Opportunity Information: Apply for 17 527
The NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) Program is a National Science Foundation grant opportunity designed to strengthen the United States STEM workforce by expanding access to STEM degrees for academically talented students who have financial need. The basic idea is that the country needs more well-prepared scientists, engineers, and technicians to stay competitive, and that many capable students from low-income backgrounds are at higher risk of leaving STEM majors without targeted support. S-STEM addresses both sides of that problem: it increases direct scholarship support for students while also helping colleges and universities build stronger, evidence-based systems that improve student outcomes in STEM.
A key feature of S-STEM is that it treats scholarships as necessary but not sufficient. NSF explicitly recognizes that financial aid alone does not reliably increase retention, transfer success, or graduation in STEM. Because of that, the program funds Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) not only to provide scholarships, but also to adapt, implement, and study proven curricular and co-curricular strategies that help students persist and succeed. These supports can include structured mentoring, learning communities, cohort models, tutoring and supplemental instruction, undergraduate research opportunities, strengthened advising, career development activities, bridge programs, and transfer pathways for students moving from 2-year to 4-year programs. The expectation is that institutions will use the funding to build coordinated supports that address academic preparation, sense of belonging, navigation of STEM pathways, and career readiness, and that they will evaluate what works in their context.
The program has three main goals. First, it aims to increase the number of low-income, academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn STEM degrees and move into the STEM workforce or continue into graduate study. Second, it seeks to improve the education and preparation of future STEM professionals, with special attention to students whose financial circumstances can otherwise limit persistence and opportunity. Third, it is intended to generate knowledge: participating institutions are expected to contribute to broader understanding of how specific factors and evidence-based interventions influence retention, transfer (where relevant), academic and career pathways, and graduation for low-income STEM students. In practice, this means proposals often include a strong project evaluation or research component, sometimes involving faculty and experts in education research or social science methods to measure outcomes and understand why certain strategies succeed.
S-STEM supports a wide range of STEM disciplines, focusing on fields traditionally associated with NSF. These include the biological sciences (excluding medicine and clinical fields), physical sciences such as physics, chemistry, astronomy, and materials science, mathematical sciences, computer and information sciences, geosciences, and engineering. It also supports technology areas closely tied to those disciplines, such as biotechnology, chemical technology, engineering technology, and information technology. This breadth allows institutions to design scholarship and support models that fit local workforce needs and institutional strengths while still aligning with NSF-supported STEM areas.
Collaboration is strongly encouraged. The program invites partnerships across different types of institutions, which can be especially relevant for transfer-oriented projects connecting community colleges and universities. It also encourages collaborations between STEM faculty and experts in institutional research, education research, and social science research to strengthen the design and assessment of student supports. Where it makes sense, institutions are also encouraged to partner with local business and industry to connect students with internships, mentorship, applied learning opportunities, and clearer pathways into STEM employment after graduation.
In terms of applicants, awards are made to Institutions of Higher Education, with eligibility details referenced in the solicitation. The program particularly encourages proposals from 2-year institutions and institutions that serve large numbers of underrepresented or underserved students, including Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), tribal colleges, and urban public and rural institutions. This emphasis reflects the program focus on expanding opportunity and improving outcomes for talented students whose financial circumstances can otherwise restrict access to STEM degrees and careers.
For the specific opportunity details provided, the funding instrument is a discretionary grant administered by the National Science Foundation under CFDA 47.076. The opportunity listed an award ceiling of $5,000,000 and anticipated approximately 80 awards. The posting shows a creation date of December 3, 2016, with an original closing date of March 29, 2017. Overall, the grant is structured to help institutions simultaneously reduce financial barriers through scholarships and build durable, evidence-driven support systems that measurably improve STEM student persistence, completion, and advancement into STEM careers or graduate programs.Apply for 17 527
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.076.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 03, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 29, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 80 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NSF S-STEM (Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
1) What is the NSF S-STEM Program?
The NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) Program is a National Science Foundation grant opportunity intended to strengthen the U.S. STEM workforce by expanding access to STEM degrees for academically talented students who have financial need. It funds Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) to provide scholarships and to build and study supports that help students persist and graduate in STEM.
2) What problem is S-STEM designed to address?
S-STEM is designed to address two related needs: (1) the national need for more well-prepared scientists, engineers, and technicians, and (2) the higher risk that capable, low-income students may leave STEM majors without targeted support. The program aims to reduce financial barriers while improving institutional systems that support STEM student success.
