Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need

To provide fellowships through graduate academic departments, programs, and units of institutions of higher education to graduate students of superior ability who demonstrate financial need for the purpose of sustaining and enhancing the capacity for teaching and research in academic areas of national need, as designated by the Secretary.

Academic departments and programs of IHEs that provide courses of study leading to a graduate degree may apply. Nondegree-granting institutions may submit joint proposals with degree-granting IHEs.

Graduate students receiving fellowships must demonstrate financial need, have excellent academic records, plan to pursue the highest degree in the field, and be a U.S. citizen or a National, or a permanent resident of the U.S., or intend to become a U.S. citizen, be a permanent resident of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, or a citizen of any one of the Freely Associated States.

Instructions and forms concerning application procedures are available on the program website following publication of the Notice Inviting Application funding criteria in the Federal Register.

Panels of experts from outside the Government will appraise all applications. The program office will recommend funding to the Secretary, who will make the final decisions.

The range is approximately three months.