NSF GRFP 2027: $37,000 Stipend & October Deadlines

NSF GRFP 2027 at a Glance

NSF GRFP Funding

Each Fellowship provides up to three years of financial support that can be used within a five-year fellowship period.

The fellowship is portable under NSF rules. A Fellow may transfer to another eligible institution after completing the first fellowship year.

Who Can Apply for the FY2027 NSF GRFP?

Applicants must meet all current eligibility requirements by the application deadline.

• Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or permanent resident.
• Intend to enroll or already be enrolled full-time in an eligible research-based Master’s or doctoral degree in an NSF-supported STEM field.
• Never have previously accepted an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.
• Have completed less than one academic year in a graduate degree programme.
• Not be a current NSF employee.

Eligible academic stages

Who Is Not Eligible?

The FY2027 eligibility rules are stricter than some older GRFP guidance. Current NSF materials state that the following applicants are not eligible:

• foreign nationals in the United States on temporary visas;
• individuals awaiting permanent-resident status who do not yet hold it by the deadline;
• students who have completed one academic year or more in a graduate degree programme;
• individuals who have already earned a Master’s, doctoral or terminal degree in any field;
• applicants who previously applied while enrolled in a degree-granting graduate programme;
• students pursuing practice-oriented professional degrees such as MBA, MPH, MSW, JD, MD, DVM or DDS;
• students planning a joint science-professional degree such as MD/PhD or JD/PhD; and
• current NSF employees.

NSF GRFP 2027 Deadlines

The first Major Field of Study selected in the application determines the application deadline and review panel.

Application Materials

The current GRFP application requires the following core components:

• Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement;
• Graduate Research Plan;
• official undergraduate transcript(s);
• graduate transcript(s), where applicable; these may be unofficial only when the institution does not provide official transcripts for first-year, first-academic-term graduate students;
• three reference-writer names and contact details;
• at least two submitted reference letters for the application to be reviewed; and
• the completed Research.gov GRFP application.

Applicants must provide three reference-writer names and contact details, may list up to five reference writers, and need at least two letters received for the application to be reviewed. If more than three letters are received, NSF considers the applicant’s three highest-ranked letters.

How Applications Are Reviewed

NSF uses the National Science Board’s two merit-review criteria:

The application should therefore present a coherent research trajectory rather than a generic scholarship essay. Research preparation, future potential, intellectual contribution and broader societal value should be visible throughout the package.

How to Apply

1. Confirm current eligibility using NSF’s official eligibility page.
2. Create or verify your Research.gov account.
3. Select the Major Field of Study that best matches your proposed research and graduate programme.
4. Prepare the Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement.
5. Prepare the Graduate Research Plan.
6. Upload transcripts in the required format.
7. Enter three reference writers and request letters early.
8. Confirm that at least two reference letters are received by 16 October 2026 at 8:00 PM ET.
9. Use the GRFP Application Module’s completion-status and preview tools.
10. Submit before the applicable field deadline.