NSF S-STEM

Pitt Nomination Limit: 2 proposals per campus (Oakland, Bradford, Johnstown, and Greensburg can all submit independently); cannot overlap in eligible discipline. 
Website: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/s-stem-nsf-scholarships-science-technology-engineering-mathematics/nsf25-514/solicitation
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (25-514)
Pitt Internal Deadline: October 15, 2026
Sponsor Deadline: March 2, 2027
Award Amount: Up to $2M over 6 years (Track 1 or 2); up to $5M over 6 years (Track 3)
Pitt Select Funder: No.

About the Program

S-STEM funds institutions — not individuals — to provide scholarships to academically talented, low-income undergraduate and graduate students in STEM fields, paired with evidence-based curricular and co-curricular supports that improve retention and graduation. Awards fund both direct scholarships and the infrastructure (mentoring, advising, cohort-building) needed to support recipients.

Funding Information

Three tracks are available: Track 1 (Institutional Capacity Building, up to $2M/6 years, for institutions without a recent S-STEM or STEP award), Track 2 (Implementation, up to $2M/6 years, open to any eligible institution), and Track 3 (Inter-institutional Consortia, up to $5M/6 years). At least 50–60% of the budget (depending on track) must go directly to student scholarships, capped at $15,000/year for undergraduates and $20,000/year for graduate students. Indirect costs follow Pitt's federally negotiated rate.

Eligibility

• PI must be a faculty member currently teaching in an S-STEM eligible discipline, or an academic administrator who has taught in one
• Eligible degree fields are broad — anything NSF funds — but exclude clinical degrees (medicine, nursing, pharmacy, etc.), teacher certification programs, and business administration degrees
• Track 1 is only open to institutions without an active S-STEM or STEP award anywhere on campus in the past 5 years
• Track 3 requires a multi-institution consortium and a distinct research component

What the Sponsor Will Not Fund

• Clinical degree programs (medicine, nursing, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy)
• STEM teacher certification/licensure programs (covered instead by the Noyce program)
• Business administration degrees at any level
• Voluntary cost sharing (explicitly prohibited)
• Scholarships used as payment for work or required participation in project activities

Internal Selection Process

Pitt must nominate faculty for this opportunity. If you are interested in being considered as a nominee, please see the limited submission guidelines before submitting a pre-application to InfoReady. 

1. Interested investigators should submit the following materials via InfoReady by: TBA
   • High-level overview of the project, including:
     • Intellectual Merit 
     • Broader Impact
     • Management Plan
     • Scholar Pool
     • Team members and Qualifications of the PI
   • Biosketch of the submitting PI
      
2. Internal applicants will be peer-reviewed on the following criteria:
   • Intellectual Merit 
   • Broader Impact 
   • Management Plan
   • Evidence of the Scholar Pool
   • Team Members and Qualifications of the PI

Key Dates