Science funding is not one application category. A high-school research competition, an undergraduate scholarship with service, and a graduate fellowship support different stages. Begin with the degree you will pursue and the work you want funded.
The selected programs below focus on research. They should not be presented as a complete list for every science student or as interchangeable help with the same tuition bill.
Compare selected science funding
Checked October 14, 2026. Complete provider rules apply.
| Program | Research stage and fit | Support/status | First action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regeneron Science Talent Search | Eligible high-school research applicants under the official rules | First prize $250,000; 2027 application deadline November 5, 2026, 8 p.m. ET | Read individual eligibility and original-research requirements |
| NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program | Eligible undergraduates with exceptional financial need committed to biomedical, behavioral, or social-science research | Up to $20,000 per academic year; 2026–27 application closed | Check full academic, status, financial-need and service criteria before a future cycle |
| NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program | Eligible applicants entering research-based STEM graduate study | $37,000 stipend plus $16,000 institutional cost-of-education allowance per supported year; field-specific October 2026 deadlines | Read the 2027 notice and identify your field’s deadline |
The NSF allowance is paid to the institution; it is not an extra $16,000 of personal stipend. NSF award structure.
High-school research: follow the competition rules
Regeneron STS requires an original independent research report and several application components, including recommendations. Research from any high-school year can be eligible, but the full applicant and project rules still apply. Application requirements · Official rules.
Do not assume a team project can be relabeled as independent work. Read the rules on individual contributions and project eligibility before submitting. The provider’s FAQ also warns that no research program can guarantee selection. STS FAQ.
Keep your research notes, methods, sources, and contribution record. Explain uncertainty rather than polishing it away to make a result look stronger.
Undergraduate service: understand what you commit to
NIH’s program requires a ten-week paid summer internship and a year of full-time NIH work after graduation for each scholarship year. It requires U.S. citizenship/permanent residence, eligible full-time four-year enrollment, qualifying academic performance, and exceptional financial need certified by the school. NIH requirements and obligations.
That is not unrestricted tuition funding without a work commitment. Read the complete terms and ask the program about your situation before applying. Keep confirmed support separate from a future application you hope to submit.
NIH says its Application Center profile is not the scholarship application itself. Complete the actual program steps when a new cycle opens rather than assuming a saved profile is enough. NIH application process.
Graduate research: check eligibility and references early
NSF’s current rules include U.S. citizenship, national, or permanent-resident status and research-based graduate study in an eligible field. Its academic-stage restrictions distinguish seniors and bachelor’s holders from first-year graduate applicants; do not rely on outdated assumptions about later graduate years. NSF eligibility.
For this cycle, all reference letters are due October 16, 2026, 8 p.m. Eastern—before some application deadlines. Life Sciences applications are due October 19, while Psychology and several other fields are due October 20. Read the full field schedule for your own application. NSF current deadlines.
Ask recommenders about the reference deadline immediately rather than sending only your later application date. Provide the criteria and factual context for work they observed.
Present research accurately
Choose a concrete question and state your role, methods, evidence, and limits. A hypothetical lab applicant might explain why repeated measurements changed an interpretation. An environmental-science applicant might describe data collection and an unresolved source of bias.
Do not claim a lab’s entire output, fabricate publications, or include confidential data. Ask your mentor which work may be shared and which details need permission.
What should you do next?
Identify your degree stage and intended funded activity. Read one appropriate program’s current rules in full, record its deadline and obligations, and ask your department about institution-specific science awards that fit your field.
