U.S. National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) Program
NSF funds U.S. two- and four-year higher education institutions to run graduate STEM traineeship programs that train master’s and doctoral students in interdisciplinary research areas and workforce skills.
⚑ Only Institutions of Higher Education may apply; PI must be a faculty member of the submitting institution. · International branch campuses of U.S. IHEs may be included only with specific justification of benefit and why work cannot be done at the U.S. campus. · Program emphasizes broad participation and institutional capacity building in graduate education. · Collaborations with industry, NGOs, agencies, national laboratories, and existing NSF programs are encouraged but not required.
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| IPPRA | 54 partial | peripheral portfolio topic: environment; signature methods: community engaged, surveys longitudinal; social/behavioral work is substantial; funds training education, not research (capped); capped at 54 (non-research funding) |
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 50 partial | technical depth: substantial; funds training education (capped) |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 10 none | deep-tech content; no commercialization signal |
Description
The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program seeks proposals that explore ways for graduate students in research-based master’s and doctoral degree programs to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers. The program is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas, through a comprehensive traineeship model that is innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs. Proposals are requested that address any interdisciplinary or convergent research theme of national priority, as described in section II.D below.
The NRT program addresses workforce development, emphasizing broad participation, and institutional capacity building needs in graduate education. The program encourages proposals that involve strategic collaborations with the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government agencies, national laboratories, field stations, teaching and learning centers, informal science centers, and academic partners. NRT especially welcomes proposals that reflect collaborations between NRT proposals and existing NSF Eddie Bernice Johnson Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES) Initiative , Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) , Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) , NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) , and NSF STEM Ed Organizational Postdoctoral Fellowship program (STEM Ed OPRF) projects, provided the collaboration will strengthen both projects. Researchers at minority serving institutions and emerging research institutions are strongly encouraged to submit proposals. Collaborations between NRT proposals and existing NSF INCLUDES projects should strengthen both NRT and INCLUDES projects.
Eligibility
*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: -Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs): Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of sub-awards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.
*Who May Serve as PI:
Track 1 and Track 2: The PI must be on the faculty of the submitting institution.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: U.S. National Science Foundation <grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov>
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · National Science Foundation conventions SEE AN NSF EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — National Science Foundation's document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.