NSF 24-591: Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

NSF 24-591: Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is sponsored by NSF Division of Graduate Education. NSF 24-591: Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is a grant from the NSF Division of Graduate Education that funds outstanding graduate students pursuing full-time research-based master's and doctoral degrees in STEM fields or STEM education.

NSF 24-591: Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Archived funding opportunity This solicitation is archived. Important information for proposers and award recipients All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in the funding opportunity and in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and its supplements .

All NSF grants and cooperative agreements are subject to the applicable set of NSF award terms and conditions . NSF has updated its research security policies for NSF funded projects. NSF 24-591: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) To save a PDF of this solicitation, select Print to PDF in your browser's print options.

Program Solicitation NSF 24-591 National Science Foundation Directorate for Biological Sciences Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate for STEM Education Division of Graduate Education Directorate for Engineering Directorate for Geosciences Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships Office of Integrative Activities Office of International Science and Engineering Application Deadline(s) (received by 5 p.

m. local time of applicant's mailing address): Chemistry; Geosciences, Mathematical Sciences; Physics and Astronomy Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Materials Research; Psychology; Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences, STEM Education and Learning Important Information And Revision Notes This solicitation covers the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 competition. Applicants must use the Research.

gov/GRFP site ( https://www. research. gov/grfp/Login.

do ) to register in Research. gov and submit their applications through the GRFP Application Module. Only materials submitted through the GRFP Application Module will be accepted.

Applications are due on the deadline date at 5:00 p. m. local time of the applicant's mailing address.

Currently enrolled second-year graduate students are strongly advised to provide official Registrar-issued transcripts that clearly indicate the start date of their graduate degree enrollment as part of their application. If the start date is not clearly stated on the transcript, applicants should upload a Registrar-issued document indicating the start of graduate degree enrollment to avoid delay in processing.

Portions of the eligibility criteria have been rewritten for clarity. Reference letters are due October 11 at 5:00 p. m.

Eastern Time (ET). The reference letter deadline is a few days before the application deadline dates. Reference letter writers must use the Research.

gov/GRFP site ( https://www. research. gov/grfp/Login.

do ) to register in Research. gov and submit reference letters through the NSF Reference Letter System. Applicants and reference letter writers requiring accessibility accommodation are asked to notify the GRF Operations Center at least four weeks before the deadline to coordinate assistance with NSF in submitting the application or reference letter.

Summary Of Program Requirements NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the quality, vitality, and strength of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States.

The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time research-based master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education. The GRFP provides three years of support over a five-year fellowship period for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements in STEM or STEM education.

NSF actively encourages submission of applications from the full spectrum of talent that the U.S. has to offer. NSF GRFP was established to recruit and support individuals who demonstrate the potential to make significant contributions in STEM. NSF especially encourages applications from undergraduate seniors and Bachelor's degree-holders interested in pursuing research-based graduate study in STEM.

First- and second-year graduate students in eligible STEM fields and degree programs are also encouraged to apply. Broadening Participation In STEM NSF has a mandate to broaden participation in science and engineering, as articulated and reaffirmed in law since 1950.

Congress has charged NSF to "develop intellectual capital, both people and ideas, with particular emphasis on groups and regions that traditionally have not participated fully in science, mathematics, and engineering." Cognizant Program Officer(s): Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.

Contact: GRF Operations Center, telephone: (866) 673-4737, email: info@nsfgrfp. org Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): 47. 049 --- Mathematical and Physical Sciences 47.

070 --- Computer and Information Science and Engineering 47. 074 --- Biological Sciences 47. 075 --- Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences 47.

076 --- STEM Education 47. 079 --- Office of International Science and Engineering 47. 083 --- Office of Integrative Activities (OIA) 47.

084 --- NSF Technology, Innovation and Partnerships Anticipated Type of Award: Fellowship Estimated Number of Awards: 2,300 NSF will support up to 2,300 new Graduate Research Fellowships per fiscal year under this program solicitation pending availability of funds. Anticipated Funding Amount: $159,000 Per award (Fellowship), pending the availability of funds.

