Each NSF Fellow is expected to devote full time to scientific study or work during the fellowship period. However, because it is generally accepted that teaching or similar activity constitutes a valuable part of the education and training of many graduate students and such opportunities may arise during a tenure year, a Fellow on tenure may choose to undertake a reasonable amount of such activities without NSF approval. It is expected that furtherance of the Fellow's educational objectives and the gain of substantive teaching or other experience will govern these activities.
Stipend support for teaching is determined by Duke University. Fellows are permitted to teach 1–2 courses per academic year. During this time a Fellow cannot be supported by their advisor’s research grants for the teaching the course.
For further information, please refer to The Graduate School's Ph.D. stipend supplementation policy.
Fellows are permitted to solicit and accept, from the NSF or other federal and private sources, support for research expenses, such as laboratory supplies, instrumentation usage fees, field‐station usage fees, travel expenses, conference/registration fees, workshop expenses, or subscription fees. For Fellows on tenure, support for living expenses associated with off‐site research activities will require approval by the coordinating official. Fellows are required to check with their GRFP Institution about specific policies pertaining to acceptance of any non‐federal fellowships
GRFP fellows on tenure who are offered additional stipend support, whether it be from your program for TA/RA, from other Duke offices, or external to Duke entirely, must submit a written request for supplemental stipend approval to grad‐fellowships@duke.edu before accepting any stipend. While the NSF GRFP allow students to accept supplemental stipend, it is The Graduate School’s requirement that additional support must be requested and approved in advance in a consistent and transparent manner, so as to meet NSF compliance reporting requirements.
If an NSF GRFP fellow on tenure is offered supplemental stipend the fellow must email grad‐ fellowships@duke.edu the following information to request review/approval:
- Start and end dates of supplement
- Fund code that will pay the stipend
- Monthly rate
- Brief description of the effort involved, if it entails instruction, research, or other effort
- The faculty advisor or DGS must provide a written documentation attesting support of the assignment for training and/or professional development purposes.