NSF Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER)
NSF's most prestigious award for early-career faculty, integrating a research program with an education plan.
Official program page- Sponsor
- National Science Foundation
- Mechanism
- CAREER
- Typical award
- Five years, with a minimum total of $400K (minimums are higher, around $500K, for the Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Geosciences directorates).
- Deadlines
- Once a year, with a single deadline typically in late July.
What it funds
- A five-year research program
- An integrated education/outreach plan
- Building the foundation for a lifelong career in research and teaching
Who can apply
Untenured, tenure-track assistant professors (or equivalent) who hold a doctorate and have not previously won a CAREER award. Applicants may apply up to three times.
Best for
A pre-tenure faculty member ready to commit to a bold, integrated research-and-education agenda.
Figures and deadlines change year to year: always confirm current details on the official program page before applying.
Related programs
All NSF opportunitiesNSF's flagship fellowship supporting outstanding graduate students in STEM early in their studies.
An NSF program funding the acquisition or development of shared research instrumentation.
A Department of Defense program supporting outstanding early-career faculty pursuing defense-relevant basic research.
Managing a NSF CAREER proposal?
GrantsManager tracks the deadline, budget, and submission from first draft to award.