On this page:
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program at Harvard
- Fellowship Statuses
- Requirements for Fellows
- Employment During the Fellowship Tenure Year
- Acknowledging National Science Foundation Support
- Program Eligibility
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program at Harvard
The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) is a federal fellowship that supports US citizens and permanent residents pursuing full-time, research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, including STEM education. The fellowship provides up to three years of financial support that may be used over a five-year fellowship period.
This page provides guidance for current Harvard Griffin GSAS NSF GRFP fellows and describes Harvard Griffin GSAS’s administration of the fellowship. Fellows should also consult the official NSF GRFP Solicitation and Administrative Guide for the most current federal policies and requirements. For comprehensive information on eligibility and how to apply, visit the NSF GRFP website.
Contact Information
For most fellowship-related questions, fellows should contact Harvard’s NSF GRFP coordinating official before contacting NSF directly. For the quickest response, fellows should email Harvard’s NSF GRFP email account, which is monitored by multiple staff members.
NSF GRFP Program Office
grfp@nsf.gov
Harvard’s NSF GRFP email
NSF_GSAS@fas.harvard.edu
Harvard’s NSF GRFP coordinating official
Michelle Woods, associate director of financial aid
michellewoods@fas.harvard.edu
Fellowship Statuses
Declaration Process
Fellows declare their status for the upcoming year in Research.gov during the declaration period, which is typically in April. If a declaration is not made by the stated deadline, the fellowship will be terminated. Typically, new statuses take effect in September of each year and last for a 12-month period.
The NSF GRFP provides 36 months of funding and 24 months of reserve time, which allows fellows to choose which years (in 12-month intervals) to use the funding. For each of the three years of support, NSF provides a $37,000 stipend and a $16,000 cost of education allowance to cover tuition and mandatory fees at the degree-granting institution. Although the fellowship is offered to the individual, the funds are awarded to the institution where the fellow is enrolled, and the institution is responsible for disbursing the stipend. Harvard disburses the stipend to fellows on a monthly basis.
NSF does not permit leave categories other than medical or military. Fellows taking any leave other than an approved Medical Leave or Military Leave will generally be required to terminate their fellowship.
Because changes between “On Tenure” and “On Reserve” generally cannot be made after the declaration deadline, fellows should develop their funding and employment plans before submitting a declaration. It is strongly encouraged, but not required, that first-year (G1) fellows declare “On Tenure.” In later years, students may have employment opportunities that would otherwise be limited by the NSF GRFP. More information is available in the employment section of this web page. Questions about declaration statuses should be directed to the coordinating official, the fellow’s Harvard Griffin GSAS financial aid officer, or the fellow’s academic department.
On Tenure
- Fellows who declare “On Tenure” activate 12 months of NSF GRFP funding.
- During a tenure year, NSF provides an annual stipend of $37,000 (paid to the fellow through Harvard) and a cost of education allowance of $16,000 (paid directly to Harvard toward tuition, required fees, and other expenses).
- Monthly NSF GRFP stipend payments may be considered taxable income. Depending on a fellow’s citizenship status and physical location, taxes may or may not be withheld from stipend payments. Fellows should review the Harvard Griffin GSAS Taxes web page for additional information.
- Fellows must be making satisfactory academic progress, or the fellowship will be terminated.
- Fellows must be enrolled full time, except in cases of Medical Leave or Military Leave. All other leaves require the fellow to terminate the NSF GRFP.
- Secondary appointments for NSF GRFP fellows on tenure are permitted but must be reasonable in terms of time commitment and align with the student’s educational objectives. This includes appointments as a teaching fellow or research assistant. Fellows who plan to take on roles that do not align with the policies outlined on the Office for Sponsored Programs web page “Secondary Appointments for NSF GRFP Fellows” should consider declaring “On Reserve.”
On Reserve
- Fellows who declare “On Reserve” reserve their funding for the 12-month fellowship period.
- The NSF GRFP provides 24 months of reserve status. The fellow will not receive funding during this time but is still considered a fellow.
- Fellows must be making satisfactory academic progress, or the fellowship will be terminated.
- Fellows must be enrolled full-time, except in cases of Medical Leave or Military Leave. All other leaves require the fellow to terminate the NSF GRFP.
- Students who accept other individual federal fellowships while on reserve (or in any other NSF GRFP status) will need to terminate their NSF GRFP. Other individual federal fellowships include NDSEG, KRELL, and F31.
On Medical Leave
- Fellows may declare “On Medical Leave” while on an approved University medical leave.
- NSF permits up to 24 months of Medical Leave.
- The coordinating official will assist with the required documentation.
On Military Leave
- Fellows may declare “On Military Leave” while on an approved University military leave.