3) Who applies for S-STEM funding?
Applications are submitted by Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs). Awards are made to eligible IHEs as referenced in the solicitation.
4) Are individual students allowed to apply directly to NSF for S-STEM scholarships?
Based on the information provided, the grant is awarded to IHEs (not to individual students). Scholarships are then provided by the funded institution as part of its project.
5) What kinds of students does S-STEM aim to support?
S-STEM focuses on academically talented students who demonstrate financial need, particularly students from low-income backgrounds who may be at higher risk of leaving STEM fields without additional support.
6) Is S-STEM only a scholarship program?
No. A central feature of S-STEM is that scholarships are treated as necessary but not sufficient. The program funds both scholarships and evidence-based curricular/co-curricular strategies that improve retention, transfer success (where relevant), and graduation in STEM.
7) What types of supports or student-success activities can S-STEM projects include?
Examples of supports mentioned include structured mentoring, learning communities, cohort models, tutoring and supplemental instruction, undergraduate research opportunities, strengthened advising, career development activities, bridge programs, and transfer pathways connecting 2-year and 4-year programs.
8) What outcomes is S-STEM trying to improve?
The program is intended to improve STEM student persistence and success, including retention, transfer (where relevant), graduation, career readiness, and advancement into the STEM workforce or graduate study for low-income students with financial need.
9) What are the main goals of the S-STEM Program?
The program has three main goals: (1) increase the number of low-income, academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn STEM degrees and enter the STEM workforce or graduate study; (2) improve the education and preparation of future STEM professionals, especially those whose financial circumstances limit persistence and opportunity; and (3) generate knowledge about how factors and evidence-based interventions influence retention, transfer, academic/career pathways, and graduation for low-income STEM students.
10) Does S-STEM require institutions to evaluate or study their support strategies?
Yes. The program emphasizes generating knowledge and contributing to broader understanding of what works. Proposals often include a strong evaluation or research component to measure outcomes and understand why particular strategies succeed in a given context.
11) What STEM fields are included under S-STEM?
S-STEM supports a wide range of NSF-associated STEM disciplines, including biological sciences (excluding medicine and clinical fields), physical sciences (such as physics, chemistry, astronomy, and materials science), mathematical sciences, computer and information sciences, geosciences, and engineering.
12) Are technology programs included, and if so which ones?
Yes. The program also supports technology areas closely tied to NSF STEM disciplines, including biotechnology, chemical technology, engineering technology, and information technology.
13) Does S-STEM support medical or clinical fields?
The information provided states that biological sciences are included but exclude medicine and clinical fields.
14) Can S-STEM projects focus on transfer pathways from 2-year to 4-year institutions?
Yes. Transfer pathways are specifically identified as a possible support strategy, and partnerships across institution types are encouraged, including transfer-oriented collaborations between community colleges and universities.
15) Are partnerships or collaborations encouraged?
Yes. Collaboration is strongly encouraged, including partnerships across different types of institutions and collaborations between STEM faculty and experts in institutional research, education research, and social science research to strengthen design and assessment.
16) Can institutions partner with industry or employers?
Yes. Where it makes sense, institutions are encouraged to partner with local business and industry to connect students with internships, mentorship, applied learning opportunities, and clearer pathways into STEM employment.
17) What kinds of institutions are especially encouraged to apply?
The program particularly encourages proposals from 2-year institutions and institutions that serve large numbers of underrepresented or underserved students, including Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), tribal colleges, and urban public and rural institutions.
18) What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The funding instrument is a discretionary grant administered by the National Science Foundation.
19) What is the CFDA number for this NSF opportunity?
The CFDA number provided is 47.076.
20) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) listed?
The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $5,000,000.
21) Approximately how many awards were anticipated?
The posting anticipated approximately 80 awards.
22) What were the dates shown for this specific posting?
The posting shows a creation date of December 3, 2016, and an original closing date of March 29, 2017.
23) What is the long-term intent of S-STEM beyond providing scholarships?
Beyond reducing financial barriers, S-STEM is designed to help institutions build durable, coordinated, evidence-driven support systems that measurably improve STEM student persistence, completion, and advancement into STEM careers or graduate programs.
24) How flexible is the program across different local contexts and STEM areas?
The program’s breadth across NSF-supported STEM disciplines allows institutions to design scholarship and support models that align with local workforce needs and institutional strengths, while staying within NSF-associated STEM fields.
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