Logistics: Monday July 27, 2015 1 PM Eastern
Videoconference information to be sent later, can work with groups in a videoconference-capable room OR individuals on a personal computer. Not sure about mobile devices yet. We hope to have some Q & A functionality, although with ~100 participants, it will have to be moderated — type in your question, I will screen them, pick some to be answered during the videoconference. We won’t be able to answer individual questions about eligibility — those are best posed to the GRFP staff, after the new solicitation is posted.
Audience: undergrads doing research this summer and considering graduate school. Most useful for rising seniors, who are considering applying to graduate schools during the upcoming academic year. As you invite the undergrads to participate, please remember the eligibility criteria — it would be frustrating to learn about this great opportunity only to read the fine print and realize that you aren’t eligible.
The videoconference provides information and advice about applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) from an experienced Program Director. The GRFP program provides significant financial support and other benefits for eligible graduate students. In a niutshell, GRFPs get a stipend of $32,000/yr for three years, “cost of education allowances” for three years, and some lovely ancillary benefits in supercomputer time, international research opportunities, etc. Adds up to about $150,000 over 3 yrs. The GRFP is also a very big gold star on any resumé.
The solicitation (call for applications) for GRFP is not yet available, it should be posted in late July or early August. Expect applications to be due in late October. https://www.nsfgrfp.org is a very useful website that has all of the current information – this is not the official NSF site (which is boring), but nsfgrfp.org is supported by NSF. They also include lists of who has been funded – if you need some role models.
Official site: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=6201
There are also Twitter feeds, YouTube videos, and every other social media your students could desire. There is a LOT of advice out on the Internet, some of it dated or just plain awful (even if well intentioned). Caveat lector! (or whatever the equivalent is for the Internet — Caveat browser? )
To be eligible for the NSF GRFP, you must:
be a US citizen, US national, or permanent resident
intend to pursue a research-based Master’s or Ph.D. program in an NSF-supported field (note that medicine and other allied health fields are NOT supported)
be enrolled in an eligible program at an accredited United States graduate institution, with a US campus, by fall 2015
Be early in your graduate studies (the exact wording is not yet set — but likely will be #1 currently a college senior intending to go to graduate school; #2 starting your first year of graduate school, or #3 starting your second year of graduate school.
meet all other eligibility requirements as set forth in the current Program Solicitation