Each Fellowship provides three years of support over a five-year fellowship period. For each of the three years of support, NSF provides a $37,000 stipend and $16,000 Cost of Education allowance to the graduate degree-granting institution of higher education for each Fellow who uses the support in a fellowship year.

The Fellowship is portable and can be transferred to a different institution of higher education if a Fellow chooses to transfer to another institution after completion of the first Fellowship year. While the Fellowship is offered to the individual, the Fellowship funds are awarded to the institution of higher education at which a Fellow is enrolled and the institution is responsible for disbursement of the stipend to the Fellow.

Fellowship applications must be submitted by the prospective Fellow. Applicants must use the GRFP application module in Research. gov ( https://www.

research. gov/grfp/Login. do ) to submit the application.

Confirmation of acceptance in a graduate degree program in STEM or STEM education is required at the time of Fellowship acceptance, no later than the deadline indicated in the fellowship offer letter, of the year the Fellowship is accepted.

Prospective Fellows must enroll in a non-profit university, college, or institution of higher education accredited in, and having a campus located in, the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico that offers advanced degrees in STEM and STEM education no later than fall of the year the Fellowship is accepted.

All Fellows from the date of Fellowship Start through Completion or Termination of the Fellowship must be enrolled in a graduate degree-granting institution of higher education accredited in, and having a campus located in, the United States its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See the Detailed Eligibility Requirements in Section IV for full information.

Eligibility is based on the applicant's status at the application deadline. Applicants must self-certify that they are eligible to receive the Fellowship. To be eligible, an applicant must meet all of the following eligibility criteria at the application deadline.

All academic credentials must be indicated in Registrar-issued transcripts. Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident Intend to enroll or be enrolled full-time in a research-based Master's or doctoral degree program in an eligible Field of Study in STEM or STEM education (See Appendix and Section IV.

3 for eligible Fields of Study Never previously accepted a Graduate Research Fellowship Declined any previously offered Graduate Research Fellowship by the acceptance deadline Never previously applied to GRFP while enrolled in a graduate degree program Never earned a doctoral or terminal degree in any field Have completed no more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) while enrolled in a graduate degree program (non-degree coursework must be clearly identified in the transcript and does not count toward this limit) Individuals holding joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees who did not apply while enrolled in the joint program, may apply as second-year graduate applicants if enrolled in an eligible doctoral program the beginning of the academic year immediately following the academic award year of the joint degree Individuals with prior graduate enrollment who have: (i) completed more than one academic year in any graduate degree-granting program, (ii) earned a previous master's degree of any kind (see guidance for joint Bachelor's-Master's degree-holders above), or (iii) earned a professional degree must meet the following requirements: not enrolled in a graduate degree program at application deadline two or more consecutive years past graduate degree enrollment or completion at the application deadline Not be a current NSF employee.

Applications that do not meet eligibility requirements will not be reviewed. Number of Times an Individual May Apply Undergraduate seniors and Bachelor's degree holders who have never enrolled in a graduate degree program have no restrictions on the number of times they can apply before enrolling in a degree-granting graduate program.

Currently enrolled graduate students who have completed no more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) while enrolled in a graduate degree program can apply only once . Non-degree coursework (clearly identified in a transcript) does not count toward the one academic year limit.

Individuals applying while enrolled in a joint Bachelor's-Master's degree program are considered graduate students who: i) must have completed three (3) years in the joint program, and; ii) are limited to one application to GRFP; they will not be eligible to apply again as doctoral students. For GRFP, joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees are defined as degrees concurrently pursued and awarded .

Individuals holding joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees, currently enrolled as first-year doctoral students, who (i) have not previously applied as graduate students and (ii) enrolled in the doctoral program the beginning of the academic year immediately following the academic award year of the joint degree, may only apply in the first year of the doctoral program.

Applications withdrawn by November 15 of the application year do not count toward the one-time graduate application limit. Applications withdrawn after November 15 count toward this one-time limit. Applications not reviewed by NSF do not count toward the one-time graduate application limit.

