How To Apply

Application Process
Application Package
Frequently Asked Questions
For Further Information
About NOAA
NOAA Research Priorities

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Application Process

Applicants should apply on-line through grants.gov. Follow the instructions on grants.gov carefully. The on-line process has several steps and takes time to complete, so visit the grants.gov site early in order to accomplish all steps. The deadline date including time of day is firm. All documents in the application package must be in “word” or scanned as PDF files and uploaded into grants.gov.

Paper applications will be accepted only from those individuals who do not have access to the internet. In such cases, paper applications should be sent to:

Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program
Attention:  Dr. Priti Brahma
Office of Education
SSMC-3. Room 10725
1315 East West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Application Package

Each application must include the following items.  Failure to submit these items exactly as described in the Federal Register Notice (summarized below), or if any item is omitted, will disqualify the application from consideration.

1. STANDARD FORM 424 (SF-424) Application for Federal Assistance.
   

   When you begin the application process you will find the Standard Form 424 (pdf,104Kb) in grants.gov.  This form was originally designed for organizations so some of the information pertains to organizations only.  Because NOAA has received many questions from applicants attempting to complete the form, the tips below are provided to aid you in the application process.

   • All blocks in yellow must be completed.
   • Organizational Duns Number – use 000000000INDV
   • Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number – use your social security number
   • Organizational Unit:  Department and Division - Leave blank
   • Type of Applicant: select P. Individual
   • Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number – 11.481 Title: Educational Partnership Program
   • Description and Title of Project – Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program
   • Areas Affected by the Project – Enter area where the university is located
   • Proposed start date – 08-01-2009 – End date July 31 -  2 years later for masters or 4 years later for doctorate or sooner if you are well into your degree at the beginning of the award
   • Congressional District – location of university - if you are applying to graduate programs at the time of application, please use your permanent address.
   • Estimated funding  - for Master's Degree Applicants: Federal $84,000, Total $84,000; For Doctoral Degree Applicants: Federal $164,000, Total $164,000
   • Program is not covered by E.O. 12372
   • Authorized representative – you are your authorized representative; your title is either Master's Degree Student, or Doctoral Student
   
   
2. GENERAL INFORMATION SHEET

   Provide the information outlined below, but do not exceed 2 single-spaced typewritten pages.  General Information Sheets that are longer than 2 pages in length will not be accepted and will result in the application being disqualified.

   1. Personal Data: Provide your full name, country of citizenship, current address, permanent address, home, work, fax and cellular telephone numbers and e-mail address.

   2. Optional Personal data: For statistical collection purposes only you may indicate your gender and race or ethnicity. (This information is voluntary)

   3. Degree Sought: State your proposed field of study (oceanography, marine biology, or maritime archaeology) (including all science, engineering, and resource management of ocean and coastal areas))and degree type you are seeking (e.g. M.S., M.A., Ph.D.). Include the month and year you expect the degree to be awarded. State the name and location of your institution.

   4. Education: List the academic degrees you have received, or expect to receive by the start of your proposed graduate studies for this program, including the date of receipt and institution. Provide your graduate advisor`s name, address, telephone, fax number, and e-mail address.

   5. Academic Honors: List any academic honors that you have received.   

   6. Relevant Work Experience. List work experience related to your field of study. You may include research and teaching assistantships and any other paid or unpaid work.

      
      
3. RESEARCH PROPOSAL

   The Nancy Foster Scholarship program is designed to support students interested in NOAA mission related sciences of oceanography, marine biology or maritime archaeology (including all science, engineering, and resource management of ocean and coastal areas). Discuss the research area you plan to pursue in graduate school and its relationship to NOAA sciences in the aforementioned areas of emphasis and how your research activities support NOAA's mission, especially the mission of the National Marine Sanctuary Program. Information about NOAA is available at
   www.noaa.gov and in particular, the National Marine Sanctuary Program at http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/. The research proposal should be typewritten, single-spaced and should not exceed 3 pages in length. Page limits are inclusive of figures, and other visual materials, but are exclusive of references. Statements longer than three pages will not be accepted and will result in the application being disqualified.

