All degree-seeking, full-time graduate students in good standing who apply for eligible fellowships can request $250 in scholarship funds from the program.  In exchange, graduate student applicants are asked to share elements of their application with future UConn students who are applying for the same (or similar) awards.

In order to receive the NFIP Scholarship, you must complete the application, which is available online via the link at the bottom of this page, after you submit your external fellowship application.  You must provide an electronic copy of the complete application along with evidence that the application has been received by the granting agency or foundation.

You are only eligible for one NFIP award per year, with a maximum of two awards over the course your graduate career.  The $250 award is given for initial submissions only; you may not receive the NFIP award two years in a row for submitting to the same fellowship in two different competition cycles.

Information about taxes and financial aid:

Please note that scholarships payments such as this one are generally subject to federal and state income taxes unless the payment is used to pay for qualified tuition and required enrollment fees.  You will be personally responsible for any income taxes resulting from the receipt of this payment. The scholarship payment, although potentially taxable, is not subject to income tax withholding if paid to a U.S. citizen or resident alien.  It is the sole responsibility of students to report and pay taxes on the taxable portion of any scholarships, fellowships, or grants that they receive.  Consistent with IRS guidance, the University does not withhold taxes on the taxable portion of scholarships, fellowships, or grants except in limited circumstances involving international students.  If you are an international student, federal income taxes may be required to be withheld from your NFIP payment unless you qualify for exemption by way of an income tax treaty between the United States and your country of tax residence.  Additional details, and answers to many frequently asked questions, may be found at the following websites:

• https://tax.uconn.edu/home/student-taxation
• https://bursar.uconn.edu/1098-t/1098-t-faq

A list of pre-approved fellowship programs is available here and in the online application (as a drop-down list). If the fellowship to which you applied does not appear on the list of pre-approved fellowships, you may still apply for the NFIP if it includes all the following features:

1. It is nationally competitive
2. It is an individual, not institutional, award (most training grant programs are therefore ineligible)
3. It is your sole or primary source of support during the fellowship period
4. The fellowship period is no less than nine months in duration
5. The fellowship provides a stipend of $20,000 or more
6. The fellowship includes programming or professional development opportunities.  Examples include NSF’s GRIP program and DOE-CSGF’s lab practica. Dissertation awards that meet the first five criteria are not subject to this final requirement.

Please Note. Neither NIH-R36 Dissertation Awards nor the NSF-Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (DDRI) Grants are eligible for this program. Generally speaking, if the opportunity is designed to support your undergraduate education, if the award's core criteria are non-academic (e.g., leadership and/or public service), if someone other than you is listed as the P.I. in the application (e.g., most training grant opportunities), or if the primary purpose of the award is to offset expenses associated with a specific research project (e.g., equipment, compensation of experimental subjects, etc.), then it will not be eligible for funding under this program.

The NFIP application opens on January 21, 2025, and all applications must be submitted before June 10, 2025.

You will need the following materials for the NFIP application:

• A .pdf copy of the completed scholarship or fellowship application, including all associated personal statements and research proposals.
• Verification of receipt of the application by the funding agency. (A screenshot of the confirmation email is sufficient.)