Advice for NSF Graduate Fellowship Applicants

Writing the essay is half the battle….  Quote from an actual NSF reviewer:  “Everything that I look for in an application is present, a sustained productive research history with the dissemination of results, developed ideas for the future, a strong academic history and strong outreach activities.”  The essays count for a lot more than you think.  Give yourself time. Don’t rush.  Section your essay. Remember, the judges are doing a lot of reading. They respond to well organized essays.  Don’t write a proposal for hot button topics if they do not interest you.  You will be spending several years of your life doing this research. Make sure it interests you as much as everyone else.  They are looking for passion.  Read successful essays.

It is all about YOU – the personal essay.  Be genuine. Don’t tell them what they think they want to hear.  Tell them about your goals, your intended career path.  Be personal. Why do you want to dedicate your life to this particular area of study?  When talking about internships, study abroad, etc. as they pertain to the path, focus on what you LEARNED, not what you did.  Connect your past experiences with your chosen career path.  Ultimately, NSF is funding YOU for the next several years. Convince them they should.

General Writing Advice  Have multiple people read and edit your essay as much as possible.  Remember, you know what you’re trying to say. We often fill in the blanks ourselves, or skip over grammatical errors. The more eyes poring over your paper, the better it will become.  Have some of your editors be outside of your field. They can let you know if your proposal sounds too narrow. It should matter to everyone, not just the people in your field.  Hook your audience.  Have a great title and good introductory sentences.  Section your essays.  Ex. “Research experience”, “Service”, “Mentoring”, etc.  Make it easier for the reviewers to read with an easy to follow format.  Having multiple drafts is important.  Save every version of every draft. Keep them. Your best work will be an amalgamation of every draft.  Be up front with your story.  If you try to follow a beginning, climax, and end format, the judges may lose interest. Tell them what happened first, then complete the story.

Research, research, research….  Judges like research that is significant for more than one reason. What else can your research do?  Make sure you discuss the broader impacts of your research. Think beyond the immediate implications, and paint a bigger picture.  Emphasize any service you have.  Service, especially service related to your research, will set you apart from the competition.  Make sure your proposed research fits with the goals of the NSF.  Specificity is key. Use specific verbs and nouns. Quantitative over qualitative when discussing your research.

You got your fellowship…..now what?  Ask about health insurance and tax policies for your university for NSF Fellows.  Not every university is the same.  GET THE POLICIES IN WRITING!  Think long term. Many universities will want you to use your fellowship years up front, and spend the last couple of years of your PhD as a TA. Is that the best for YOUR research?  Make international connections.  You have travel money. Use it. Make connections. Conduct research in unique and exciting locations.

Resources  Past essays:   Former NSF Fellow:  Arrielle Opotowsky is willing to help LSU students edit their essays.  Contact Information: Send a Google Doc to with a request for assistance.  General Writing Help  