NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Applications Must Be Submitted by 5:00 pm Central Standard Time

October 16 - Life Sciences

October 17 - Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Materials Research, Psychology, Social Sciences, STEM Education and Learning

October 19 - Engineering

October 20 - Chemistry, Geosciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physics and Astronomy

October 27 - Reference letters are due at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)

Students are invited to attend a virtual workshop summarizing the GRFP Program and application process, held via Zoom video conferencing.  Each session is limited to 700 applicants.  These webinars are open to first- and second-year graduate students and VU Seniors who are in Biological, Natural, and Social Sciences, and Engineering.  Available dates and times: 

GRFP 2023 Applicant Info Webinar #2
Wednesday August 30th @11:15 AM EST

GRFP 2023 Applicant Info Webinar #3
Wednesday September 13th @11:15 AM EST

GRFP 2023 Applicant Info Webinar #4
Wednesday September 20th @11:15 AM EST

For full details on how to register, run a test meeting, and join a session, visit the NSF GRFP events website.

• A Fellowship year is 12 months and is defined by NSF as beginning either Summer/June 1 or Fall/September 1.
• Tenure is computed from the fellowship start date, independent of Vanderbilt’s academic year (which begins August 15),
• At Vanderbilt, a fellowship year beginning in Fall begins August 1.
• Fellowship Tenure Status is not defined by the date on which a stipend payment is issued.
• A GRFP fellowship cannot be concurrently accepted or combined with another Federal Fellowship. [1] regardless of the Fellow’s status, but may be combined with other types of funding.
• If you’re uncertain about how a particular type of funding might affect the NSF Fellowship, check with Vanderbilt’s Coordinating Official (CO). [2]
• Regardless of Tenure Status, all continuing Fellows must submit two reports by May 1 each year via FastLane: 
  (1) The Annual Activities report with the signed Academic/Research Advisor Confirmation Form
  (2) the Fellowship Year Tenure Declaration. 
  (Additional details are available in the NSF Administrative Guide)

• The NSF stipend is awarded to the Fellow but managed by Vanderbilt, through the Graduate School.
• The stipend is pro-rated in monthly increments and paid on the last business day of the month.
• Vanderbilt defines the NSF stipend as service-free. As such, fellows are not considered salaried employees of either NSF or Vanderbilt and no funds or taxes are withheld from stipend payments.
• On an annual basis (by January 31 of each year), HR Processing will send stipend recipients a letter regarding taxability and what forms (if any) to expect from Vanderbilt University. [3]
• Fellows are not permitted to receive more than 12 months of GRFP stipend support during a single Fellowship Year.
• No Fellow is eligible to receive more than 36 months cumulative GRFP stipend support.
• While on Tenure, Fellows are exempt from paying required tuition and fees normally charged to graduate students of similar academic standing. However, all living expenses are the responsibility of the Fellow. 

• NSF provides a fixed COE allowance to Vanderbilt. The use of the COE allowance is at Vanderbilt’s discretion.
• The current COE is $12,000 per Tenure (stipend) year, typically paid in two installments (fall and spring).
• Vanderbilt uses the COE to pay a Fellow’s health insurance (unless waived by the Fellow), and a portion of tuition charges for the years the Fellow is on Tenure.
• For fellows with 72 credit hours that are still on tenure, COE funds are used to pay health insurance, required fees, and the nominal tuition fee for a student to remain enrolled (currently $200). In these cases, fellows may request the use of the remaining COE funds for approved education, research, and professional development expenses
• To request COE funds: A proposal is submitted in advance of any expenditures to the CO [1]. Please see Funding Guidelines for an overview of the COE proposal process.