External Funding Opportunities
External fellowship programs and research grants provide prestigious opportunities to fund your graduate education. Below is a curated list of national resources, search databases, and specific fellowship programs.
Major National Fellowships
These highly competitive, prestigious national awards offer multi-year stipends and tuition support for doctoral studies.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
The premier national fellowship supporting outstanding graduate students in STEM disciplines. Highly recommended for first- and second-year Ph.D. students.
Support: $37,000 annual stipend + tuition allowance for 3 years
DOE Computational Science Fellowship
Supports doctoral students pursuing degrees in fields that use high-performance computing to solve complex science and engineering problems.
Support: Up to 4 years + summer lab internship
NDSEG Fellowship
A highly competitive fellowship awarded to U.S. citizens who intend to pursue a doctoral degree in military-relevant science and engineering fields.
Support: 3 years full tuition + monthly stipend
Hertz Foundation Fellowship
Awarded to students with exceptional creativity and leadership potential in the applied physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering.
Support: Up to 5 years full tuition + stipend
STEM Diversity Fellowships
A partnership between government agencies, laboratories, and universities to support graduate study, with an emphasis on recruiting women and minorities.
Support: Up to 6 years + paid summer internships
Microsoft Research Fellowship
Supports Ph.D. students conducting research in computer science, mathematics, and related fields to encourage diverse talent and foster partnerships.
Support: 2 years of tuition support + annual stipend
NRC Associateship Programs
Offers graduate, postdoctoral, and senior research awards to conduct research at participating federal laboratories and research centers.
Support: Competitive stipend + travel & relocation support
Summer Research & Internships
These programs provide mathematical sciences doctoral students with internship opportunities at national laboratories, defense agencies, and research facilities.
NSF Mathematical Sciences Graduate Internship (MSGI)
Provides opportunities for mathematical sciences doctoral students to participate in internships at federal national laboratories and research facilities.
Support: 10-week summer internship, monthly stipend, and travel reimbursement
DOE SCGSR Program
Prepares graduate students for STEM careers by providing graduate thesis research opportunities at Department of Energy laboratories.
Support: 3 to 12 months of research support at a DOE lab
NSA Graduate Math Program
A competitive 12-week summer program where math graduate students work directly with NSA researchers on cryptology and data analysis problems.
Support: 12-week paid program, requires security clearance
Naval Research (NREIP)
Places graduate students in Department of Navy laboratories for 10-week summer research projects, collaborating with military researchers.
Support: 10-week paid summer internship
GEM Ph.D. Science Fellowship
Promotes underrepresented participation in STEM. Provides tuition support alongside paid summer internship experiences with industry sponsors.
Support: Tuition waiver + stipend + paid internships
Mathematical Travel & Conference Support
AMS Sectional Meeting Travel Grants
The American Mathematical Society offers travel support for doctoral students to attend and present research at AMS Sectional Meetings.
AWM Travel Grants
The Association for Women in Mathematics provides travel funding for women mathematics graduate students and researchers to attend conferences and workshops.
Funding Databases & Registries
Use these registries and search databases to find additional funding opportunities tailored to your research interests.
UCLA GRAPES Database
One of the most comprehensive databases for graduate scholarships, grants, and fellowships, widely used by math graduate students nationwide.
Pathways to Science
A detailed registry of STEM fellowship and internship opportunities, featuring customizable search tools designed specifically for graduate students.
Cornell Fellowships
A public listing maintained by Cornell Graduate School, cataloging national and international fellowship opportunities across all disciplines.
StudentAid.gov Resources
The official Department of Education guide to federal student aid, providing information on federal loans, guidelines, and work-study resources.
Related Resources
- Graduate Student Handbook Download the official handbook (PDF) for program rules.
- Ph.D. Requirements Review doctoral degree requirements and milestones.
- Professional Development Resources for job placement and career timelines.
