NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Deadline October 19

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is an important but, from our experience, an often overlooked funding opportunity for the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) community.  The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported areas who are pursuing full-time, research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions.  As the deadline of October 19, 2021, approaches for applicants who fall within CISE fields of study, we want to be sure you all – as members of our community – are aware of this opportunity for your undergraduate seniors and beginning graduate students.  

 

GRFP is NSF’s oldest program, dating to the Foundation’s first fully funded year of 1952.  Since then, GRFP has supported tens of thousands of US citizens, nationals, and permanent residents to pursue advanced degrees in science and engineering.  Among its alumni are over 40 Nobel laureates, hundreds of members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, thousands of science and engineering faculty, and many leaders in industry, government, and the non-profit sector. 

 

Each year, GRFP awards are offered to thousands of applicants.  Some institutions offer support through application development programs (e.g., the University of Arizona), essay insights (e.g., the University of Missouri), workshops (e.g., the University of Utah) and other resources (e.g., the University of Iowa) – and others even require incoming graduate students to write GRFP proposals.