Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program
Can you apply?
This grant is for institutions of higher education (IHEs) including community colleges, consortia of IHEs, and nonprofit organizations with teacher education programs.
Eligible applicants must be accredited and U.S.-based. Track 4 research submissions may also come from professional societies directly associated with education or research.
PI teams must include STEM faculty with advanced degrees and education faculty for Tracks 1-3. Track 4 requires STEM education research expertise and STEM PhD/advanced degree holders. Capacity Building has no PI restrictions.
Proposals support preparing K-12 STEM teachers for high-need school districts, developing teacher leaders, and researching teacher effectiveness and retention.
Program description
The National Science FoundationRobert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce)invites innovative proposals that address the critical need for recruiting, preparing, and retaining highly effective elementary and secondary mathematics and science teachers and teacher leaders who persist as classroom teachers in high-need Local Education Agencies (LEA), (a.k.a. high-need school district). To achieve this goal, Noyce supports talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers. It also supports experienced, exemplary K-12 STEM teachers to become teacher leaders who continue as classroom teachers in high-need school districts. NSF welcomes submission of proposals to this funding opportunity that include the participation of the full spectrum of talent in STEM,e.g., as PI, co-PI, senior personnel, postdoctoral scholars, graduate or undergraduate students or trainees.In addition, the Noyce program supports research on the effectiveness and retention of K-12 STEM teachers in high-need school districts. Noyce offers four program tracks:Track 1: The RobertNoyce Teacher Scholarships and Stipends (S&S) Track, Track 2: The NSF Teaching Fellowships (TF) Track, Track 3: The NSFMaster Teaching Fellowships (MTF) Track, and Track 4: The Noyce Research Track. In addition,Capacity Buildingproposals are accepted from proposers intending to develop a proposal in any of the program’s tracks. Noyce also supports conference proposals focused on improving STEM teacher preparation. Proposals that support authentic Research Experiences in STEM Settings (RESS) for Noyce and/or non-Noyce pre-service and in-service STEM teachers are also invited.
Table 1:Categories of Noyce Funding*
|
Intended Outcome |
Eligible Scholars and Fellows |
Length of Required Teaching Commitment |
|
|
Track 1: Scholarships and Stipends (S&S) up to $1,200,000 with a duration of up to 5 years |
Develop K-12 STEM teachers in high-need school districts (a.k.a. high-need LEA) |
Noyce-eligible STEM undergraduate majors & STEM professionals |
2 years/year for which scholarship support was received |
|
Track 2: Teaching Fellowships (TF) up to $3,000,000, with a duration of up to 6 years |
Noyce-eligible STEM professionals |
4 years |
|
|
Track 3: Master Teaching Fellowships (MTF) up to $3,000,000, with a duration of up to 6 years |
Develop K-12 STEM teacher leaders in high- need school districts(a.k.a. high-need LEA) |
Experienced and exemplary K-12 STEM teachers with a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in their field |
5 years |
|
Track 4: Noyce Research up to $1,000,000, with a duration of up to 5 years |
Research effectiveness and retention of K-12 STEM teachers in high-need school districts(a.k.a. high-need LEA) |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Capacity Building up to $100,000, with a duration of up to 1 year |
Prepare for future Noyce submission |
N/A |
N/A |
*Awards may exceed the budget maximums through Collaboration Incentives for engagement of community colleges in Capacity Building or Track 1 projects, engagement with Noyce awards in Track 4 projects. See Section III: Award Information for additional details.
The budgets for conference proposals or for authentic Research Experiences in STEM Settings should be commensurate with the proposed work and must be discussed with a Noyce Program Officer prior to submission.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Grant Application Form)
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Curriculum Vitae for all key personnel
- Letters of commitment from partnering school districts
- Institutional commitment letters
- Evidence of accreditation (if applicable)
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
Who can apply for the Noyce program?
IHEs, consortia of IHEs, nonprofit organizations with teacher education programs, and (for Track 4) professional societies. All must be U.S.-based and accredited.
What are the different tracks available?
Track 1 supports scholarships/stipends for STEM undergraduates and professionals. Track 2 offers teaching fellowships for STEM professionals. Track 3 supports master teaching fellowships for experienced STEM teachers. Track 4 funds STEM teacher education research. Capacity Building helps proposers prepare future applications.
What are the teaching commitment requirements?
Track 1 scholars commit 2 years per year of scholarship. Track 2 fellows commit 4 years. Track 3 fellows commit 5 years. Track 4 and Capacity Building have no teaching commitments.
How much funding is available?
Track 1 awards up to $1.2M over 5 years. Track 2 and 3 each offer up to $3M over 6 years. Track 4 provides up to $1M over 5 years. Capacity Building offers up to $100K for one year.
When is the deadline?
The fixed deadline is August 25, 2026. Consult nsf.gov for confirmation and any updates to this date.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Identify your track early: S&S, Teaching Fellowships, Master Teaching Fellowships, Research, or Capacity Building. Each has different eligibility and funding caps.
- Ensure your PI team meets NSF requirements. STEM faculty with advanced degrees and education faculty must co-lead Tracks 1-3 proposals.
- Partner with high-need school districts. Your proposal should clearly identify and collaborate with districts serving economically disadvantaged students.
- Build a strong recruitment and retention plan. Reviewers want evidence that scholars/fellows will persist in high-need schools long-term.
- For Track 4 research proposals, pre-contact the program officer. Discuss your research question and budget before submission to align with NSF priorities.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak partnerships with high-need school districts. Proposals lack specific evidence of district need and teacher placement commitments. PI teams don't meet disciplinary requirements (missing STEM or education faculty). Vague retention strategies that don't address why teachers leave high-need schools. Budget narratives fail to justify costs per scholarship/fellowship or describe meaningful professional development.
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