Ford Fellowship for NSF Fellow?

[Alext182]

Last year I was lucky enough to win an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship during the first year of my graduate studies. I am thinking about applying for a Ford Predoctoral Fellowship this year (my program is 7 years so I could feasibly use the NSF for 3 years and the Ford fellowship for the other 3). Does anybody have any experience applying for the Ford fellowship with an NSF GRFP? I am wondering if it will help or hurt my application.

 

Thanks!

[guttata]

Last year I was lucky enough to win an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship during the first year of my graduate studies. I am thinking about applying for a Ford Predoctoral Fellowship this year (my program is 7 years so I could feasibly use the NSF for 3 years and the Ford fellowship for the other 3). Does anybody have any experience applying for the Ford fellowship with an NSF GRFP? I am wondering if it will help or hurt my application.

 

Thanks!

 

You are not allowed to hold both simultaneously. If you are already an NSF fellow and are awarded a Ford Fellowship starting next school year, you would have to decline your NSF fellowship and would lose it for subsequent years as well. You are no longer (if you were ever, I'm not sure) allowed to use any of the delay years for the NSF to hold another national fellowship. Seeing as it would be insane to turn down a $32k fellowship for a $20k fellowship, hold on to your Ford eligibility until you use up your NSF support. There is nothing to be gained by applying before the final year of your NSF.

[Alext182]

I think the rule you are referring to is only in regards to federal fellowships. From the 2013 NSF GRFP regulations:

 

"Starting with the 2011 Fellows forward, GRFP Fellowships cannot be concurrently accepted or combined with another Federal Fellowship, irrespective of the Fellow’s Status."

 

As the Ford fellowships are not federal, I believe that students can use their NSF reserve years to hold a Ford fellowship. Unless you or anybody else has more info?

[guttata]

From Fastlane, in the application:

 

If you have applied for any other fellowships this year, please select them from the following list. NSF is interested in this information for statistical purposes only. Submission of the requested information is voluntary and is not considered during the review process. If a particular fellowship is not in the list, select 'Other (please specify)' and specify the other fellowships in the box provided. 

Note: The Graduate Research Fellowship may not be accepted or held if the individual accepts or is supported by another federal graduate fellowship.

 

Included in the following list is the Ford Foundation fellowship. HOWEVER... it looks like you may have a point as they re-emphasize federal and the Ford is not considered federal, just significant. You may be able to defer while you hold the Ford. Apologies for jumping to conclusions. However, as the Ford is ALSO 3 years, you might consider continuing to wait a year to maximize your potential funding, in the event your program is expected to take 6 years.

[Femme Pedagogy]

When were people notified about the NSF and Ford? Sometime in March or April? Thanks.