operations Research
7150 Probability and Statistics
7170 Topology
7199 Mathematics, other (specify)

PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY

4999 Astronomy
4930 Astrophysics
8040 Atomic and Molecular
8050 Condensed Matter Physics
8160 Nuclear
8180 Optics
8110 Particle Physics
8200 Physics of Fluids
8210 Plasma
8220 Solid State
8260 Theoretical Physics
8299 Physics, other (specify)

PSYCHOLOGY

4125 Cognitive
4120 Cognitive Neuroscience
0001 Computational Psychology
4130 Developmental
4150 Experimental or Comparative
4189 Industrial/Organizational
4155 Neuropsychology
4165 Perception and Psychophysics
4170 Personality and Individual Differences
0020 Psycholinguistics
4158 Physiological
4162 Quantitative
4190 Social
4199 Psychology, other (specify)

SOCIAL SCIENCES

0693 Biological Anthropology
0695 Cultural Anthropology
0694 Linguistic Anthropology
0696 Medical Anthropology
0697 Physical Anthropology
0610 Archaeology
0008 Cleometric History
0007 Communications
0003 Decision Making
9818 Demography
0006 Econometrics
8599 Economics (except Business Administration)
8799 Geography
9099 History of Science
9499 International Relations
0005 Law and Social Science
9299 Linguistics
9098 Philosophy of Science
9399 Political Science
9799 Public Policy
0004 Risk Analysis
0009 Science Policy
9599 Sociology (except Social Work)
9699 Urban and Regional Planning
9899 Social Sciences, other (specify)

Note: For further clarification of research areas supported by the NSF, see the National Science Foundation Guide to Programs at https://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?nsf04009.

  • Warning: Individuals pursuing research in a policy science are eligible for funding only if they are pursuing research oriented Master’s or Ph.D. degrees.
  • Warning: Research with disease-related goals is not eligible for support by NSF. Applicants in this field will be judged ineligible if their Proposed Plan of Research has disease-related goals and/or is insufficiently focused on basic research questions.
  • Warning: Clinical and counseling psychology are generally not supported in this program; applicants in this field will be judged ineligible if their Proposed Plan of Research focuses on mental disease, abnormality or malfunction.
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