NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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. It does this by helping more low-income, academically talented students complete STEM degrees and transition into STEM jobs or STEM graduate study.

What is the main purpose of S-STEM?

The program focuses on increasing STEM degree completion among low-income students with strong academic preparation and demonstrated financial need, and on improving student success systems so that more students persist in demanding STEM majors.

Who receives S-STEM grant funding: students or institutions?

S-STEM awards are made to Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs). Institutions then use the award to provide scholarships and to implement, adapt, and study evidence-based academic and student-support practices.

Does S-STEM fund scholarships only?

No. A defining feature of S-STEM is that scholarships are not treated as a stand-alone solution. NSF emphasizes that financial aid alone is often not enough to improve retention and graduation in STEM. Funded projects are expected to pair scholarship support with evidence-based student success strategies and evaluation.

What kinds of student supports can S-STEM projects include?

The program description notes that supports may include curricular and co-curricular activities designed to improve recruitment into STEM programs, increase retention, support transfer pathways (such as 2-year to 4-year pathways when applicable), strengthen academic and career planning, improve on-time degree completion, and build STEM workforce readiness.

What are the main goals of the S-STEM Program?

The program description lists three main goals:

• Increase the number of low-income students with strong academic preparation and demonstrated financial need who earn STEM degrees and then enter the STEM workforce or continue to graduate education in STEM.
• Improve the education and preparation of future scientists, engineers, and technicians, with particular attention to academically talented students with limited financial resources.
• Produce new knowledge about what works by studying and evaluating factors and interventions (especially evidence-based curricular and co-curricular approaches) that influence low-income students' success in STEM, including retention, transfer success, pathway development, and graduation.

What student outcomes does S-STEM focus on?

Based on the description provided, the program emphasizes outcomes such as retention in STEM majors, successful transfer pathways where applicable, academic and career pathway development, on-time degree completion, graduation, and readiness for the STEM workforce or STEM graduate study.

Which STEM disciplines are supported under S-STEM?

S-STEM supports a broad range of NSF-aligned STEM disciplines, including biological sciences (excluding medicine and other clinical fields), physical sciences (such as physics, chemistry, astronomy, and materials science), mathematical sciences, computer and information sciences, geosciences, and engineering.

Are medical or clinical fields included in the supported disciplines?

No. The description explicitly notes that biological sciences are included with the exception of medicine and other clinical fields.

Does S-STEM include technology fields?

Yes. The opportunity description includes technology areas closely tied to supported STEM disciplines, such as biotechnology, chemical technology, engineering technology, and information technology, as long as they align with the STEM focus described in the solicitation.

Is collaboration encouraged in S-STEM proposals?

Yes. Collaboration is strongly encouraged, including partnerships across different types of institutions, cooperation among STEM faculty and researchers in education and the social sciences, and connections between higher education institutions and local business or industry when appropriate.

Why does NSF encourage partnerships and collaboration for S-STEM?

The stated purpose of partnerships is to strengthen student pathways, align training with real workforce needs, and ensure student supports are grounded in research and evaluated with credible methods rather than being purely ad hoc services.

Which institutions are especially encouraged to apply?

The program places particular emphasis on proposals from 2-year colleges, Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), tribal colleges, and institutions serving urban public and rural communities.

Why are these institution types emphasized?

The description connects this emphasis to equity and workforce development, noting that these institutions often educate large numbers of talented students who face financial barriers and may benefit substantially from structured scholarship-plus-support models.

What type of funding mechanism is S-STEM described as in this posting?

In the provided information, the opportunity is described as a discretionary grant through NSF.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The provided information lists CFDA number 47.076.

How many awards are expected under this funding cycle?

The provided information states an expected number of awards of around 80 for this specific cycle.

What is the maximum award amount mentioned in this posting?

The award ceiling listed for this specific funding cycle is $5,000,000 per award.

What were the posting date and closing date listed for this opportunity?

The information provided lists posting and creation dates of February 17, 2016, and an original and current closing date of May 16, 2016.

Are the dates in this posting current?

The provided summary indicates that the dates reflect a prior cycle (with a 2016 closing date). It also notes that the summary captures the program purpose, target populations, and typical project components that define S-STEM as a scholarship-and-student-success initiative rather than a scholarship-only program.

What makes S-STEM different from a typical scholarship program?

Based on the description provided, S-STEM differs from scholarship-only programs because it funds institutions to combine direct scholarship support with structured, evidence-based student supports and to study and evaluate which interventions improve student outcomes in STEM.

What kinds of research or evaluation does S-STEM support?

The program seeks to produce new knowledge about what works by supporting study and evaluation of factors and interventions influencing low-income students' STEM success. Examples of outcomes mentioned include retention, transfer success, academic and career pathway development, and graduation.

What student population is S-STEM designed to serve?

From the information provided, S-STEM is designed to support low-income, academically talented students who have strong academic preparation and demonstrated financial need, with the goal of helping them persist in STEM degrees and move into STEM careers or graduate study.