Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program is a federal funding initiative managed by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Directorate for STEM Education and the Division of Undergraduate Education. It is designed to address the urgent national need for effective STEM educators in high-need school districts by supporting the recruitment, preparation, and retention of highly qualified K-12 teachers and teacher leaders in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The program offers multiple funding tracks: Track 1 for Scholarships and Stipends to undergraduate STEM majors and STEM professionals; Track 2 for Teaching Fellowships aimed at STEM professionals completing a master’s degree and entering teaching; Track 3 for Master Teaching Fellowships for experienced teachers aiming to become teacher leaders; Track 4 for research on STEM teacher effectiveness and retention; and a Capacity Building option for institutions preparing to submit future proposals. Awards can range from $100,000 to $3 million depending on the track, with additional funds available through collaboration incentives involving minority-serving or two-year institutions. Eligibility is primarily limited to accredited U.S. institutions of higher education, consortia thereof, or nonprofit organizations that offer teacher education programs. For Track 4, professional societies involved in educational research are also eligible. Principal investigators must include qualified faculty from STEM and education departments for most tracks. The grant explicitly prohibits proposals from individuals or for-profit entities and mandates partnerships with high-need local educational agencies (LEAs) for Tracks 1-3. Applicants must follow detailed submission guidelines through either Research.gov or Grants.gov and ensure compliance with NSF’s Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide. No letters of intent or preliminary proposals are required. For most tracks, proposals are due annually on the last Tuesday in August. Proposals must include components such as teacher preparation program details, recruitment and selection strategies, evaluation plans, and evidence-based instructional practices. Applications are evaluated based on NSF’s standard merit review criteria: intellectual merit and broader impacts. Successful proposals are expected to produce effective, culturally competent STEM teachers and teacher leaders who remain in high-need schools beyond the required service commitments. NSF anticipates awarding approximately 60 to 77 grants annually with a total funding allocation of around $68 million, contingent on fund availability. Interested applicants can direct inquiries to the Noyce Program at noyce-prog@nsf.gov or call 703-292-8670. Additional application support is available via Research.gov and Grants.gov. Institutions must also agree to track and report on the professional trajectories and retention of their Noyce recipients for up to 12 years post-award.