NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Eligibility Criteria
Fellowship Benefits
Supplement Provided by the Graduate School
Administration of the Fellowships

NSF fellowships are awarded to outstanding students for graduate study in sciences, mathematics, and engineering. The Graduate School supports NSF Graduate Research Fellows who choose to attend one of our graduate programs and recognizes the value of their activities at Virginia Tech.

Eligibility Criteria

• NSF fellows must be citizens or nationals of the U.S. or legal permanent residents at the time of application.
• Fellowships are awarded for study or work leading to advanced degrees in science, mathematics, and engineering. Awards are made for 3 years of financial support, tenable over a 5-year period.Fellows are selected by NSF each year.
• To learn more about the program, guidelines for applications, FAQ, and applications visit the Fellowship Program & Application website.

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• Stipend of $30,000 for a 12-month tenure (prorated monthly at $2,500 for lesser periods)
• Tuition and fees paid by the Graduate School for the fall and spring semesters. NSF fellows are responsible for covering their summer tuition should they choose to enroll in a summer term. Summer enrollment is not required for NSF fellows.
• A supplement of $3,000 is distributed in two installments of $1500 each for fall and spring. It can be used by the fellows for research materials, professional travel, summer tuition, health insurance (for the university-sponsored health plan), books, and other graduate education and research related expenses. The supplement is provided by the Graduate School.

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Policies Regarding the Supplement Provided by the Graduate School

• Funding for the supplement is transferred to a departmental account that is set up for this purpose for each fellow who is in active status with NSF.
• Students receive the supplement in two installments, half in the fall and half in the spring semester.
• The supplement can be spent in the same academic year in which it was received. At the end of each fiscal year (June 30), unspent funds are returned to the Graduate School NSF account. The supplement can be used for research materials, professional travel, health insurance, books, and other graduate education and research related expenses, including summer tuition, should a fellow opt to enroll in the summer.Since NSF is a public agency funded by tax dollars, OMB directives for educational institutions are applied in the determination of allowable/unallowable expenditures for using the stipend. Under these guidelines, goods or services for personal use (such as rent and parking) are unallowable. For clarification or determination of what constitutes an unallowable expense, please contact the Graduate School or the Controller's Office.
• Students may petition to the Graduate School for a purchase of equipment whose cost exceeds the annual allotment of $3000 if they have not spent their total allotment in previous years. The Graduate School will evaluate the request and may approve additional funds (not to exceed the total allotment for three years) if the purchase is essential to the student's research and if funds are available.
• Equipment purchased with the supplement becomes university property and remains with the home department after the departure of the NSF fellow.

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Administration of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

The Graduate School Student Services Office serves as the administering unit for NSF fellowships for fellows who choose to attend Virginia Tech:

Coordinating official:
Director of Student Services
117 Graduate Life Center
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Phone: 540/231-4558
Fax: 540/231-3714

The Coordinating Official (CO) serves as the principal contact between NSF, the fellows, and units of the university. The CO distributes information and administrative forms to the fellows and certifies their continued eligibility to NSF.NSF fellows must inform the Graduate School of their intended attendance no later than two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester when their active fellowship status begins. Changes in fellowship status or activity must also be endorsed/supported by the CO.

Out-of-state students are expected to apply for in-state residency after their first year at Virginia Tech to maximize the benefits of the cost of education allowance provided by NSF.

This document was prepared using excerpts from the NSF website and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowships Coordinating Official's Guide.

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