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This paper presents a new template for writing requirements specifications for scientific computing software, using the following characteristics to guide the design: i) only one user viewpoint needs to be considered for specifying the physical model; ii) assumptions can be used to distinguish between models and a strong coupling exist between the assumptions and the functional requirements; iii) a high potential exists for reuse of the functional requirements; iv) the hierarchical nature of goals, theoretical models and instanced models facilitates change management; and, v) documenting and validating continuous mathematics needs to be supported. One significant change from the existing templates is for the functional requirements, which are split into two main sections:“Problem Description” and “Solution Characteristics Specification.” The template introduces a new traceability matrix to facilitate future modifications and it explicitly addresses nonfunctional requirements for the accuracy of the input data, the sensitivity of the model, the tolerance of the solution and the solution validation strategies.