Limit on Number of Applications per Applicant: 1 An eligible applicant may submit only one application per annual competition. Application Preparation and Submission Instructions A.

Application Preparation Instructions Letters of Intent: Not applicable Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not applicable Application Instructions: This solicitation contains information that deviates from the standard NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) proposal preparation guidelines. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Cost Sharing Requirements: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. 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. Application Deadline(s) (received by 5 p. m.

local time of applicant's mailing address): Chemistry; Geosciences, Mathematical Sciences; Physics and Astronomy Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Materials Research; Psychology; Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences, STEM Education and Learning Application Review Information Criteria National Science Board approved Merit Review Criteria (Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts) apply.

Additional Solicitation-Specific Review Criteria also apply (see Section VI. A below). Award Administration Information NSF GRFP awards are made to the institution of higher education at which a Fellow is or will be enrolled.

The awardee institution is responsible for financial management of the award and disbursement of Fellowship funds to the individual Fellow. The institution will administer the awards, including any amendments, in accordance with the terms of the Agreement and provisions (and any subsequent amendments) contained in the document NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials .

All Fellowships are subject to the provisions (and any subsequent amendments) contained in the document NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials . See reporting requirements in full text of solicitation and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials .

Fellows are required to submit annual activity reports and to declare fellowship status by the deadline specified in the notification sent by email each year. Additional reporting requirements are presented in Section VII. C of this solicitation.

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is a National Science Foundation-wide program that provides Fellowships to individuals selected early in their graduate careers based on their demonstrated potential for significant research achievements in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education.

Three years of support over a five-year period are provided for graduate study that leads to a research-based master's or doctoral degree in STEM or STEM education (see eligible Fields of Study in Appendix).

The program goals are: 1) to select, recognize, and financially support early-career individuals with the demonstrated potential to be high achieving scientists and engineers; and 2) to broaden participation in science and engineering of the full spectrum of talent that the U.S. has to offer. NSF especially encourages undergraduate seniors and Bachelor’s degree-holders to apply.

GRFP is a critical program in NSF's overall strategy to develop the globally-engaged workforce necessary to ensure the Nation's leadership in advancing science and engineering research and innovation. The ranks of NSF Fellows include numerous individuals who have made transformative breakthrough discoveries in science and engineering, become leaders in their chosen careers, and been honored as Nobel laureates.

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) awards Fellowships for graduate study leading to research-based master's and doctoral degrees in STEM or in STEM education. GRFP supports individuals proposing a comprehensive plan for graduate education that takes individual interests and competencies into consideration.

The plan describes the academic achievements, attributes, and experiences that illustrate the applicant's demonstrated potential for significant research achievements. The applicant must provide a detailed profile of their relevant education, research experience, and plans for graduate education that demonstrates this potential.

Prospective applicants are advised that submission of an application implies their intent to pursue graduate study in a research-based program in STEM or STEM education at an accredited, non-profit institution of higher education having a campus located in the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

All applicants are expected to either have adequate preparation to enroll in a research-based master's or doctoral program, or be enrolled in such a program by fall of the year the Fellowship is accepted.

From the date of the Fellowship Start through Completion or Termination of the Fellowship, applicants accepting the award (Fellows) must be enrolled in an accredited graduate degree-granting institution of higher education having a campus located in the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

NSF will support up to 2,300 new Graduate Research Fellowships per fiscal year under this program solicitation pending availability of funds. Fellowship funding will be for a maximum of three years of financial support (in 12-month allocations starting fall of the award year) usable over a five-year fellowship period. The anticipated announcement date for the Fellowship awards is early April each year.

The Fellowship is portable and can be transferred to a different institution of higher education if a Fellow chooses to transfer to another institution after completion of the first Fellowship year. While the Fellowship is offered to the individual, the Fellowship funds are awarded to the institution at which a Fellow is enrolled and is considered the official NSF awardee institution.

The awardee institution receives up to a $53,000 award per Fellow who uses the support in a fellowship year. The awardee institution is responsible for disbursement of fellowship funds to the Fellow. The Graduate Research Fellowship stipend is $37,000 for a 12-month tenure period, prorated in whole month increments of $3,083.

