NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF)
U.S. National Science Foundation · Opportunity number 22-621
Details summarized from the official notice as of Oct 16, 2026. Always confirm eligibility, deadlines and requirements in the official notice before applying.
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Key facts
| Opportunity number | 22-621 |
|---|---|
| Agency | U.S. National Science Foundation |
| Assistance listing (ALN, formerly CFDA) | 47.049 |
| Posted | Jul 27, 2022 |
| Deadline | Oct 15, 2027 |
| Award floor | $110,000 |
| Expected number of awards | 9 |
| Estimated total program funding | $990,000 |
| Cost sharing or matching required | No |
| Funding type | Grant |
| Category | Science technology and other research and development |
| Last updated here | Oct 16, 2026 |
Summary from the notice
Who can apply
The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible:
- Others named in the notice (see the eligibility text)
Not listed as eligible
- Small businesses
- Nonprofits
- Colleges and universities
- State governments
- Local governments
- Tribal governments and organizations
- Larger for-profit companies
- Individuals
Unless the eligibility text in the notice names you, this opportunity is probably not for you.
Eligibility details from the notice
*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: - NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships are awards to individuals; proposals are submitted directly by the fellowship candidate to NSF. Each proposer must identify one or more scientific mentor(s) and host institution(s) at the time of proposal submission. Prospective Fellows may propose to hold the fellowship at: U.S. institutions of higher education, NSF-funded centers, facilities, orinstitutes, U.S. non-profit organizations with research and educational missions, or International sites that are operated by U.S. organizations eligible for NSF funding, such as the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, Cerro Tololo InterAmerican Observatory, or Gemini South. National centers, facilities, sites, or institutes funded by other federal agencies, such as NASA or the U.S. Department of Energy, are ineligible as host institutions for the NSF AAPF Program. *Who May Serve as PI: Fellowships are awarded to individuals. The fellowship candidate submits their proposal directly to NSF. An individual is eligible to submit a proposal to the NSF AAPF Program if all of the following criteria are met: The proposer is a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident (Green Card Holder)of the United States. The proposer has earned the doctoral degree in an appropriate scientific field within five (5) years prior to the proposal submission deadline or will complete the doctoral deg...
Registrations you will likely need
Most applications submitted through Grants.gov need the following. Registration can take several weeks, so start early. The notice lists the exact requirements.
- SAM.gov registration for your organization, which also gives you a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Registration is free.
- A Login.gov account, which Grants.gov uses for sign-in.
- A Grants.gov applicant registration linked to your organization's UEI.
Past awards for this program
Totals for assistance listing 47.049 from public USASpending.gov data, as of Sep 23, 2026. Past awards do not predict future funding.
| Year | Listing | Awards | Total | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 47.049 | 16 | $1,790,278,386 | $111,892,399 |
| 2025 | 47.049 | 21 | $1,947,852,199 | $92,754,867 |
| 2024 | 47.049 | 22 | $1,981,475,770 | $90,067,080 |
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