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A grant from NSF

NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships Grant

NSF offers this federal opportunity for work related to Science and Technology and other Research and Development, Science, Research. Organizations serving National should verify the requirements below before committing proposal time.

Start here · Eligibility

Check whether your organization qualifies

Answer 5 focused questions in about 60 seconds before investing time in the application.

Take Eligibility Quiz
1 source-confirmed criterion · No signupReview criteria

Potential award

$110,000+

Time remaining

54 days

Application load

Moderate effort

Best next move

Take the eligibility quiz

Apply

Verified against the source on 8/22/2026

01

Start here

Confirm eligibility

Check your fit in about 60 seconds.

Eligibility requirementsQuestion 1 of 5
About 60 seconds totalInferred criterion

Does your proposed work directly align with Science and Technology and other Research and Development, Science, Research, Education, Community Development?

What does this mean?

Science and Technology and other Research and Development, Science, Research, Education, Community Development

Review supporting source ↗
Does your proposed work directly align with Science and Technology and other Research and Development, Science, Research, Education, Community Development?
Select an answer to continue

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This is an explainable self-assessment, not a win probability or legal determination. Hard eligibility conflicts are never averaged against softer program-fit signals. Always verify the official notice.

Optional Review source criteria and citations

Nonprofit status

Confirm nonprofit eligibility in the full notice.

Review source ↗
unclear

Geography

Nationwide availability is inferred from the catalog record; confirm the official notice.

Review source ↗
inferred

Organization size

No organization-size limit was captured.

Review source ↗
unclear

Program area

Science and Technology and other Research and Development, Science, Research, Education, Community Development

Review source ↗
inferred

Population served

No specific population was captured.

Review source ↗
unclear

Matching funds

No cost share is indicated.

Review source ↗
confirmed

Registrations

SAM.gov and Grants.gov registration may be required; confirm in the notice.

Review source ↗
inferred

Exclusions

Review the full notice for exclusions and prohibited uses.

Review source ↗
unclear
02

Grant-writer assessment

Understand the opportunity

Start with the practical interpretation. Open the complete source narrative when you need the underlying detail.

Plain-English explanation

Plain-English explanation

NSF offers this federal opportunity for work related to Science and Technology and other Research and Development, Science, Research. Organizations serving National should verify the requirements below before committing proposal time.

Not yet confirmed

What the funder is trying to accomplish

A specific statement of funder intent has not yet been editorially reviewed. Use the official description and program priorities as the controlling source.

Plain-English explanation

Strong-fit project signals

Projects should demonstrate a direct, substantive connection to Science and Technology and other Research and Development, Science, Research. This is directional guidance, not an eligibility determination.

Not yet confirmed

What reviewers may prioritize

Review criteria have not yet been captured. Do not assume general best practices replace the scoring criteria in the official notice.

Source dossier Read the full official program description
Source-backed synopsis

What this grant funds

NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships provide an opportunity for highly qualified, recent doctoral scientists to carry out an integrated program of independent research and education. Fellows may engage in observational, instrumental, theoretical, laboratory or archival data research in any area of astronomy or astrophysics, in combination with a coherent educational plan for the duration of the fellowship. The program supports researchers for a period of up to three years with fellowships that may be taken to eligible host institutions of their choice. The program is intended to recognize early-career investigators of significant potential and to provide them with experience in research and education that will establish them in positions of distinction and leadership in the scientific community.

Read the complete official description ↗
03

Decision economics

Size the opportunity

Use the source facts below to judge whether the likely return justifies the application effort.

Award range
$110,000+
Total program funding
$990,000
Expected awards
9
Geography
National
Cost share
Not indicated
Assistance listing
Not specified

Mission alignment

Compare your program with Science and Technology and other Research and Development, Science, Research.

Geographic fit

National

04

Working plan

Build the application

The generated milestones are planning aids. Only the official notice establishes required dates.

