GRFP Information
Due Date: November 8th for Life Sciences (5 PM)
Award: $32,000 stipend and $12,000 educational allowance for institution
(3 years of financial support that can be used over a 5-year period)
Eligibility:
1) Acceptance into program by 5/1/2014
2) Begin graduate studies by Fall 2014
3) US citizen, national or permanent resident
4) Not previously awarded NSF GRFP and accepted it.
5) Not previously awarded NSF GRFP and did not notify NSF to decline by
deadline.
6) Cannot have previously completed a graduate or professional degree by
August 1, 2013 (exception for joint BS/MS program)
7) Senior in college through Fall of second year graduate school are eligible
8) Cannot have more than 12 months of post-graduate work by August 1, 2013.
(exception if more than 2 year interruption of graduate studies)
9) Only specific research areas are supported—see guidelines ( No disease
related goals or animal models of disease)
Required Components:
1) Transcripts (Due by relevant Field of Study deadline)
2) Three letters of Reference (Due by November 14, 2013 at 5 PM)
a. 2-page maximum
b. Must address both intellectual merit and broader impacts
c. Give CV and research plan to professors to help them write the
letter.
d. Faculty should include name and title of reference writer,
department, and institution.
e. Content: Nature of relationship to applicant, comments of the
applicants potential for contributing to science workforce,
statements about applicant’s academic potential and prior
research experiences, and statements about the applicant’s
proposed research
3) Personal Information
4) Education and Other Experience
5) Graduate School Information
6) Eligibility Statement (if applicable, for exceptions-1-page max)
7) Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement
a. 3-page maximum
b. Include separate statements about broader impacts and
intellectual merit
8) Graduate Research Plan Statement
a. 2-page maximum including references, figure, etc.
b. Include separate statements about broader impacts and
intellectual merit
Review Criteria:
1) Intellectual Merit: How does proposed research advance knowledge and
understanding within its own field or across different fields
2) Broader Impacts: How does proposed activities benefit society or
advance desired societal outcomes?
3) To what extent is the proposed activity creative, original, and based or
transformative?
4) Is the plan well reasoned, well organized, and based on sound rationale?
5) Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success?
6) How well qualified is the individual?
7) Does the PI have adequate resources to carry out the proposed activities?
Broader Impact Criterion:
1) The potential of the applicant for future broader impacts as indicated by
personal experiences, professional experiences, educational experiences,
and future plans.
2) Broader impact activities can be accomplished through
a. Research itself
b. Activities that are directly related to specific research projects
c. Through activities that are supported by, but are complementary
to the project.
3) Goals of Broader Impact activities:
a. Broader impacts should increase participation of women, persons
with disabilities, or underrepresented minorities in science, math,
technology etc.
b. Improve STEM education and educator development at any level
c. Increase public engagement with science and technology
d. Improve well-being of individuals in society
e. Develop a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce
f. Increase partnerships between academia, industry, and others
g. Improve national security
h. Increase economic competitiveness
i. Enhance infrastructure for research and education
4) Broader Impacts should address:
a. What they want to do
b. Why they want to do it
c. How they plan to do it
d. How they will know if they succeed
e. What benefits could accrue if the project is successful
Format:
1)8.5”X11” page size
2) 12 point New Times Roman or Computer Modem font
3) 1” margins on all sides
4) References, Figure legends, and footnotes can by 10 pt or bigger.