Payline and percentile
Definition
A percentile ranks an NIH application's impact score against other applications reviewed by the same study section, and a payline is the percentile or score cutoff an institute used to decide which applications to fund. NIH stopped using institute paylines in January 2026.
How it works
A percentile works by comparing an application's overall impact score with the scores from the same study section across its current and previous two review meetings. The steps are:
- Impact score. Each reviewer in the discussion gives a score from 1 (exceptional) to 9 (poor). NIH averages them and multiplies by 10, so final impact scores run from 10 to 90. Lower is better.
- Percentile. The score is converted to a percentile rank against the study section's applications over three meetings. A 10th percentile application scored better than about 90% of that set. Not every application receives a percentile; many grant types get only an impact score.
- Not discussed. Applications in roughly the bottom half are often not discussed and receive no score.
A payline was a cutoff an NIH institute published, such as "R01s at or below the 12th percentile," to signal which applications it expected to fund. Paylines varied by institute, mechanism, and year, and some institutes set more generous paylines for early stage investigators.
What changed in 2026
NIH ended institute paylines starting with the January 2026 council round, under what it calls a unified funding strategy. Institutes now make funding decisions by weighing the full peer review (scores and critiques) alongside institute priorities, portfolio balance, career stage, and budget, and NIH publishes its funding decision approach on one central page. Percentiles and impact scores still exist as of October 2026. NIH has also asked for public comment on replacing released scores and percentiles with broad categories such as "most competitive," but that was a proposal, not policy, as of October 2026.
Why it matters for researchers
Percentiles still matter because they remain a strong signal of funding chances, even without a published cutoff. A score in the single digits is very likely to be funded at most institutes; a score in the gray zone now depends more on program priorities. The program officer is the best source for what a given score means for a specific institute and year.
Common mistakes
- Reading an old payline table and assuming it still applies.
- Comparing percentiles across study sections or institutes as if they were equivalent.
- Assuming a score just outside an old payline cannot be funded, or that a score inside one is guaranteed.
- Deciding on a resubmission without talking to the program officer first.
Frequently asked questions
Lower percentiles are better. Applications in roughly the top 10 to 15 percent of their study section are generally competitive, but funding depends on the institute's budget and priorities.
No. NIH ended institute paylines starting with the January 2026 council round. Institutes now weigh peer review results with program priorities, portfolio balance, career stage, and budget.
Each reviewer scores the application from 1 to 9. NIH averages the scores and multiplies by 10, producing a final impact score from 10 (best) to 90 (worst).