NSF CAREER Guidance

NSF CAREER Award Guidance 22-586

The 2024 NSF CAREER proposal deadline is July 24, 2024.

The CAREER program is one of NSF’s most prestigious awards that supports early-career faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education, and the integration of education and research. The awards are highly competitive and applicants are encouraged to start planning early.

The NSF CAREER is distinguished from a core research proposal by an integrated education plan that is distinctive, innovative, and beyond what is expected from a typical Assistant Professor in your field: activities should be consistent with research and best practices in curriculum, pedagogy, and evaluation and you should cite any relevant publications, local curricula, and/or state education standards to be addressed, as applicable. For assistance identifying resources and programs to coordinate with, contact Tufts Strategic Research Development (SRD).

Award Information

Award is for 5 years.

NSF CAREER awards provide a minimum of $400,000-$500,000 (depending on the directorate).  While there is no maximum award size, funding should be requested to suit the scope of your project. To determine the size of your request, review prior awards made by the Program(s) you are applying to and discuss with your Program Officer(s) (see NSF Organization List and Division CAREER contacts).

Some directorates have discipline-specific guidelines, which can also vary depending on individual circumstances. Once you have identified the program you will apply to, verify any specifics with your program officer and/or local research administrator.

Eligibility

To be eligible for submission, PIs must:

  • 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
  • Have not previously received a CAREER award.

Eligible PIs may only submit one CAREER proposal per annual competition (not to exceed three reviewed CAREER proposals). Please see the full eligibility information for the CAREER program in the solicitation. 

First Steps

  • Review our NSF Insights and Best Practices and NSF CAREER Insights and Best Practices to determine the suitability of this award for your work.
  • Discuss your proposed project with your Department Chair, mentors, and peers who have been successful in getting funding from NSF. For NSF CAREER-funded colleagues at Tufts, contact SRD.
  • Review Tufts resources for assistance in developing your education plan:
  • Contact your Local Research Administrator (LRA) as soon as you decide you will submit a proposal to assist with budgets, forms, institutional policies, and submission requirements.
  • Determine which program area(s) at NSF is/are most appropriate to review your proposal and identify a Program Officer in those area(s). (As appropriate, CAREER proposals may be co-reviewed by more than one program within a Division or a Directorate, or across Directorates/Offices.)
  • Identify your contact for the CAREER program in those Division(s) as listed here.
  • If your project has an international component, there will be a country representative in the Office of International Science and Engineering to contact as well.

Writing Your Proposal