Requirements captured

Other requirements
*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: - NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships are awards to individuals; proposals are submitted directly by the fellowship candidate to NSF. Each proposer must identify one or more scientific mentor(s) and host institution(s) at the time of proposal submission. Prospective Fellows may propose to hold the fellowship at: <ul> <li>U.S. institutions of higher education,</li> <li>NSF-funded centers, facilities, orinstitutes,</li> <li>U.S. non-profit organizations with research and educational missions, or</li> <li>International sites that are operated by U.S. organizations eligible for NSF funding, such as the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, Cerro Tololo InterAmerican Observatory, or Gemini South.</li> </ul> National centers, facilities, sites, or institutes funded by other federal agencies, such as NASA or the U.S. Department of Energy, are ineligible as host institutions for the NSF AAPF Program. *Who May Serve as PI: Fellowships are awarded to individuals. The fellowship candidate submits their proposal directly to NSF. An individual is eligible to submit a proposal to the NSF AAPF Program if all of the following criteria are met: <ul> <li>The proposer is a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident (Green Card Holder)of the United States.</li> <li>The proposer has earned the doctoral degree in an appropriate scientific field within five (5) years prior to the proposal submission deadline or will complete the doctoral degree by 1 October following the proposal deadline.</li> </ul> <span>By signing and submitting the proposal, the fellowship candidate is certifying that they meet the eligibility criteria specified in this program solicitation. Willful provision of false information in this request and its supporting documents or in reports required under an ensuing award is a criminal offense (U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 1001).</span>
Submission system
Grants.gov
Attachments
NSF Publication 22-621
Contact
U.S. National Science Foundation · grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov · 703-292-4203

Official deadline

October 15, 2026

Moderate effort based on requirements currently captured.

  1. Confirm eligibility, registrations, partners, and internal approval.

  2. Finalize project design, outcomes, and supporting evidence.

  3. Draft the narrative and detailed budget.

  4. Complete compliance review and collect attachments.

  5. Submit early and preserve the confirmation receipt.

05Past behaviorCompare historical awardsHistorical patterns provide context, but do not predict or guarantee future funding decisions.
No licensed historical awards are currently linked to this opportunity.
06Audit trailVerify the evidenceSee where the facts came from, when they were checked, and what has materially changed.

Source record

Source verified means the official record was successfully checked. It does not mean every eligibility or application field has been extracted.

Verification
verified
Source
grants gov
Last checked
8/22/2026, 8:50:21 AM
Content updated
8/11/2026, 9:16:11 AM
Review
Automated normalization; not yet expert-reviewed
Open official source ↗

Material changes

  1. Updated categories.

  2. Updated categories.

  3. Updated amount min, application details, categories, cost share required, description, eligibility, eligibility details, expected awards, important dates, requirements, source citations, total funding.

  4. Updated tracking started.

Verify before applying. Official funder documents control. Derived analysis and preparation dates should not replace the notice.
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Quick answersFrequently asked questionsGet concise answers about NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships Grant.
Is NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships Grant currently open?

Yes, based on the latest source record. The deadline is October 15, 2026, with 54 days remaining. Because funders can amend or extend notices, confirm the date and submission instructions on the official application page. The source was last checked 8/22/2026.

How much funding does NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships Grant provide?

NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships Grant lists $110,000+ per award. The total program funding recorded is $990,000. NSF expects to make approximately 9 awards, although the final number may vary.

Who can apply to NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships Grant?

Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification) Applicants should still complete the eligibility quiz and verify every condition in the official notice; a general fit does not override exclusions or registration requirements.

Does NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships Grant require matching funds?

No cost-share requirement is indicated in the captured source facts. Applicants should still verify the official budget instructions in case an amendment, program track, or specific cost category carries additional conditions.

What should I prepare before applying to NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships Grant?

Moderate effort is expected. The captured requirements include other requirements, submission system, attachments, contact. Start by confirming eligibility and registrations, then work backward from October 15, 2026 using the preparation plan above.