How to Apply

The 2011 GRFP application is now available at www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/. 

For general reference, a walk-through of the 2011 FastLane application module can be found on the Applicant User Guide available on Fastlane.

• Click here to go to the Applicant User Guide page.
• On the table of contents on the left side of the page, click GRFP User Guides (the last item on the table of contents).
• When the GRFP User Guides open, click Applicant User Guide. This will open the guide for the GRFP application. By navigating through the guide, you can view the different sections of the application, including some screenshots and instructions.

Eligibility Information:

Applicants for the 2012 GRFP are generally allowed to have completed no more than 12 months of full-time graduate study or its equivalent by August 1, 2011.

This typically includes applicants who:

• Will earn their baccalaureate degree in Spring or Summer 2012 and plan to start grad school in Fall 2012
• Finished their baccalaureate degree with no additional graduate-level study after your undergraduate program, and plan to start grad school in Fall 2012
• Started their graduate program in the Fall 2011 term
• Started their graduate program in the Winter/Spring 2011 term
• Started their graduate program in the Fall 2010 term and have not earned a graduate or professional degree
• Have been enrolled in part-time graduate study and completed no more than 24 semester credits or 36 quarter credits as of August 1, 2011
• Are in the fourth year of a four-year joint baccalaureate-Master’s program or the fourth or fifth year of a five-year joint baccalaureate-Master’s program
• Have completed a joint baccalaureate-Master’s program, but no additional graduate-level study as of August 1, 2011

Please note that the limit of allowed graduate study applies to the entire graduate career, not only the current program.

The following categories are not eligible for the 2012 GRFP:

• Those who will not be enrolled in an eligible graduate program at an accredited US institution by Fall 2012
• Those who are not US citizens, US nationals or permanent residents by the application deadline
• Those who already accepted a GRFP award, or who declined a GRFP award after the deadline for accepting/declining an award
• Those who have earned a graduate or professional degree in any field (except applicants who have completed a joint BS/MS program and have not completed any further graduate study outside the joint program)
• Current NSF employees

If you completed more than 12 months of graduate study, you would not be eligible for the 2012 GRFP unless you have an interruption of at least two consecutive years prior to November 2012 and have not previously earned a graduate or professional degree.

Please see the current

Program Solicitation

for full details regarding eligibility.

In This Section

• Application Materials
• Review Criteria
• Eligibility Guide
• Choosing a Primary Field
• Creating a FastLane Account