- NSF permits up to 24 months of Military Leave.
- The coordinating official will assist with the required documentation.
Terminate My Fellowship
Fellows who declare “Terminate My Fellowship” end their NSF GRFP fellowship.
A fellow may choose to end the fellowship early for various reasons, including accepting another individual federal fellowship or taking an ineligible leave of absence from the University. Some fellows may choose to terminate the fellowship after using all 36 months of tenure status to pursue other professional activities. If the activities are consistent with NSF GRFP policies, the fellow may consider using on-reserve status instead of terminating.
Completed with Degree
Fellows who declare “Completed with Degree” indicate that they have graduated before the end of the five-year fellowship period.
Fellows should select this status only if graduation is within two months. Otherwise, the fellow should declare “On Reserve” or “On Tenure” and submit a status change within the two-month timeline.
Status Changes
Fellows may need to change their status outside of the declaration period. However, changes between “On Tenure” and “On Reserve” typically cannot be made once the declaration period has closed.
How to Submit a Change Request
- Log in to Research.gov.
- Select “Request Fellowship Status Change,” and then select the academic year.
- Choose the relevant option from the “New Fellowship Status” dropdown menu.
- Select the appropriate status:
- Students graduating within the next two months should update their status to “Completed with Degree.”
- Students who are no longer eligible to receive tenure funding should update their status to “Forfeit.”
- Students who are no longer eligible for the fellowship should update their status to “Terminated.”
- Students taking a midyear leave of absence for medical or military reasons should update their status accordingly.
- Provide the requested information, if applicable.
- Select “Submit.”
Requirements for Graduate Research Fellowship Program Fellows
All active fellows must complete requirements to maintain eligibility for the NSF GRFP. This includes fellows in the following statuses:
- On Tenure
- On Reserve
- On Medical Leave
- On Military Leave.
Declaration
- Required annually for new fellows and continuing fellows.
- Completed in Research.gov.
- Typically in April, fellows declare their fellowship status for the upcoming year by the stated deadline. This is required for all fellows who have not terminated and who have not completed all five years of the fellowship program. Fellows who do not declare by the stated deadline will have their fellowship terminated.
- New fellows must also verify their major field of study during the declaration process. Fellows must enroll in a graduate degree program consistent with, or most closely aligned with, the first Major Field of Study, degree program, and research plan proposed in their application.
- Fellows may need to change their status outside of the declaration period. However, changes between “On Tenure” and “On Reserve” typically cannot be made once the declaration period has closed. See the status changes section above for more information.
Annual Activities Report (AAR)
- Required annually for continuing fellows and for fellows ending their fellowship due to completion or graduation.
- Completed in Research.gov.
- Typically in April, NSF requires an Annual Activities Report (AAR) describing activities completed during the year. This report is used to evaluate the fellow’s progress and the overall effectiveness of the program and to inform funding decisions.
- A fellow’s academic/research advisor (or designated graduate program administrator) must review the fellow’s AAR and verify the fellow’s eligibility and degree progress by signing the Academic/Research Advisor Confirmation Form. Advisors must also certify that fellows have an Individual Development Plan (IDP). Fellows should give their advisors ample time to complete this before the deadline.
- Continuing fellows will be unable to declare until the AAR is submitted.
Individual Development Plan (IDP)
- Required annually for new fellows and continuing fellows.
- Completed individually and not submitted online.
- Individual Development Plans (IDPs) help set academic and professional goals, track progress, and establish priorities. Fellows must meet with their advisor to develop an IDP that is updated annually. There is no required format, as long as the IDP includes all necessary information. Advisors verify completion annually, but the IDP is not submitted in Research.gov.
Harvard Griffin GSAS NSF GRFP Survey
- Required annually for continuing fellows on tenure.
- Completed in the Harvard Griffin GSAS financial aid system. The link is emailed to fellows who need to meet this requirement.
- Typically in April, Harvard Griffin GSAS requires fellows on tenure to complete the Harvard Griffin GSAS NSF GRFP Survey for the upcoming academic year. Fellows who do not complete the survey by the stated deadline will have stipend payments held.
Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)
- Required once, during the first year of the fellowship.
- Completed through one of several options. The coordinating official will email available options in the fall of the fellow’s first year.
- Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training includes guidance on complying with institutional policies related to human subjects, hazardous materials, vertebrate animals, mentoring, research integrity and authorship, and security, as well as copyright and intellectual property laws.
- Fellows who do not complete the RCR requirement will have their fellowship terminated.