The Cost of Education allowance provides payment in lieu of tuition and mandatory fees to the institution of $16,000 per year of fellowship support.

During receipt of the fellowship support, the institution is required to exempt Fellows from paying tuition and fees normally charged to students of similar academic standing, unless such charges are optional or are refundable (i.e., the institution is responsible for tuition and required fees in excess of the Cost of Education allowance).

Acceptance of fellowship funds by the awardee institution indicates acceptance of and adherence to these and other terms and conditions of the NSF GRFP award as indicated in the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials . GRFP awards are eligible for supplemental funding as described in Chapter VI of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects as described in Chapter II. F of the PAPPG.

Fellows with disabilities may apply for assistance after consulting the instructions in the document NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials.

Career-Life Balance Supplemental Funding Requests (Dear Colleague Letter NSF 21-021 ) can be requested by the awardee institution to provide additional personnel (e.g., technician) to sustain the research of Fellows on approved medical leave due to family leave situations as indicated in Chapter II. F of the PAPPG.

Fellows are eligible to apply for non-academic INTERN supplements; applications must be submitted according to GRFP-specific guidance stated in the INTERN program description. The NSF accords Honorable Mention to meritorious applicants who do not receive Fellowship offers. This is considered a significant national academic achievement.

IV. Eligibility Information Fellowship applications must be submitted by the prospective Fellow. Applicants must use the GRFP application module in Research.

gov ( https://www. research. gov/grfp/Login.

do ) to submit the application. Confirmation of acceptance in a graduate degree program in STEM or STEM education is required at the time of Fellowship acceptance, no later than the deadline indicated in the fellowship offer letter, of the year the Fellowship is accepted.

Prospective Fellows must enroll in a non-profit university, college, or institution of higher education accredited in, and having a campus located in, the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico that offers advanced degrees in STEM and STEM education no later than fall of the year the Fellowship is accepted.

All Fellows from the date of Fellowship Start through Completion or Termination of the Fellowship must be enrolled in a graduate degree-granting institution of higher education accredited in, and having a campus located in, the United States its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See the Detailed Eligibility Requirements in Section IV for full information.

Eligibility is based on the applicant's status at the application deadline. Applicants must self-certify that they are eligible to receive the Fellowship. To be eligible, an applicant must meet all of the following eligibility criteria at the application deadline.

All academic credentials must be indicated in Registrar-issued transcripts. Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident Intend to enroll or be enrolled full-time in a research-based Master's or doctoral degree program in an eligible Field of Study in STEM or STEM education (See Appendix and Section IV.

3 for eligible Fields of Study Never previously accepted a Graduate Research Fellowship Declined any previously offered Graduate Research Fellowship by the acceptance deadline Never previously applied to GRFP while enrolled in a graduate degree program Never earned a doctoral or terminal degree in any field Have completed no more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) while enrolled in a graduate degree program (non-degree coursework must be clearly identified in the transcript and does not count toward this limit) Individuals holding joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees who did not apply while enrolled in the joint program, may apply as second-year graduate applicants if enrolled in an eligible doctoral program the beginning of the academic year immediately following the academic award year of the joint degree Individuals with prior graduate enrollment who have: (i) completed more than one academic year in any graduate degree-granting program, (ii) earned a previous master's degree of any kind (see guidance for joint Bachelor's-Master's degree-holders above), or (iii) earned a professional degree must meet the following requirements: not enrolled in a graduate degree program at application deadline two or more consecutive years past graduate degree enrollment or completion at the application deadline Not be a current NSF employee.

Applications that do not meet eligibility requirements will not be reviewed. Number of Times an Individual May Apply Undergraduate seniors and Bachelor's degree holders who have never enrolled in a graduate degree program have no restrictions on the number of times they can apply before enrolling in a degree-granting graduate program.

Currently enrolled graduate students who have completed no more than one academic year (according to institution's academic calendar) while enrolled in a graduate degree program can apply only once . Non-degree coursework (clearly identified in a transcript) does not count toward the one academic year limit.

