Program Overview

Program Purpose

The National Physical Science Consortium offers a unique graduate fellowship in the physical sciences and related engineering fields, with an emphasis on the recruitment of historically underrepresented minorities and women.

Program Description and Benefits

The GFSD Fellowship covers the first 2-3 years of graduate school, with a possible maximum of 6 years, depending on the employer sponsoring the fellowship. Employers may include Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the National Security Agency, National Security Technologies, and Sandia National Laboratories. The GFSD fellowship provides:

• An annual $20,000 expense allowance, totaling up to $120,000
• Full tuition and required fees
• Portability to 125 research universities
• A research or teaching assistantship
• Paid summer internships with the sponsor
• A mentor from the sponsoring agency
• A lasting relationship with the sponsor

Supported Fields

The fields supported by GFSD can vary annually depending on employer needs, but generally include:

• Astronomy
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Geology
• Materials Science
• Mathematical Sciences
• Physics
• Related engineering fields, such as:
  • Chemical
  • Computer
  • Electrical
  • Environmental
  • Mechanical

Tenable Institutions

Participating universities are largely Carnegie Research Extensive and Research Intensive universities.

Program Benefits

Students entering with an undergraduate degree may be funded for up to six years, while those entering with a master's degree or entering the NPSC program during their third year of graduate school may be funded for up to four years.

Application Process

Concurrent application to graduate programs is the student's responsibility. GFSD requires a minimum of three letters of recommendation (and a maximum of five) from professors and employers familiar with the applicant's work in their discipline.

Applicant Profile

The GFSD applicant pool is the most diverse of any national STEM fellowship program. Successful candidates demonstrate, through academic excellence and research experience, a likelihood of earning a Ph.D. with distinction. Historically underrepresented minorities and women are invited to apply. The average GPA is 3.8, with about 17% having a GPA of 4.0 or above.

Eligibility

GFSD welcomes applications from any qualified U.S. citizen with the ability to pursue graduate work at an GFSD university associate. Applicants at any stage of their graduate program may apply, as long as they will be available to accept two summers of paid internship. Those who already possess a doctoral degree are ineligible.

Obligations

Applicants must be accepted at a participating GFSD-member university or college and progress through a full-time study program leading to a graduate degree in the physical sciences or related engineering fields. Fellows must complete one or two summer internships, as the sponsoring employer requires. To continue in good standing, fellows must submit a transcript annually, as well as any forms and information that GFSD requests. Fellows must perform satisfactorily in their summer internship and during the academic year.

Selection Criteria

GFSD employers select fellows based on the following factors:

1. Whether the applicant's field of study matches the employer's needs
2. Undergraduate and graduate course work and grades
3. Research experience at a university or in industry
4. Letters of recommendation from professors and employers
5. The GRE General tests are required; the Subject test is suggested and may be required by the university

Citizenship

U.S. citizens only.

Program Deadline

Online applications open in late August and close around December 1.