Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program
Can you apply?
This grant is for U.S. institutions of higher education seeking to fund scholarships and support programs for low-income STEM students.
Eligible applicants include accredited two- and four-year colleges (including community colleges) with U.S. campuses. The Principal Investigator must be a faculty member teaching in an NSF-funded STEM discipline or an academic administrator with prior teaching experience in such fields.
Scholars must be domestic, low-income students with academic ability or potential pursuing associate, bachelor's, or graduate degrees in NSF-eligible STEM fields. Medical, nursing, veterinary, business administration, and teacher certification programs are excluded.
The program emphasizes funding institutions serving underrepresented populations in STEM.
This grant is for U.S. institutions of higher education seeking to fund scholarships and support programs for low-income STEM students.
Eligible applicants include accredited two- and four-year colleges (including community colleges) with U.S. campuses. The Principal Investigator must be a faculty member teaching in an NSF-funded STEM discipline or an academic administrator with prior teaching experience in such fields.
Scholars must be domestic, low-income students with academic ability or potential pursuing associate, bachelor's, or graduate degrees in NSF-eligible STEM fields. Medical, nursing, veterinary, business administration, and teacher certification programs are excluded.
The program emphasizes funding institutions serving underrepresented populations in STEM.
Program description
The main goal of the S-STEM program is to enable academically talented, low-income students to pursue successful careers in promising STEM fields. Ultimately, the S-STEM program seeks to increase the number of academically promising low-income students who graduate with an S-STEM eligible degree and contribute to the American innovation economy with their STEM knowledge. Recognizing that financial aid alone cannot increase retention and graduation in STEM, the program provides awards to institutions of higher education (IHEs) not only to fund scholarships, but also to adapt, implement, and study evidence-based curricular and co-curricular[a] activities that have been shown to be effective in supporting recruitment, retention, transfer (if appropriate), student success, academic/career pathways, and graduation in STEM.
To be eligible, scholars must be domestic low-income students with academic ability, talent, or potential and demonstrated unmet financial need who are enrolled in an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree program in an S-STEM eligible discipline. Proposers must provide an analysis that articulates the characteristics and academic needs of the population of students they are trying to serve. NSF is particularly interested in supporting the attainment of degrees in fields identified as critical needs for the Nation. It is up to the proposer to make a compelling case that such a field serves a critical need in the United States.
[a] an activity at a school or college pursued in addition to the normal course of study.
S-STEM Eligible Degree Programs
Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Engineering, and Associate of Applied Science
Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Applied Science
Master of Arts, Master of Science, and Master of Engineering
Doctoral (Ph.D. or other comparable doctoral degree)
S-STEM Eligible Disciplines
Disciplinary fields in which research is funded by NSF, including technology fields associated with the S-STEM-eligible disciplines (e.g., biotechnology, chemical technology, engineering technology, information technology, etc.).
The following degrees and disciplines areexcluded:
- Clinical degree programs, including medical degrees, nursing, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and others not funded by NSF, are ineligible degrees.
- Programs for STEM teacher certification or licensure currently covered by the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program (NOYCE) are ineligible for S-STEM funding.
- Business school programs that lead to Bachelor of Arts or Science in Business Administration degrees (BABA/BSBA/BBA) are not eligible for S-STEM funding.
- Masters and Doctoral degrees in Business Administration are also excluded.
Proposers are strongly encouraged to contact Program Officers before submitting a proposal if they have questions concerning degree or disciplinary eligibility.
The S-STEM program particularly encourages proposals from 2-year institutions, predominately undergraduate institutions, and urban, suburban, and rural public institutions.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for U.S. institutions of higher education seeking to fund scholarships and support programs for low-income STEM students.
Eligible applicants include accredited two- and four-year colleges (including community colleges) with U.S. campuses. The Principal Investigator must be a faculty member teaching in an NSF-funded STEM discipline or an academic administrator with prior teaching experience in such fields.
Scholars must be domestic, low-income students with academic ability or potential pursuing associate, bachelor's, or graduate degrees in NSF-eligible STEM fields. Medical, nursing, veterinary, business administration, and teacher certification programs are excluded.
The program emphasizes funding institutions serving underrepresented populations in STEM.
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Biographies of PI and Co-PIs
- Institutional commitment letter or memorandum
- Description of target student population and needs assessment
- Details of curricular and co-curricular support activities
- Institutional data on student demographics and retention rates
Program contact
- 👤 U.S. National Science Foundation
- 📧 grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
- 📞 703-292-4203
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 47.076 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$116,005,485
-
$111,205,673
-
$82,631,883
-
$50,428,430
-
$45,382,137
-
$42,090,891
-
$41,100,753
-
$39,061,618
-
$33,116,189
-
$30,232,784
Top States by Funding
- CA 17 awards $411.8M
- MA 4 awards $209.6M
- TX 7 awards $122.7M
- NY 5 awards $115.4M
- IL 5 awards $96.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 47.076). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,087,560,000 | |
| 2025 | $1,169,550,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $286,650,000 |
FAQ
What types of institutions can apply for S-STEM scholarships?
Accredited two- and four-year colleges with U.S. campuses, including community colleges. The institution must act through the appropriate faculty or academic administrator.
Who must serve as Principal Investigator?
A faculty member currently teaching in an NSF-funded STEM discipline, or an academic administrator who has taught in an eligible discipline and can dedicate necessary time.
What degree programs are eligible for scholar support?
Associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in NSF-funded STEM disciplines. Medical, nursing, veterinary, business administration, and teacher certification programs are excluded.
What expenses can the grant cover besides scholarships?
Awards support scholarships plus evidence-based curricular and co-curricular activities for recruitment, retention, transfer, and student success in STEM.
How much funding can institutions request?
Individual awards typically range from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000. The total program funding pool is $120,000,000.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Contact an NSF Program Officer early if unsure whether your STEM disciplines or degree programs qualify. Eligibility questions should be resolved before investing time in a full proposal.
- Demonstrate deep knowledge of your student population's academic needs and financial barriers. Provide specific data on recruitment and retention challenges you face.
- Design evidence-based support activities beyond scholarships: mentoring, tutoring, cohort programs, internships, or career pathways tied to student outcomes data.
- Emphasize institutional commitment. Show how the project aligns with your strategic priorities and how you will sustain gains after NSF funding ends.
- Highlight focus on underrepresented groups in STEM. NSF prioritizes institutions serving women, minorities, first-generation, and low-income students.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposing scholarships without robust retention and support activities. Failing to specify which student populations you serve and their documented needs. Requesting funding for ineligible programs like business administration, nursing, or teacher certification.
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