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NSF GRFP Fellowship

Cornell is proud to have over 200 current participants in the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) enrolled in our doctoral programs.  Cornell’s NSF GRFP Grant number for 2021-26 is DGE – 2139899.

NSF policies can be found in their administrative guide. It is the responsibility of the fellow to review understand and comply with all policies, rules, and regulations contained in the Administrative Guide, and the terms and conditions found in the NSF GRFP Offer letter, the annual NSF GRFP Program Solicitation, and the NSF GRF Award Notice.

The NSF GRFP fellowship provides three years of fellowship stipend and two years of reserve status. All fellows must declare a fellowship status by the due date in the GRFP Online Module.

On Tenure Status

  • During On Tenure status, fellows must be enrolled and engaged in full-time research and will receive a fellowship stipend.  Fellows may use On Tenure status for three years in 12-month increments over the five-year period.  Summer is not considered a vacation period, students should be actively enrolled and engaged in full-time research.  Fellows are required to check with The Graduate School’s Fellowship Office regarding GRFP fellowship and paid activities. Additionally, fellows are limited to 8 hours of additional paid work if it does not interfere with full-time research.  Fellows on tenure may not hold teaching assistantships concurrently.
  • Fellowship stipend payment for fellows on tenure 2026 summer-start or fall-starts:
    • The current GRFP fellowship stipend rate is $37,000 per 12-month year
    • Stipends are paid approximately five days before the start of classes for the fall and spring terms
    • Stipends amounts are approximately $3,083 per month so payments are as follows:
      • Summer term (three months) – $9,250.  Additionally, the Graduate School will supplement the summer stipend payment by $2,637. Fellows will receive a total stipend of $11,887 for Summer 2026. This stipend is paid in one lump sum at the beginning of the summer semester.
      • Academic year (nine months) – $27,750.  Additionally, the Graduate School will supplement the academic year stipend payment by $8,934. Fellows will receive a total stipend of $36,684 for the 2026-2027 academic year. The stipend is paid in two lump sums, half at the beginning of the fall semester and half at the beginning of the spring semester.

On Reserve Status

  •  During Reserve Status, fellows do not receive a stipend from NSF GRFP, students must be enrolled and engaged in full-time research.  On reserve status allows students to incorporate teaching assistantships and other paid positions of up to 20 hours a week into their professional development if it does not interfere with full-time research. Fellows may use Reserve Status for two years, in 12-month increments, during the five-year Fellowship Period

Additional Information

  • The administrative guide provides information on all NSF GRFP status options along with in-depth explanations regarding the rules and regulations.  Each fellow is responsible for understanding and abiding by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide and relevant university policies.
  • GRFP Fellowships cannot be concurrently accepted or combined with support from another individual federal graduate fellowship.
  • Cornell NSF GRFP fellows must complete the RCR training within 60 days of the activation of their fellowship regardless of their status. The course, CU601, Responsible Conduct of Research and Research Security, may be accessed through Workday Learning.  If an individual does not complete the training by the deadline, they may not be paid as a NSF GRFP fellow.
  • Fellows must remain enrolled full-time and make satisfactory academic progress.  This means students need to meet their academic milestones on time and be engaged in full-time research. For doctoral students, this includes completion of the RCR, forming a special committee by the end of the third semester, and fully passing the A-exam by the start of the seventh semester.  Annually fellows must complete Student Progress Review (SPR) form annually and a rating of “satisfactory” or “excellent” is required.