Division of Graduate Education

The National Science Foundation Division of Graduate Education (NSF DGE) is a specialized unit within the NSF that focuses on supporting and enhancing graduate education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields across the United States. The Division administers several flagship programs including the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE), and CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS). Through these initiatives, NSF DGE aims to strengthen the U.S. STEM workforce by investing in the development of diverse, highly-skilled graduate students and creating innovative approaches to graduate education that prepare students for careers in research, industry, and public service.

Recent contract activity by the NSF Division of Graduate Education has been relatively limited in scope compared to its grant-making operations. The division awarded a single firm-fixed-price purchase order of $25,820 to Royal Media Network, Inc. (doing business as Royal Imaging Solutions) in October 2024. This purchase order was specifically for rental equipment to support staff and facilitators at the 2025 Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Command Center, with a performance period through February 10, 2025.

Royal Imaging Solutions, identified as a minority-owned, self-certified small disadvantaged business, has a track record of fulfilling various government procurement needs across multiple federal agencies. The contract did not have a set-aside designation, suggesting that the Division engages with small businesses for operational support of its major programs but does not maintain a high volume of procurement activities relative to its grant-making functions.

The grant portfolio of the NSF Division of Graduate Education reflects a strong emphasis on developing the next generation of STEM professionals through several key program areas. The most significant funding stream is the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), with numerous institutions receiving multi-million dollar awards to support outstanding graduate students pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees in STEM and STEM education fields. For example, several universities received GRFP awards ranging from approximately $100,000 to over $3.8 million, demonstrating the program's broad national reach across diverse institutions, from large research universities to smaller specialized organizations like Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. These fellowships provide three years of financial support to graduate students who have demonstrated potential for significant research achievements.

Beyond the GRFP, the Division supports several other strategic initiatives, including the Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) program and the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) program. The IGE program funds projects that pilot, test, and validate innovative approaches to graduate education, with recent awards focusing on areas such as ethical science communication (SciComm LIFT), enhancing data science problem-solving skills (CASELET), promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM graduate programs, and developing culturally responsive communities of practice. The SFS program, meanwhile, addresses national cybersecurity workforce needs by providing scholarships to students in cybersecurity fields, with recipients committing to work in government positions after graduation. Examples include awards to The Ohio State University ($1,026,131), Washington State University ($434,290), Iowa State University ($1,393,257), and George Mason University ($1,299,455) for training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals for federal, state, local, and tribal government roles.