Individuals applying while enrolled in a joint Bachelor's-Master's degree program are considered graduate students who: i) must have completed three (3) years in the joint program, and; ii) are limited to one application to GRFP; they will not be eligible to apply again as doctoral students. For GRFP, joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees are defined as degrees concurrently pursued and awarded .

Individuals holding joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees, currently enrolled as first-year doctoral students, who (i) have not previously applied as graduate students and (ii) enrolled in the doctoral program the beginning of the academic year immediately following the academic award year of the joint degree, may only apply in the first year of the doctoral program.

Applications withdrawn by November 15 of the application year do not count toward the one-time graduate application limit. Applications withdrawn after November 15 count toward this one-time limit. Applications not reviewed by NSF do not count toward the one-time graduate application limit.

Limit on Number of Applications per Applicant: 1 An eligible applicant may submit only one application per annual competition. Additional Eligibility Info: Eligibility is based on the applicant's status at the application deadline.

Detailed Eligibility Requirements: Described in detail below are the eligibility requirements for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program: (1) citizenship, (2) degree requirements, and (3) field of study, degree programs, and proposed research. Applicants are strongly advised to read the entire program solicitation carefully to ensure that they understand all the eligibility requirements.

Applicants must self-certify that they meet all eligibility criteria. Applicants must be United States citizens, nationals, or permanent residents by the application deadline. The term "national" designates a native resident of a commonwealth or territory of the United States.

It does not refer to a citizen of another country who has applied for United States citizenship and who has not received U.S. citizenship by the application deadline, nor does it refer to an individual present in the U.S. on any type of visa.

Eligible applicants: 1) current undergraduates or Bachelor's degree holders never enrolled in a degree-granting graduate program, who will be prepared to attend graduate school in fall of the award year; 2) current graduate students with no more than one academic year completed according to institution's academic calendar of any degree-granting graduate program; or 3) currently unenrolled individuals who wish to return to graduate study and are at least two consecutive years past their most recent enrollment in any graduate degree-granting program, regardless of whether the degree was completed or awarded.

Below are detailed guidelines to determine eligibility: a) Currently enrolled undergraduate students and Bachelor's degree-holders with no prior enrollment in a graduate degree-granting program (including joint Bachelor's-Master's programs): Undergraduate students on track to receive a Bachelor's degree by the fall of the year following the application (e.g., senior or final year of Bachelor's degree) and Bachelor's degree holders never enrolled in a graduate degree program can apply an unlimited number of times prior to enrolling in a graduate degree program.

They must be prepared to enroll in a full-time graduate degree program by fall of the year they are offered a Graduate Research Fellowship.

b) Currently enrolled joint Bachelor's-Master's degree students (joint Bachelor's-Master's defined as program in which both degrees are concurrently pursued and awarded as indicated on the transcript): Individuals applying while enrolled in a joint Bachelor's-Master's degree program are considered graduate students who: 1) must have completed three years in the joint program, and; ii) are limited to one application to GRFP; they will not be eligible to apply again as doctoral students.

Joint Bachelor's-Master's degree-holders, currently enrolled as first-year doctoral students who have not previously applied as graduate students and enrolled in the doctoral program in the beginning of the academic year immediately following the academic award year of the joint degree, may only apply in the first year of the doctoral program.

Individuals holding joint Bachelor's-Master's degrees who did not progress to a doctoral program the beginning of the academic year immediately following the academic award year of the joint degree, must apply as returning graduate students (see above).

c) Currently enrolled graduate students: Applicants must not have completed more than one academic year of graduate study as indicated in the academic transcript issued by the Registrar of the universities attended, as of the application deadline. Graduate status is determined to begin on the date indicated on the Registrar-issued transcript and ALL activities after that date will be considered graduate activities.

Summer research activities that are part of the graduate degree program (e.g. research credits) will be counted as graduate activities. Participation in non-degree summer activities PRIOR TO graduate degree enrollment as indicated in the Registrar-issued transcript before the start of the fall graduate program is not included in this total.

