The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing research-based master’s or doctoral degrees in STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — or in STEM education.
This support includes an annual stipend and a cost-of-education allowance towards tuition and fees.
The overall goal of the Graduate Research Fellowship Program is to recruit individuals into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields; to select, recognize, and financially support individuals who have demonstrated the potential to be high achieving scientists and engineers, early in their careers; and to broaden participation in science and engineering of underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans. NSF Fellows are anticipated to become experts whose work contributed significantly to research, teaching, and innovations in science and engineering.
MIT is proud to have over 650 students participating in the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP).
Fall 2024 Webinars
NSF GRFP Presentation – Prospective and Applying Fellows
- Thurs, September 19th, 12pm
Writing Workshop with the WCC
- Tues, September 24th, 4:30-6pm (register for in person workshop!)
NSF GRFP Presentation – Current and Incoming Fellows
- Wed, September 25th, 12pm
Application process
For more information, please see the NSF GRFP website for submission requirements, formatting, and links to the application modules. Please review the solicitation document as well as their website to make sure you adhere to guidelines and requirements.
Please find the most recent NSF GRFP administrative guide here (released May 17, 2024).
The fellowship team’s September 2024 Newsflash includes information on this year’s NSF GRFP solicitation, application timeline, resources to prepare your essays, and other things to note.
Eligibility
Review NSF GRFP Program Solicitation and take the NSF GRFP Eligibility Questionnaire.
When applying for NSF GRFP, please note the major field of study you select must align with the name of your home department at MIT. We have created a chart of all the home departments at MIT and have provided a suggested selection of NSF GRFP major field(s) for each department.
Please review our chart before your starting application.
If you intend to select a major field of study that falls outside of what we suggest, please email grad-fellowships@mit.edu to discuss prior to submitting your NSF GRFP application.
Timeline
Late July / August – Program solicitation (released July 12, 2024) and application available online.
Attention: Reference Letters are due before the application deadline.
October 11, 2024 5PM (Friday), EASTERN TIME – Reference Letter Submission Deadline
October – Deadlines vary by major field of study, and are typically in mid to late October. Expand the accordion below for 2024 deadlines.
Application deadlines by major field of study for 2024 application cycle
Applications are due at 5pm at your mailing address
October 15 (Tues):
- Chemistry
- Geosciences
- Mathematical Sciences
- Physics and Astronomy
October 16 (Weds)
- Life Sciences
October 17 (Thur)
- Engineering
October 18 (Fri):
- Computer and Information Science and Engineering
- Materials Research
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
- STEM Education and Learning Research
November 15 (Fri)
- Application Withdrawal deadline
April – Awards announced in early April.
May – Fellowship acceptance deadline in early May.
*Review dates on the NSF GRFP website carefully; there are different deadlines for different fields of study.
Funding at MIT
Please find the most recent NSF’s administrative guide here (released May 17, 2024). Five-year fellowship, with three of the years (“On Tenure” status) providing the following:
- $37,000 stipend
- $16,000 cost-of-education (COE) allowance (tuition award)
- Your university supplements all shortfalls for tuition, stipend, health insurance, and mandatory fees.
The student is responsible for securing funding for the remaining two years (“On Reserve” status).
MIT’s fellowships team has created a MIT’s guidelines document to answer fellows’ and applicants’ questions and to layout the various procedures and policies of MIT and NSF.
Updated August 2024.
2023 Webinars
NSF GRFP at MIT Fall 2023 Webinar – Slides* and panopto recording.
*You will need to have an MIT google account to access the slides – please find more information here.