4. STATEMENT OF INTENT

   The Statement of Intent is a self-description of your academic, research, and career goals, and how your proposed course of study or research will help you achieve these goals. This is your opportunity to present yourself, and your aspirations and career goals. Include any background information that is pertinent, and provide insight into why you choose these goals to pursue. This statement should not be a research proposal or scientific abstract. This statement will be used to evaluate you as an individual, not necessarily as a scientist, and your motivation for applying for this scholarship. This statement should demonstrate your organizational and written communication skills. The statement of intent should be typewritten, single-spaced, and should not exceed one page in length. Statements longer than one page will not be accepted and will result in the application being disqualified.

5. STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL NEED
   

   To evaluate financial need, NOAA will use the Department of Education's Expected Family Contribution (EFC) determination. To receive an EFC determination, applicants must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the Department of Education. See http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. In response to the FAFSA, the Department of Education will provide the applicant with a Student Aid Report (SAR), which will contain the EFC determination. A copy of the SAR and a 1 page, single spaced essay describing your financial need must be submitted with the application. In your essay describing your financial need, discuss how you plan to fund your graduate level education and what the impact will be if you do not receive this scholarship. Also, list the following in the order stated: estimated amount needed for tuition and fees, all resources currently available to you to cover your graduate studies (e.g., grants, student loans, scholarships, research or teaching assistant positions, personal funds), the length of time these resources will be available and if they include work requirements, other resources for which you have applied and have received, as well as those for which you have not received a response. Statements longer than one page will not be accepted and will result in the application being disqualified.

6. INSTITUTE CERTIFICATION

   A letter from the applicant's institution certifying that the student is enrolled in or has accepted an offer to a graduate program must be submitted with the application. The letter should consist of the following information on school letterhead and be signed by a school official: Name and location of the academic institution, the school and department that you are currently attending or plan to attend, and the month and year your studies will begin if you are not currently enrolled. It is preferable that the institute certification described above be used. However, some institutions will only provide a standardized institute certification, in which cases that will be acceptable. If you have a graduate advisor, list his/her name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and an e-mail address, if available in the Institute Certification portion of your application. Current transcripts or letters of acceptance from the institution will not be accepted in lieu of the Institute Certification. Failure to include the InstituteCertification specifically as indicated above will result in the application being disqualified. Applicants selected to receive the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship will be required to submit a certification of enrollment at the start of each term.

Applicants who are applying to graduate school should submit a list of schools they have applied to, and any acceptance letters received at the time of application. Individuals selected to receive the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship award must provide proof of acceptance into a graduate program at the time of notification else the individual will be ineligible to receive the award.

7. TRANSCRIPTS

   Official transcripts for all university/college(s) attended in the past two years must be received by March 31, 2009 at 5:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time. Official sealed transcripts must be mailed to: Dr. Priti Brahma NOAA Office of Education 1315 East West Highway SSMC3, Room 10725 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Photocopied transcripts are not acceptable.

8. TWO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

   Each application must include only two signed letters of recommendation from individuals who have knowledge of your academic record, research effort, work and/or life experience. One of these letters must be from your academic advisor. Relevant paid work, such as internships and volunteer efforts, are applicable. Letters of recommendation must be mailed to:

   Dr. Priti Brahma
   NOAA Office of Education
   1315 East West Highway
   SSMC3, Room 10725
   Silver Spring, MD 20910

The individual writing the recommendation must sign across the seal of the envelope containing the letter. All letters must be received by 5:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time on March 31, 2009. Applications without two, signed letters of recommendation will result in the application being disqualified.

9. DECLARATION

Applicants must certify that all statements and information in their applications are true and correct by copying the following on a plain piece of paper, signing it, and including it in their application in Grants.gov as an attachment:

I, the undersigned, declare, under penalty of perjury, that all statements and information in my application are true and correct. 

Executed on [insert date].______________________

Print or Type Name_____________________________

Signature_____________________________________

Failure to include this statement, signed by the applicant, will result in the application being disqualified.

Frequently Asked Questions

17. How long does it take to get a grants.gov login and password?

1. It can take 3-4 days to obtain a grants.gov login and password, therefore do not wait until March to obtain your login and password.

17. When does my application need to be submitted into Grants.gov to meet the March 31, 2009 deadline to the Program Manager?

1. Grants.gov now requires up to 2 days to process applications. Therefore, to meet the March 31, 2009 deadline, your application must be submitted by March 29, 2009.

