Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science
🏛 U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for K-12 teachers (primarily middle and high school) who wish to participate in summer research experiences in engineering and computer science with university faculty and research teams. Applicants must be teachers from public or private schools, and the program is designed to strengthen their pedagogical knowledge in STEM fields. The program supports sustained, faculty-mentored research experiences typically 6-8 weeks long during the summer. Participants gain hands-on exposure to current research practices and engineering challenges, which they can bring back to their classrooms. While primarily for individual teachers, applications are often submitted through universities or research institutions that host the RET cohorts. Geographic scope is national, and there are no restrictions based on school location or teacher background, though programs often prioritize recruiting teachers from underserved communities and schools.
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Program description
The Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science program supports authentic summer research experiences for K-14 educators to foster long-term collaborations between universities, community colleges, school districts, and industry partners. With this solicitation, the Directorates for Engineering (ENG) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) focus on a reciprocal exchange of expertise between K-14 educators and research faculty and (when applicable) industry mentors. K-14 educators will enhance their scientific disciplinary knowledge in engineering or computer science and translate their research experiences into classroom activities and curricula to broaden their students’ awareness of and participation in computing and engineering pathways. At the same time, the hosting research faculty will deepen their understanding of classroom practices, current curricula, pedagogy, and K-14 educational environments.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- NSF Project Narrative (including research descriptions and educational plan)
- Project Summary (1-page overview)
- Detailed Budget and Budget Justification
- Biographical sketches of key faculty mentors
- Letters of commitment from participating K-12 schools and administrators
- Curriculum development/integration plan
- External evaluation plan or evaluator CV
- Diversity recruitment and retention plan
- Institutional support letter and cost-share documentation (if applicable)
- References and research team information
Program contact
- 👤 U.S. National Science Foundation
- 📧 grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
- 📞 703-292-4203
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 47.070 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$975,888,088
-
$376,000,000
-
$146,395,788
-
$84,249,997
-
$78,999,134
-
$38,082,925
-
$37,758,328
-
$37,023,406
-
$36,793,220
-
$31,497,099
Top States by Funding
- CO 6 awards $1,049.0M
- TX 9 awards $651.6M
- IL 10 awards $304.8M
- CA 17 awards $237.2M
- IN 3 awards $93.7M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 47.070). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $965,230,000 | |
| 2025 | $916,340,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $331,630,000 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for an RET grant?
K-12 teachers, particularly middle and high school teachers in STEM subjects, are eligible. While individual teachers can sometimes apply, RET grants are typically submitted by universities, research institutions, or engineering departments that will host the research experiences. Teachers must be employed at a public or private school.
What is the typical timeline for the application process?
Proposals are typically due in October, with award announcements following several months later. Selected teachers then participate in summer research experiences, usually in the summer following the grant award year.
What activities and outcomes does this program support?
The program funds summer research experiences where teachers conduct authentic engineering or computer science research mentored by university faculty. Teachers participate in research labs, learn current methodologies, and develop materials to bring research experiences back to their classrooms.
How competitive is this program and what is the typical funding range?
This is a moderately competitive NSF program. Typical awards range from $200,000–$400,000 for a multi-year project supporting cohorts of teachers over 3-5 years, though this varies by institution size and scope.
What makes a strong RET application stand out?
Strong applications demonstrate clear connections between the research experience and classroom applications, strong partnerships between schools and research institutions, diversity recruitment plans, and evidence of faculty commitment to mentoring. Prior success in teacher professional development strengthens competitiveness.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Establish genuine partnerships with K-12 schools before applying: identify committed teachers and schools willing to participate and support classroom integration of research findings. Letters of commitment from school administrators strengthen your case.
- Design a coherent research-to-classroom connection: clearly articulate how the summer research experience translates into meaningful changes to what teachers teach or how they teach. Include plans for curriculum development or professional development dissemination.
- Create a recruitment and retention plan with diversity goals: NSF prioritizes programs that recruit teachers from underrepresented groups and high-need schools. Detail your recruitment strategy, support services (stipends, housing, transportation), and how you'll encourage long-term participation.
- Budget adequately for teacher support: include competitive teacher stipends ($5,000–$15,000+ for 6-8 weeks), housing, meals, and lab supplies. Underfunded teacher support signals a less committed program and impacts competitiveness.
- Build in meaningful assessment and mentoring structures: describe how faculty mentors will be trained and supervised, how teacher progress will be evaluated, and how you'll measure the impact on classroom practice, not just satisfaction. Include a robust evaluation plan with external evaluators when possible.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak partnerships with schools: many applicants underestimate the need to involve committed school partners early. Applications that lack letters of commitment from school administrators or clear identification of participating teachers often score poorly. Additionally, failing to demonstrate how research experiences will actually reach classrooms—beyond vague promises—is a common reason for rejection. Applicants should also avoid underestimating the cost of supporting teachers adequately; proposals with unrealistically low stipends or insufficient support services are less competitive.
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