Increased NSF S-STEM Scholarship Amounts Announced: New Solicitation

As we fast approach 2023, the NSF S-STEM program has good news for the academic community committed to increasing the number of domestic low-income students in STEM fields of strategic national priority. This includes undergraduate and graduate students who could become the next generation of faculty in STEM including the social and behavioral sciences. Given the sheer number of undergraduate and graduate programs in experimental and applied psychology, economics, sociology, and the sheer number of low-income students seeking such degrees, there is no reason why we could not have dozens of submissions in the social/behavioral sciences.

Please be aware that the NSF S-STEM program has a new solicitation (NSF 23-527) https://beta.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/nsf-scholarships-science-technology-engineering. The new solicitation is responsive to the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 in the sections related to S-STEM. The main highlights that will benefit low-income students are:

• Annual scholarship amount increase: The allowable maximum scholarship amount has been increased:

•  to up to $15,000 per year for undergraduate students (pursuing an associate or bachelor's degree in eligible disciplines) and,

•  up to $20,000 per year for graduate students (pursuing master's or Ph.Ds. degrees in eligible disciplines).

• Scholarship duration: The maximum duration of an individual student's scholarship has been increased to 5 years per degree being pursued.

Notice that the requirement that an S-STEM scholarship must meet the students' unmet need, up to the maximum allowable amount ($15,000 for undergraduate students and $20,000 for graduate students) remains in place. S-STEM remains a last-dollar scholarship.

The proposing institution of higher learning continues to establish the definition of low income, both for undergraduate students and graduate students. The Office of Financial Aid or equivalent must partner with the PI team to establish which students qualify for low-income status and what is their unmet need after all other scholarships and grants (but not loans or work) have been awarded. Once an institutional definition for low-income status has been established for both undergraduate and graduate students, their eligibility can be confirmed:

• Undergraduate students' low-income eligibility is generally determined by their FAFSA.
• Graduate students' low-income eligibility can be established by analyzing their individual income. Graduate students can be considered independent of their parents' income if they meet certain requirements (older than 24, are married, or have veteran status) and have been filing taxes independently from their parents for at least 2 years prior.

Other important changes:

• Track 1 Awards: The maximum award amount has been increased to up to $1,000,000 for up to 6 years.
• Track 2 Awards: The maximum award amount has been increased to up to $2,500,000 for up to 6 years.

Webinars for prospective PIs will be announced in January. I will specifically be holding a workshop for the behavioral sciences in January as well. Please stayed tuned for future announcements.

When submitting this proposal, please use Research.gov and make sure to use the most up to date PAPPG for additional details.

As always, please feel free to contact me or any S-STEM program officer with your specific questions.

With best regards,

Bon

Bonnie A. Green

Program Director

NSF EDU/DUE

bongreen@nsf.gov