Second-year graduate students are strongly advised to include official Registrar-issued transcripts. If the transcript does not clearly state the start date of graduate degree enrollment, they should also submit a Registrar-issued document confirming the start of graduate degree enrollment. Graduate coursework taken without being enrolled in a graduate degree-granting program is not counted in this limit.

d) Currently unenrolled individuals who wish to re-enter graduate study: Applicants who earned a previous Master's or professional degree, or have completed more than one academic year in any graduate degree program (regardless of whether the degree was completed or awarded) are eligible only if they are currently unenrolled and at least two consecutive years past the most recent graduate degree enrollment at the application deadline .

Applicants must not have engaged in any graduate coursework during the interruption. Applicants should address the reasons for the interruption in graduate study in the Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement. 3.

Field of Study, Degree Programs, and Proposed Research Fellowships are awarded for graduate study leading to research-based Master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education, in eligible Fields of Study listed below: Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences STEM Education and Learning Research A complete list of eligible Major Fields of Study and their subfields are listed in the Appendix.

If awarded, Fellows must enroll in a graduate degree program consistent with the Major Field of Study proposed in their application. A fellowship will not be awarded in a different Major Field of Study from that indicated in the application. Only research-based Master's and doctoral degrees in STEM or STEM education are eligible for GRFP support.

Professional degree programs and graduate programs that are primarily course-based with no thesis are ineligible for GRFP support. Within eligible fields of study, there are ineligible areas of study and ineligible areas of proposed research. See below for ineligible areas of study and proposed research.

Applications determined to be ineligible will not be reviewed. a) Ineligible degree programs Individuals are not eligible to apply if they will be enrolled in a practice-oriented professional degree program such as medical, dental, law, and public health degrees at any time during the fellowship. Ineligible degree programs include, but are not limited to, MBA, MPH, MSW, JD, MD, PharmD, DVM and DDS.

Joint or combined professional degree-science programs (e.g., MD/PhD or JD/PhD) and dual professional degree-science programs are also not eligible. Individuals enrolled in a graduate degree program while on a leave of absence from a professional degree program or professional degree-graduate degree joint program are not eligible.

b) Ineligible areas of study Individuals are not eligible to apply if they will be enrolled in graduate study focused on clinical practice, counseling, social work, patient-oriented research, epidemiological and medical behavioral studies, outcomes research (interventions, treatment, or therapies), and health services research.

Ineligible study includes pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic, and behavioral interventions for physical or mental disease or disorder, prophylaxis, diagnosis, therapy, or treatment. Research to provide evidence leading to a scientific basis for consideration of a change in health policy or standard of care is not eligible.

Graduate study focused on community, public, or global health, or other population-based research including medical intervention trials is also not eligible.

c) Ineligible proposed research and limited exceptions to ineligible research: (i) Biological or psychological research for which the goals are directly human disease- or health- related, including the etiology, diagnosis of, and treatment and/or interventions for, physical or mental disease or disorder is not eligible for support, with limited exceptions for applicants in engineering, mathematical, physical, and computer or information sciences with health-related research topics (described below).

Research activities using animal models of disease for developing or testing of drugs, procedures, or interventions for treatment of physical or mental disease or disorder are also not eligible.

(ii) For applicants applying to degree programs in engineering, mathematical, physical, computer or information sciences disciplines, research with disease- or health-related goals (e.g., etiology-, diagnosis-, or treatment-related) that advance fundamental knowledge in engineering, mathematical, physical, computer or information sciences, is eligible for support.

(iii) Certain areas of bioengineering research directed at medical use are eligible. These include research projects in bioengineering to aid persons with disabilities, or to diagnose or treat human disease or disorder, provided they apply engineering principles to problems in medicine while primarily advancing engineering knowledge.

Applicants planning to study and conduct research in these areas of bioengineering should select biomedical engineering as the field of study. (iv) Certain areas of materials research directed at development of materials for use in biological or biomedical systems are eligible, provided they are focused on furthering fundamental materials research.

(v) Research focused on basic questions in plant pathology is eligible, however, applied studies focused on maximizing production