SPACE TECHNOLOGY GRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES – FALL 2027 (NSTGRO27)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Nov 13, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for graduate students pursuing master's or doctoral degrees in space technology at U.S. institutions. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents with a bachelor's degree prior to fall 2027. Students must be enrolled full-time in a master's or Ph.D. program at a U.S. institution at the start of fall 2027 and meet specific eligibility profiles.
Research must address at least one high-priority technical research area identified by NASA. The university faculty advisor serves as the Principal Investigator on the award. Awards support research primarily conducted on campus with required Visiting Technologist Experiences at NASA Centers.
Proposals submitted through NSPIRES by an authorized institutional representative. Two-step process requires mandatory preliminary proposal followed by invited full proposal.
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Program description
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters has released a solicitation, titled “NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities – Fall 2027 (NSTGRO27),” as an appendix to the NASA Research Announcement (NRA) titled “Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion (SpaceTech REDDI)” Fiscal Year 2026, on November 6, 2026. The solicitation is available by opening the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) homepage at https://nspires.nasaprs.com/, selecting “Open” under “Solicitations,” and searching “NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities – Fall 2027 (NSTGRO27)” under Keywords. To go to the solicitation directly, visit https://solicitation.nasaprs.com/NNH26ZTR001N-26NSTGRO_B4.
Through this fellowship opportunity, NASA seeks to sponsor U.S. citizen, U.S. national, and permanent-resident graduate-student research that has significant potential to contribute to NASA’s goal of creating innovative space technologies for our Nation’s science, exploration, and economic future. This call solicits research proposals on behalf of individuals pursuing or planning to pursue master’s or doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in relevant space technology disciplines at U.S. institutions of higher education (IHEs). Proposing students must have a bachelor’s degree prior to the fall 2027 term and be enrolled in a full-time master’s or doctoral degree program at a U.S. IHE at the start of the fall 2027 term. Proposing students must meet one of the eligibility profiles identified in section B.1 of the Appendix. Proposals must address at least one of the high-priority technical research areas identified in the appendix; see section C.2 of the Appendix for details.
NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Fellows will perform research primarily at their respective IHE campuses but also conduct Visiting Technologist Experiences at NASA Centers. In addition, each recipient will be matched with a technically relevant and community-engaged NASA researcher who will serve as the research collaborator on the award. Through this experience, graduate students will be able to take advantage of broader and/or deeper space technology research opportunities directly related to their academic and career objectives, acquire a more detailed understanding of the potential end applications of their space technology efforts, and directly disseminate their research results within the NASA community.
The financial and programmatic support for NSTGRO comes from the Research and Technology Mission Directorate. These awards are a component of the Space Technology Research Grants Program, which engages the entire spectrum of academic researchers, including graduate students. Awards resulting from this competitive selection will be made in the form of grants to U.S. IHEs with the faculty advisor as the Principal Investigator (PI). Awards are planned to start in the fall of the 2027 academic year and are subject to the availability of appropriated funds. This solicitation covers only proposals for new awards; continuation of existing awards is handled separately.
All proposals must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES by an authorized organizational representative at the proposing IHE. Proposals are being solicited via a two-step process where preliminary proposals are mandatory, and only those invited may submit a full proposal. Mandatory preliminary proposals are due on or before December 9, 2026, 6 pm Eastern Time, and the target deadline for invited full proposals is March 18, 2027, 6 pm Eastern Time. Detailed submission instructions are provided under “Other Documents” on the NSPIRES webpage associated with the NSTGRO27 solicitation. Potential proposers are urged to access the NSPIRES electronic proposal system well in advance of the proposal due date to register with NSPIRES, familiarize themselves with its structure, and to enter the requested information.
Comments and questions may be addressed by email to the Space Technology Research Grants Program, at HQ-NSTGRO-Call@mail.nasa.gov. Responses to inquiries will be answered by email and may also be included in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document located on the NSPIRES page associated with the solicitation; anonymity of individuals/institutions who submit questions will be preserved.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Preliminary proposal (mandatory, required for selection to full proposal stage)
- Full proposal (only for invited applicants)
- Faculty advisor commitment/authorization
- Research proposal addressing NASA technical priorities
- Institutional authorization from authorized organizational representative
Program contact
- 👤 Thomas Ramirez-Pugh Peer Review Administrator
- 📧 HQ-NSTGRO-Call@mail.nasa.gov
- 📞 2029670848
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 43.012 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$16,999,769
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$15,317,947
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$15,000,000
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$15,000,000
-
$14,999,835
-
$14,500,000
-
$13,500,000
-
$5,894,551
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$4,747,599
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$4,498,166
Top States by Funding
- CA 22 awards $44.8M
- GA 6 awards $26.6M
- TX 10 awards $23.8M
- CO 5 awards $20.2M
- PA 7 awards $20.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 43.012). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $68,553,702 | |
| 2025 | $62,203,060 | |
| 2026 est. | $55,000,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for NSTGRO27?
U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents pursuing master's or Ph.D. degrees in space technology. You must have a bachelor's degree before fall 2027 and be enrolled full-time at a U.S. institution.
What are the key deadlines?
Preliminary proposals due December 9, 2026, 6 pm ET. Full proposals due March 18, 2027, 6 pm ET (only invited applicants).
What research areas are supported?
High-priority technical research areas identified by NASA in space technology. Details available in Section C.2 of the solicitation appendix.
How much funding is available?
Individual awards are approximately $84,000. Awards begin fall 2027 and are subject to appropriation availability.
What does the award include beyond funding?
Research collaboration with a NASA scientist, Visiting Technologist Experiences at NASA Centers, and mentorship integrated with your graduate studies.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Start with preliminary proposal now; this is mandatory and competitive selection occurs before full proposal stage.
- Identify a faculty advisor at your institution early and secure their commitment as your PI before submitting.
- Thoroughly review Section C.2 of the appendix to ensure your research topic aligns with NASA's high-priority technical areas.
- Include a clear connection between your graduate research and practical space technology applications NASA values.
- Plan for Visiting Technologist Experiences at NASA Centers as a required program component in your timeline.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Preliminary proposals that lack clear connection to NASA's stated high-priority technical research areas get rejected. Applications failing to confirm faculty advisor commitment and institutional authorization before submission are non-responsive. Proposals without realistic plans for required NASA Center visits and collaboration don't rank competitively.
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