The National Science Foundation (NSF) Field of Study (FOS) Code contains three digits and is assigned only to expense accounts where the Higher Education Fund Code (HEFC) is for organized research.

The code identifies the subject of study (e.g., 013 represents Civil Engineering and 042 represents Computer Sciences). The codes are defined by the National Science Foundation and are reported annually.

List of NSF Codes:

  • Engineering
  • 011Engineering: Aeronautical and Astronautical
    012Engineering: Chemical
    013Engineering: Civil
    014Engineering: Electrical
    015Engineering: Mechanical
    016Engineering: Other
    017Engineering: Metals & Materials
    018Engineering: Bioeng/Biomed Engin
  • Physical Sciences
021Physical Sciences: Astronomy
022Physical Sciences: Chemistry
023Physical Sciences: Physics
024Physical Sciences: Other
  • Environmental Sciences
  • 031Environmental Sciences: Atmospheric
    032Environmental Sciences: Earth Sciences
    033Environmental Sciences: Oceanography
    034Environmental Sciences: Other
  • Mathematical Sciences
  • 041Mathematical Sciences
  • Computer Science
  • 042Computer Sciences
  • Life Sciences
  • 051Life Sciences: Agricultural
    052Life Sciences: Biological
    053Life Sciences: Medical
    054Life Sciences: Other
  • Psychology
  • 060Psychology
  • Social Sciences
  • 071Social Sciences: Economics
    072Social Sciences: Political Science
    073Social Sciences: Sociology
    074Social Sciences: Other
  • Other Sciences
  • 080Other Sciences
  • Other
  • 510Education
    520Law
    530Humanities
    540Visual & Performing Arts
    550Business and Management
    560Communications, Journalism and Library Science
    570Social Work
    580Other Non-Science & Engineering Fields
    999Non-NSF Discipline Category, e.g. "Reversal of Capitalized Expenditures for Research Equipment"


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