17. I am trying to register as an individual at Grants.gov, however, the Funding Opportunity Number (NOS-NMS-2008-2001067) is not working for the registration with a Credential Provider. What should I do?

1. Please use the following default to register with the Credential Provider: 0716-INDV-REGISTRATION. You must type it in all capitol letters.

17. Do I need to submit a CD-511 with my application package?

1. Applicants do not need to submit a CD-511 with their application package.  Only scholarship recipients will need to submit this form at a later date.

17. I downloaded the word and pdf documents from www.grants.gov but am unable to locate the mandatory yellow blocks - how can I see these?

1. To view the Yellow boxes, you must instal the Pure Edge viewer before "downloading" the application and instructions. Once you have installed the Pure Edge Viewer, click on the "download application package" - the main page for the application will open up with a box labeled Mandatory Documents - select "Application for Federal Assistance" and then click Open Form - it will open in the browser and enabling you to see the yellow boxes. Internet Explorer is the preferred browser.  

17. Is there an application form I should use to apply for this scholarship?

1. You must submit a Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance.  Your application package should consist of the items listed under the “How to Apply – Application Package” section of this web page. 

17. I am not able to enter the organizational Duns number (000000000INDV) into the indicated spot on the SF-424 form. How can I fix this problem?

1. In order to enter the DUNS number on the SF-424, you must check the box on the initial Grant Application page entitled:"I will be submitting applications on my behalf, and not on the behalf of a company, state, local, or tribal government, academia, or other type of organization." This box is immediately above the Application Filing name area on the entry window to the application.

17. May I send you more than two letters of recommendation?

1. Only two letters of recommendation should be included with your application materials.

17. Can a non-U.S. citizen apply for the scholarship?

1. Only U.S. citizens are eligible to apply for the scholarship.

17. I am U.S. citizen pursuing a degree in one of the three eligible degree fields at a foreign institution, am I eligible to apply?

1. You must be enrolled in or have accepted an offer at the time the award is made from an accredited U.S. graduate institution.

17. May only new students apply?

1. Students in all stages of their MS or Ph.D studies are eligible to apply.

17. May I apply if i am currently applying to graduate programs?

1. Students who are applying to graduate school at the time of application are eligible to apply. In lieu of a the institute certification from the graduate program, applicants should submit a list of schools where the applicant has applied. Applicants must have an accepted offer to a U.S. institution at the time the award is made.

17. Should all of the application items be put into a giant PDF or attached as separate files?

1. Each application item, i.e. research proposal, statement of intent, etc. should be attached as separate files to the SF-424 (not as optional documents).

17. I hit the "Submit" button but nothing happens, what should I do?

1. Please ensure you are using Internet Explorer as other browsers are not compatible with the ICS Viewer. Once your application has been successfully submitted, you will receive an email confirmation from Grants.gov with a date, time, and tracking number.

17. I was able to submit my application at grants.gov after 5 pm on the due date, will it be accepted?

1. All grant submissions to Grants.gov are stamped with a date, time, and tracking number. Any submissions received after 5 pm on the due date will be disqualified.

For Further Information

Contact the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program via e-mail: fosterscholars@noaa.gov.

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About NOAA

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) mission is to describe and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, and conserve and manage wisely the Nation’s coastal and marine resources to ensure sustainable economic opportunities. As the largest agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA manages the U.S. operational weather and environmental satellites, a fleet of ships and aircraft for oceanographic, surveying, fisheries, coastal, and atmospheric studies, 12 environmental research laboratories, and several large supercomputers. NOAA is responsible for all U.S. weather and climate forecasting, monitoring and archiving of oceanic and atmospheric data, management of marine fisheries and mammals, mapping and charting of all U.S. waters, coastal zone management, and research and development in all of these areas. Essentially, NOAA is divided into six Line Offices: National Ocean Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Weather Service, National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, and Program Planning and Integration. NOAA also has multiple corporate and staff offices. With employees in every U.S. state, at sea, and at many overseas locations, NOAA employs more than 12,500 people.

NOAA Research Priorities
Relevant to the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program

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Revised on  by FosterScholars Web Team
http://fosterscholars.noaa.gov/welcome.html