NSF GRFP Fellows on Tenure at UMD
If you are interested in applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), please visit our NSF GRFP page for application information and resources.
This page provides essential information for current University of Maryland NSF GRFP fellows on tenure. Please contact Maria S. Palmaira, NSF GRFP Coordinating Official (CO), if you have additional questions.
Your $37,000 annual stipend is paid in monthly installments of $3,083.33, which are directly credited into your student account. If you have an outstanding balance with the University, stipend payments will first be applied to those charges.
Stipend payment schedules are based on your fellowship start date:
- Summer (June) start: June 2026 – May 2027
- Fall (September) start: September 2026 – August 2027
Monthly stipends are issued at the end of the month preceding the stipend month. For example, your September stipend is paid at the end of August, provided you are enrolled full-time.
Summer stipends are paid as a single lump-sum payment. At the end of May, you will receive a payment for June, July, and August stipend months. Monthly stipend payments resume at the end of August for the September stipend. Please plan your budget accordingly.
Tuition and fee assistance for NSF GRF fellows is automatically applied to their student accounts for the fall and spring semesters, covering up to 12 credits per semester.
To receive your NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) stipend, you must maintain full-time enrollment during the fall and spring semesters. At the University of Maryland, full-time status requires registration for 48 units each fall and spring semester. Information on how graduate units are calculated is available here.
Doctoral candidates who have advanced to candidacy are automatically considered full-time when registered for 6 credits of 899 (Doctoral Dissertation Research).
Graduate assistants must also meet the University’s registration requirements:
- Full assistantship (20 hours/week): Register for at least 24 units in addition to the assistantship.
- Half assistantship (10 hours/week): Register for at least 36 units in addition to the assistantship.
Your stipend payments are dependent on your enrollment status. To avoid payment delays, please maintain full-time registration for each fall and spring semester. September stipend payments may be delayed if you are not registered full-time for the upcoming fall semester.
Summer enrollment is not required by the University of Maryland for NSF GRF fellows to maintain full-time status.* However, individual departments or programs may have their own summer enrollment requirements.
*NSF requires fellows to remain actively engaged in their graduate program through coursework or research under the direction of an academic/research advisor, with summer enrollment determined by the institution. The University of Maryland does not require summer enrollment for the NSF GRF fellows, individual departments/programs may. Please check with your program to ensure you meet any departmental requirements.
We strongly recommend enrolling in direct deposit through the online enrollment form available on the Office of Student Financials and Cashiering (OSFC) website.
A credit balance on your student account will result in the OSFC issuing a refund. Without a direct deposit, the refund will be mailed to the address listed on Testudo. unless you sign up for direct deposit. Enrolling in direct deposit allows you to receive refunds faster.
NSF GRFP fellows must follow strict guidelines regarding additional funding and employment. Supplemental fellowships are allowed; however, additional employment is generally not permitted, except approved off-site internships or research experiences requiring travel as outlined in the NSF Administrative Guide. Any internship or funded research experience during tenure requires approval from NSF and your research advisor.
During tenure, fellows are expected to devote full-time effort to advanced scientific study or research. Because teaching or similar activities are recognized as valuable components of graduate education and training, a limited amount of such activity may be permitted. At UMD, a half-time (10 hours/week) TA or RA appointment may be allowed if it supports your educational objectives and is not primarily for institutional service.
To request approval for a supplemental assistantship, submit the following to the CO in advance:
- A statement from the NSF GRF fellow describing the requested assistantship duration and how it supports their educational or research goals.
- Advisor approval confirming that the assistantship will not interfere with degree progress or NSF GRFP obligations.
Requests may be submitted as separate emails or combined into one document. Approvals must be renewed annually and are not intended to establish permanent arrangements.
Beginning with the Fall 2026 entering cohort, NSF GRFs are eligible for reimbursement of their individual health insurance premium, up to $1,707 per academic year.
The University of Maryland SHIP plan is provided by Aetna through Academic Health Plans (AHP). More information about SHIP can be found on the Student Health Center website.
An optional dental plan is available for an additional cost. The dental plan is offered through Delta Dental at the PPO Plus Premier level.
If you have other health insurance and can provide documentation of the payment and proof of coverage, you may be eligible for reimbursement for up to $1,707 per academic year, as long as it’s not a university-sponsored health insurance plan.
If you hold a half-time assistantship, you are eligible for state health insurance through your assistantship. If you elect this coverage, you are not eligible for reimbursement of health insurance costs, as the coverage is provided as an assistantship benefit.
To request reimbursement for health insurance, please complete the Health Insurance Reimbursement Submission Form.
If you have questions, please email the CO directly.
All NSF GRFP fellows must submit an Annual Activities Report (AAR) by the required deadline, regardless of tenure status. The AAR must be reviewed and signed by your Academic/Research Advisor. You must complete the AAR and upload the signed form before declaring your tenure status for the following year. Failure to do so will result in termination of the fellowship. While reminders will be provided, timely submission is ultimately your responsibility.
The Annual Activities Report-Advisor Confirmation Form now includes Individual Development Plan (IDP) Certification to meet NSF PAPPG requirements. Your IDP must include (1) educational goals, (2) career exploration, and (3) professional development.
NSF requires all funded graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to complete Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training. NSF-funded fellows may fulfill this requirement through workshops offered by the Division of Research or by completing CITI RCR Training. Please consult your program or department for any additional requirements.
RCR training completed at another institution does not satisfy this requirement; you must complete the required training through UMD. After completing RCR training, submit confirmation of completion (e.g. certificate) to the CO. If you have not yet completed the training, please do so as soon as possible and provide documentation once completed. Failure to meet this requirement may impact your NSF funding.
As an NSF GRFP Fellow, you are responsible for assuring that an acknowledgement of NSF support is made in any publication (including webpages) of any material based on or developed during the fellowship, in the following terms:
“This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program under Grant No. DGE 2236417. 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.”
NSF support also must be orally acknowledged during all news media interviews, including popular media such as radio, television, and news magazines. Fellows should also note their obligations with respect to copyrights and their responsibilities as members of the scientific and engineering community to disseminate and share research results.
Upon graduation, your NSF GRFP fellowship ends in the month of graduation (May, December, August), regardless of any remaining stipend months.
If you need to discontinue your fellowship before completion, please notify the CO and submit a Request to Terminate the Fellowship through the GRFP portal for review and NSF approval.
NSF GRFP stipends may be taxable income. Fellows are responsible for determining and paying any taxes due. Neither NSF nor the University withholds taxes from stipends or provides tax advice.
For tax guidance, consult the IRS resources on scholarships and fellowships, including Tax Topic 421 and Publication 970, or a qualified tax professional. A 1098-T form is available through the Office of Student Financials and Cashiering and may include applicable tuition and stipend information.