NSF CAREER: Faculty Early Career Development Program

Eligibility Requirements

CAREER eligibility is strict and non-negotiable. Verify each criterion before investing time in the application.

• Tenure-track position — must hold a tenure-track (or tenure-track-equivalent) position at a US institution by the proposal deadline
• Untenured — must not have received tenure at the time of submission
• PhD timing — must hold a doctoral degree in a field supported by NSF
• Submission limit — only 3 lifetime CAREER submissions are allowed (declined applications count)
• Institutional limit — each institution has nomination limits per directorate per year
• No prior CAREER — cannot have previously received a CAREER award

Research-Education Integration

The integration of research and education is the defining characteristic of a CAREER proposal and the most common area where applications fall short. Reviewers look for plans where research activities generate educational opportunities and educational activities inform or advance the research.

• Bidirectional — education should feed into research and vice versa, not just one direction
• Specific — name schools, communities, or programs you will partner with
• Measurable — describe how you will assess whether the education activities are working
• Sustainable — show a plan that can continue beyond the 5-year CAREER period
• Example — a computational biology researcher might develop course modules using real datasets from their research, then use student projects to validate new analysis methods

Directorate Differences

Each NSF directorate has its own CAREER deadline and may have different expectations. Minimum budgets range from $400,000 to $500,000 depending on the directorate. Some directorates (such as CISE and ENG) have historically higher success rates, while others are more competitive. The proposal deadline varies by directorate and is published in the annual CAREER solicitation. Check the current solicitation for your directorate's specific deadline, budget minimum, and any supplemental guidance.