The 2025 NSF GRFP solicitation has been posted! Please read through it yourself here (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/grfp-nsf-graduate-research-fellowship-program/nsf25-547/solicitation) or in the attached pdf. We would like to point out a few important updates for you:

1. The previously posted deadlines have been pushed back. Please note that, other than reference letters, your application is due by 5:00pm at the local time of the mailing address you enter into the application portal. That being said, we highly recommend you submit the week before, if possible, as the system can crash frequently during the week of deadlines. Here are the updated deadlines for this year:
   1. Friday, November 7, 2025, by 5:00pm ET: Reference Letters
   2. Monday, November 10, 2025: Life Sciences
   3. Wednesday, November 12, 2025: Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Materials Research; Psychology; Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences; STEM Education and Learning
   4. Thursday, November 13, 2025: Engineering
   5. Friday, November 14, 2025: Chemistry; Geosciences; Mathematical Sciences; Physics and Astronomy
2. Second-year graduate students are no longer eligible to apply. We are very sorry if you are a second-year graduate student that chose to wait until this year to apply. If you have any questions about your eligibility, please let us know and we can help you get your questions answered.
3. There are very specific rules about including Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts headings. Please review these rules, found in section V. Application Preparation And Submission Instructions. In short, both of these terms must have their own headings, separated by a line break, and have no other words in the section headings.
4. There is an updated definition of what qualifies as Broader Impacts. This can be found in section VI. Application Review Information, and includes the following:

• Increase participation in STEM
• Improve STEM education in schools through outreach and mentoring
• Increase public scientific literacy and public engagement with STEM through community outreach
• Increase collaboration among academia, industry, and other types of organizations
• Improve education and educator development – at any level – in STEM
• Improve the well-being of individuals in society
• Develop a globally competitive STEM workforce
• Improve national security
• Increase the economic competitiveness of the U.S.
• Enhance infrastructure for research and education.

5. NSF has identified high priority research areas. We strongly encourage you to apply if you are eligible, even if your research does not fit under these areas. However, if your research does fit within this priority areas, we recommend you emphasize this in your application.
   1. Review the two documents from which the priority areas are identified.

                                                    i.     Letter to Michael Kratsios: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/03/a-letter-to-michael-kratsios-director-of-the-white-house-office-of-science-and-technology-policy/

                                                   ii.     FY 2026 NSF Budget Request: https://nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/files/00-NSF-FY26-CJ-Entire-Rollup.pdf?VersionId=O06XnbgojADDf9uCPe_MIkjRPBScU1Lt

5. 2. In brief, these research areas include AI, quantum information science, nuclear technology, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, microelectronics and semiconductors, and advanced wireless research.

Based on these updates, we encourage you to take the following steps:

1. Let your recommendation letter writers know that their deadline is Friday, November 7 by 5:00 pm ET.
2. Continue working on your application! It is just 6 ½ weeks until applications are due. If you would like any feedback or guidance on your documents, reach out to [email protected] and we will get you set up with a fellowship writing coach.

We will continue to run Help Sessions up until a week or two before the deadline, so keep an eye out for additional dates as we schedule them. As always, please feel free to reach out to us with any questions and we are happy to help.

Best,

The Fellowship Team

[email protected]