EPSCoR Graduate Fellowship Program
Can you apply?
This grant is for degree-awarding institutions in EPSCoR jurisdictions that award at least one master's or doctoral degree in STEM. Applicant institutions must be accredited and have a campus in an eligible EPSCoR jurisdiction. PIs and senior personnel must hold primary, full-time, paid, continuing appointments at eligible institutions. Only GRFP Honorable Mention recipients from the past three years may serve as Fellows. Institutions must request support for a minimum of three Fellows.
Award funds support three years of stipend ($37,000/year per Fellow) and cost-of-education allowance ($16,000/year per Fellow). Fellows have up to five years to utilize the support. Institutions must ensure Fellows receive the full stipend while retaining the full cost-of-education allowance during the three-year funding period.
This grant is for degree-awarding institutions in EPSCoR jurisdictions that award at least one master's or doctoral degree in STEM. Applicant institutions must be accredited and have a campus in an eligible EPSCoR jurisdiction. PIs and senior personnel must hold primary, full-time, paid, continuing appointments at eligible institutions. Only GRFP Honorable Mention recipients from the past three years may serve as Fellows. Institutions must request support for a minimum of three Fellows.
Award funds support three years of stipend ($37,000/year per Fellow) and cost-of-education allowance ($16,000/year per Fellow). Fellows have up to five years to utilize the support. Institutions must ensure Fellows receive the full stipend while retaining the full cost-of-education allowance during the three-year funding period.
Program description
The NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellowship Program (EGFP) provides an opportunity for applicants who received the distinction of GRFP Honorable Mention no more than three years before the proposal due date to be named NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellows and obtain financial support for their graduate education at an institution in an EPSCoR jurisdiction. EGFP aims to enhance the capacity and competitiveness of EPSCoR jurisdictions by providing funding to graduate degree-awarding institutions to support NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellows as they pursue graduate degrees in the disciplines specified by the NSF Directorates and Office that are participating in the EGFP funding program. Fellows may pursue degrees in field that differ from the field or sub-field of studythat the GRFP Honorable Mention recipients previously listed in their GRFP application.
EGFP awards will be made to institutions in EPSCoR jurisdictions. Awards will provide three years of stipend and associated cost-of-education allowance for each NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellow. Stipends must be budgeted at the level of $37,000 per year per Fellow and cost-of-education allowances must be budgeted at the level of $16,000 per year per Fellow. A total of three years of support must be budgeted per Fellow. Each Fellow must be given up to five years to utilize the support. Awardees will administer the awards such that the Fellows receive the full stipend amount and the institution retains the full cost-of-education allowance during the three years that each Fellow receives support.All submissions must request support for a minimum of three Fellows.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- Colleges (all higher ed)
- HBCU
- HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution)
- Private University
- Public University
- TCU (Tribal Colleges)
Details
This grant is for degree-awarding institutions in EPSCoR jurisdictions that award at least one master's or doctoral degree in STEM. Applicant institutions must be accredited and have a campus in an eligible EPSCoR jurisdiction. PIs and senior personnel must hold primary, full-time, paid, continuing appointments at eligible institutions. Only GRFP Honorable Mention recipients from the past three years may serve as Fellows. Institutions must request support for a minimum of three Fellows.
Award funds support three years of stipend ($37,000/year per Fellow) and cost-of-education allowance ($16,000/year per Fellow). Fellows have up to five years to utilize the support. Institutions must ensure Fellows receive the full stipend while retaining the full cost-of-education allowance during the three-year funding period.
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- NSF cover sheet (SF-424 or NSF equivalent)
- Project narrative describing Fellow selection criteria and institutional capacity
- Budget and budget justification with itemized Fellow support
- Institutional commitment letter confirming EPSCoR jurisdiction status
- Letters of reference from nominated Fellows (if required by solicitation)
Program contact
- 👤 U.S. National Science Foundation
- 📧 grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
- 📞 703-292-4203
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 47.083 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$48,079,625
-
$47,887,807
-
$46,238,841
-
$44,434,393
-
$35,687,036
-
$24,737,272
-
$23,999,998
-
$22,294,445
-
$22,222,678
-
$21,793,117
Top States by Funding
- MA 5 awards $138.4M
- NY 3 awards $85.9M
- PA 2 awards $81.9M
- MT 4 awards $64.0M
- GA 4 awards $55.5M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 47.083). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $458,210,000 | |
| 2025 | $476,730,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $174,710,000 |
FAQ
What institutions can apply for this grant?
Only accredited degree-awarding institutions in EPSCoR jurisdictions with master's and/or doctoral STEM programs. Your institution must have a campus in an eligible EPSCoR jurisdiction at proposal submission.
Who is eligible to be named an NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellow?
Only individuals who received a GRFP Honorable Mention within the past three years. Fellows may pursue degrees in fields different from their original GRFP application.
What must be included in my budget request?
Minimum three Fellows with three years of support each. Budget $37,000/year stipend and $16,000/year cost-of-education allowance per Fellow. Total request ranges from $477,000 to $3,180,000.
Is cost-sharing required for this grant?
No cost-sharing is required. The institution must ensure Fellows receive full stipend and retains the full cost-of-education allowance.
How long can Fellows use their award?
Fellows have up to five years to utilize the three years of stipend and cost-of-education support provided by the grant.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Verify your institution is in an eligible EPSCoR jurisdiction before investing application effort. Check the official NSF EPSCoR jurisdiction list.
- Identify and pre-screen GRFP Honorable Mention recipients from the past three years early in your planning process.
- Budget precisely: multiply number of Fellows by three years by ($37,000 + $16,000) per year. Proposals with incorrect budgeting may be rejected.
- Align your proposed Fellows' fields of study with NSF Directorate and Office topical focus areas listed in the solicitation.
- Plan fellowship administration carefully. Your institution must track three-year disbursement and ensure clear separation between Fellow stipends and cost-of-education allocations.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications are rejected when institutions fail to verify EPSCoR jurisdiction eligibility before submitting. Proposals requesting fewer than three Fellows or miscalculating the budget formula ($111,000 per Fellow for three years) are non-compliant. Some applicants lose competitiveness by not clearly demonstrating how proposed Fellows align with NSF topical focus areas.
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