NSF Early Career Program

(Suggested: August-October)

The NSF CAREER program is a highly competitive program, and proposals are limited to three attempts per person, so it’s important to submit a proposal when you feel ready. Proposers must meet all eligibility requirements as of the annual deadline, outlined on the NSF program solicitation page. The eligibility requirements are:

• Hold a doctoral degree in a field supported by NSF;
• Be engaged in research in an area of science, engineering or education supported by NSF;
• Hold at least a 50% tenure-track (or tenure-track-equivalent) position as an assistant professor (or equivalent title);
• Be untenured; and
• Have not previously received a CAREER award. (Prior or concurrent federal support for other types of awards for non-duplicative research does not preclude eligibility.)

Is it a good fit?

Use these prompts to determine whether this is an ideal program for your specific research and teaching goals:

• Brainstorm integrative research and educational goals. Begin by reflecting on your long-term career aspirations — where you want your work to go and the kind of impact you want to make both as a researcher and an educator. NSF values ambitious, complementary goals that advance your research and strengthen your teaching practice. These goals should support your long-term career vision. If your broader impacts and educational goals don’t align with your identity as a researcher, the NSF CAREER award may end up feeling like a distraction rather than a support to your research goals.
• Develop project coherence. Once you’ve identified your research and educational goals, take time to step back and look at how they fit together. Strong proposals tell a unified story, where research, teaching and broader impacts are all working toward a shared purpose. It’s important to think about how all elements of your proposal will connect and reinforce one another, contributing to a unified vision.
• Identify societal relevance and broader impacts. Successful applications are about more than great research; they’re about impact. Frame research and education activities to emphasize how you solve real-world problems or advance national priorities like economic competitiveness, public health, or national defense.
• Create a concept summary. A short summary of your idea can help clarify and organize your thoughts and get early feedback. It can also be useful in conversations with NSF program directors. Start with a one-page executive summary or a quad chart to summarize your research question, educational goals, broader impacts, and how they all connect. UTSA Faculty Research Development has quad chart templates based on NSF charts and can help formulate your idea once you’re ready.
• Engage with relevant NSF directorate(s). Once your concept is well-formed, contact the NSF directorate(s) that best align with your proposed work. Early communication can help you gauge if it’s a good fit, refine focus, and get feedback on the scope and direction of your ideas.

Still not sure if now is the right time to apply?

These resources can help you think it through:

• Learn more about NSF CAREER program criteria on their website and review the solicitation
• Explore the CAREER webinars and FAQs
• Read NSF 101: Four tips for applying to NSF’s CAREER program
• Explore successful proposal examples
• Contact the directorate(s) that best align to your proposal
• Seek mentorship from department chairs, senior faculty, and/or other peers

Still have questions? The Faculty Research Development (FRD) team is ready to support you. Email your questions to: scholarly.awards@utsa.edu.

(Suggested: August-December)

Once you’ve determined that this is a good fit and feel ready to move forward, let us know by completing the Interest and Support Survey (open September-April). This quick form helps us connect you with the right people and resources, so you’ll have support at every step.

Planning, writing, and collaborating/teaming for broader impacts takes time, and the submission process is rigorous, so it’s a good idea to begin as early as possible to apply the following summer.

Once the survey is complete, the NSF CAREER/Scholarly Awards project manager will contact you to guide you through the next steps to secure the support services requested.

(Suggested: August-December)

Once you have determined that you will apply and completed the interest and support survey, it’s time to connect with your peers and support staff who will assist you in this process. Some steps you can take are:

• Attend information sessions. FRD offers an NSF CAREER information session to help you become oriented to the application process. The scheduled information session will be on the research events calendar.
• Determine external collaboration. Your research may involve collaboration with industry partners, community members, independent school districts or other groups. Reach out to your potential collaborators and confirm their engagement in your project. The project manager can facilitate outreach once a potential collaborator has been identified.
• Attend a Community Meet and Greet. Meet and Greets are useful opportunities to connect with community members, independent school districts and others interested in collaborating with UTSA researchers. You can find an upcoming event on the research events calendar.
• Meet the senior grant development manager (SGDM) and/or external consultant. The SGDM and assigned external consultants supporting you will be able to share useful tips and feedback that will strengthen your candidacy.
• Complete Notice of Intent (NOI) Form. Notify your respective college research administrator that you plan to apply by submitting an NOI Form. Follow the 15/5 Rule to ensure quality proposals are submitted on time.

(Suggested: October – March)

As you prepare to build your application, there are a number of resources and templates that can help streamline the process. These will be made available by the NSF Career/Scholarly Awards project manager once you’ve submitted your Notice of Intent to apply.

During this time, you should continue to leverage institutional resources:

• Attend in-person relevant proposal development workshops 
• Visit recorded webinars for refreshers

Compile all necessary documents, review with your SGDM and submit to your respective college research administrator for review.

(Suggested: February– April)

Your assigned senior grant development manager (SGDM) will help you navigate the process. This person could be affiliated with your college or another college. They will meet with you to understand where you are in the proposal process and work with you, giving customized consultation to develop your ideas. The project manager will also provide additional resources and outreach, if needed, for your proposal based on your interest and support survey responses. The SGDM will coordinate with your college research administrator to help develop the proposal.

During this time, you will also be invited to attend workshops and webinars to help you understand the proposal process.

The earlier you begin this stage of your proposal, the more support you can receive.

(Suggested: May-July)

Working with your support team, you will develop key sections of your proposal, including the project summary and description. You will receive feedback and edits from your SGDM and incorporate these edits into your proposal. You can also participate in scheduled writing blocks during this time for additional support.

During this stage, you will also need to secure a letter of collaboration and department letter. Letters can take up to 4-6 weeks to receive, so plan to make these requests early and before summer break.

(July)

In addition to conducting detailed reviews of each proposal and working closely with you and the SGDM, college research administrators assist with budget development, Research.gov submission support and Cayuse routing.

In 2025, the deadline to apply is:
July 23, 2025

The deadline is always the fourth Wednesday in July. For the most current information and updates, see NSF Solicitation 22-586.