What to Know About the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF’s GRFP)
Well to start off, they could not have picked a lengthier title. The National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF’s GRFP) is a highly competitive fellowship for graduate students. If awarded the grant you become a fellow for five years and receive three years worth of financial support. The annual stipend is $34,000 with $12,000 devoted to your tuition. To a non-grad student, this might not seem like much, but it is a highly sought after award and it is one that can kickoff your career as a scientist (mainly because it shows that you can articulate your science sufficiently enough to acquire funding). They also offer Honorable Mentions, which are awarded to those who would have gotten the award had there been more money available. I’m writing this as an Honorable Mention.
The application consists of : (1) a research statement (2) a personal statement (3) transcript(s) and (4) a minimum of 3 letters of recommendation. The whole application is then reviewed by 3 anonymous reviewers. While the way applications are ranked behind the scenes is a bit more intricate, when you receive feedback (around early April), you will be ranked on a scale of fair, good, very good, and excellent. In theory, the more “excellents” and “very goods” you get, the higher chance of being awarded the grant. In recent years, the reviewers of the GRFP have been criticized for not being fair or helpful in their evaluations (i.e. fixating on your undergrad. GPA). The reality is not all reviewers are equally helpful. You never know who will be your reviewer so you hope for the best and assume it is someone who is going through your statements at the end of a long day (so you want to be explicitly clear with what you write).
You are allowed to apply a total of two times, once during your senior year of undergrad and once more before the end of your second year of graduate school. There are of course more details about eligibility (for example having an MS makes you ineligible) and you’ll want to read them carefully to make sure you are eligible before you invest your time and energy into the application.
The application is due in October, and starting early and creating a writing plan was key for me when applying so that I didn’t get overwhelmed. I started at the end of June and had weekly writing goals. If you have friends who are in the same boat as you, start a writing club where you peer review one another’s drafts. Additionally, ask your advisor how involved they are willing to be and take advantage of it. My advisor read so many drafts that I had to repeatedly remind myself that she was okay with helping me despite feeling like I was a burden.
During the summer before you apply, reach out to your letter writers. Give them a life update, tell them that you are applying to the GRFP and ask for a letter. Give them all of the info they need, such as the due date and offer to send them reminder emails. You are allowed to have 5 letters submitted, but only your top 3 will be read, the 4th and 5th acting as backups. However, you should only list writers who agree to it. It could look bad to have a backup letter writer not submit a letter.
The NSF wants to fund scientists who demonstrate that they can be successful during their PhDs. It’s important for your research statement (total of 2 pages) to read well and to be thought out, but the NSF doesn’t hold you to your project proposal. If you write about your undergrad research and go study something entirely different during grad school, that is okay! This goes to show that it's all about your ability to articulate a fully thought out idea and experiment, not so much the specifics.
The personal statement (total of 3 pages) is the biggest opportunity you have to show the reviewers who you are aside from your abilities to design an experiment. Make sure to read the prompts when they are released because they could change, but in the past, both of the statements have sub prompts addressing the “intellect merit” and the “broader impacts”. It’s really helpful to see examples of successful statements of those who have won to understand how the sub prompts are woven into the statements. Ask your peers and mentors for these examples, they will be happy to share them with you!
At the end of the day, the GRFP is a big undertaking and completing it is an accomplishment on its own. The writing process is an incredibly useful writing practice, so learn while you go through it. The NSF wants to fund great scientists, but a lot comes down to luck and your reviewers, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself. I know plenty of scientists who are just as capable and deserving of the GRFP, but for one reason or another, didn’t receive the award. So do your best to stay on top of the deadlines, and after you submit, let it go. *cue Idina Menzel’s ‘Let It Go’*
For a more general timeline for applying to PhD programs, check out this post I already wrote :)