Employment During the Fellowship Tenure Year
Harvard’s employment policy for fellows on tenure is informed by NSF guidance regarding teaching and similar employment by NSF GRFP fellows, as described in the NSF GRFP Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials:
"Each Fellow is expected to devote full-time to advanced scientific study or work during tenure. However, because it is generally accepted that teaching or similar activity constitutes a valuable part of the education and training of many graduate students, a Fellow may undertake a reasonable amount of such activities, without NSF approval. It is expected that furtherance of the Fellow's educational objectives and the gain of substantive teaching or other experience, not service to the institution as such, will govern these activities. Compensation for such activities is permitted based on the affiliated institution’s policies and the general employment policies outlined in this document."
Teaching Fellow and Research Assistant Employment
NSF expects each participating institution to define what constitutes a reasonable amount. After consulting with NSF, GSAS has determined that it is permissible and appropriate for NSF GRFP Fellows on tenure to be allowed to hold a teaching fellow appointment (TF) or research assistant (RA) position. Specifics are outlined on the Office of Sponsored Programs website, Secondary Appointments for NSF GRFP Fellows.
The following conditions must be met:
- The TF or RA appointment aligns with the educational objectives of the student
- Activities of the TF or RA appointment are limited to a reasonable amount:
- For a TF appointment, a reasonable amount constitutes no more than two standard sections per academic year and does not exceed the number of sections requirement by the academic program.
- For an RA appointment, a reasonable amount can be no more than an average of ten hours per week of effort over the course of the appointment period toward support of general functions and activities within a research lab or program.
Other Employment
Under NSF GRFP policy, fellows may pursue off-campus activities during the academic year if the activities are part of their graduate degree program and the fellow will maintain full-time enrollment. Off-campus activities must be approved by the coordinating official. In addition, under Harvard policy, fellows may be required to forfeit their NSF GRFP stipend during the months of the off-campus activities.
Any other type of employment must be reviewed by Michelle Woods, Harvard’s NSF GRFP coordinating official.
NSF expects all fellows to devote themselves to full-time advanced scientific study during tenure years. Students who expect to work outside the guidelines above should consider declaring “On Reserve.”
Acknowledging National Science Foundation Support
Required Statement
All publications, presentations, and creative works based on activities conducted during the fellowship must acknowledge NSF GRFP support and include the following statement in the acknowledgements or other appropriate section:
“This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program under Grant No(s) (NSF grant number). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.”
Grant Numbers
Harvard’s most recent NSF grant numbers are listed below. If a student was a fellow during multiple sources of funding, all relevant grant numbers must be included in the acknowledgment section.
- For work completed September 15, 2021–August 31, 2026: DGE 2140743.
- For work completed July 1, 2016–June 30, 2021: DGE 1745303.
Program Eligibility
The following information is intended primarily for prospective fellows and for departments evaluating whether an academic program may host NSF GRFP funding.
Does the Program Provide Full Funding?
NSF GRFP requires that the fellow not be responsible for tuition and fees not covered by the NSF GRFP. Most master’s programs at Harvard cannot guarantee that level of coverage; therefore, NSF GRFP funding cannot be used in most Harvard master’s programs.
Is the Program Research-Based?
NSF GRFP fellows must be in a research-based program. Professional degree programs and graduate programs that are primarily course based, with no thesis requirement, are ineligible for NSF GRFP support.
Ineligible Degree Programs
Ineligible degree programs include, but are not limited to, programs awarding degrees in:
- business administration
- public health
- social work
- law
- medicine
- pharmacy
- veterinary medicine
- dentistry
- clinical psychology.
Practice-oriented professional degrees are not eligible. Any degree program that includes practice-oriented, clinical, or professional training requirements is ineligible.
Joint or combined professional degree–science programs (for example, MD/PhD or JD/PhD) and dual professional degree–science programs are also ineligible.
Individuals enrolled in a graduate degree program while on a leave of absence from a professional degree program, or from a professional degree–graduate degree joint program, are not eligible.
Ineligible Fields of Study
Ineligible areas of graduate study include:
- public health
- global health
- clinical practice
- clinical psychology
- counseling
- social work
- patient-oriented research
- epidemiological and medical behavioral studies
- outcomes research (interventions, treatment, or therapies)
- health services research
- pharmacologic studies
- nonpharmacologic studies
- behavioral interventions for physical or mental disease or disorder, prophylaxis, diagnosis, therapy, or treatment, including drug and pharmaceutical development and testing.
Graduate study intended to provide evidence leading to a scientific basis for consideration of a change in health policy or standard of care is also ineligible.
Applicants are advised to consult a faculty member, academic advisor, mentor, or other knowledgeable source for guidance on preparing research plans, selecting Major Fields of Study, and identifying subfields to ensure they are consistent with those included in the NSF GRFP appendix.