Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: May 7, 2025 (AIDS) | August 8, 2025 (New/Renewal/Resubmission) | September 7, 2025 (AIDS) | December 8, 2025 (New/Renewal/Resubmission) | January 7, 2026 (AIDS) | April 8, 2026 (New/Renewal/Resubmission) | May 7, 2026 (AIDS) | August 8, 2026 (New/Renewal/Resubmission) | September 7, 2026 (AIDS)
Funding Amounts: Up to 5 years of support; covers stipend, tuition/fees, and institutional allowance (amounts set annually by NIH policy).
Summary: Supports promising predoctoral students in health-related fields to obtain mentored research training and conduct dissertation research, enhancing their potential as independent scientists.
Key Information: Applicants may not propose to lead an independent clinical trial but may gain experience in a trial led by their sponsor/co-sponsor.
Description
This fellowship provides individualized, mentored research training for predoctoral students pursuing dissertation research in scientific health-related fields relevant to the missions of participating NIH Institutes and Centers. The program aims to enhance the potential of trainees to become productive, independent research scientists by supporting rigorous research and professional development under the guidance of experienced faculty sponsors.
The fellowship is designed for candidates who are not proposing to lead an independent clinical trial but may participate in a clinical trial led by their sponsor or co-sponsor. The training plan should be well-integrated with the dissertation research project and tailored to the candidate’s career goals.
Due Dates
- May 7, 2025: AIDS-related applications (New/Renewal/Resubmission/Revision)
- August 8, 2025: New, Renewal, Resubmission, Revision applications
- September 7, 2025: AIDS-related applications
- December 8, 2025: New, Renewal, Resubmission, Revision applications
- January 7, 2026: AIDS-related applications
- April 8, 2026: New, Renewal, Resubmission, Revision applications
- May 7, 2026: AIDS-related applications
- August 8, 2026: New, Renewal, Resubmission, Revision applications
- September 7, 2026: AIDS-related applications
All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow time for corrections.
Funding Amount
- Duration: Up to 5 years of aggregate predoctoral support (up to 6 years for dual-degree training, e.g., MD/PhD).
- Budget: Includes stipend (subsistence allowance), tuition and fees, and an institutional allowance for research-related expenses (e.g., health insurance, supplies, travel).
- Award levels: Set annually by NIH; see NIH NRSA stipend and allowance policy for current rates.
- No cost sharing or matching required.
- No indirect costs: Institutional allowance covers administrative costs.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants (Institutions)
- Public and private institutions of higher education (domestic and foreign)
- Nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status)
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses)
- State, county, city, township, and special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Native American tribal governments and organizations
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Faith-based and community-based organizations
- U.S. territories and possessions
- Regional organizations
- Eligible agencies of the federal government
Eligible Individuals (Fellows)
- Must be at the dissertation research stage of a PhD or equivalent research degree program in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences.
- Must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or permanent resident by the time of award.
- Must show evidence of high academic performance and commitment to a research career.
- Not eligible: Students seeking support for both dissertation research and clinical training in a dual-degree program (e.g., MD/PhD) should apply for the F30, not this F31.
- May not propose to lead an independent clinical trial.
Application Process
- Application submission: Use NIH ASSIST, an institutional system-to-system solution, or Grants.gov Workspace.
- Required registrations: Applicant organizations must register with SAM, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. Fellows must have an eRA Commons account and an ORCID iD.
- Application guide: Follow the NIH Fellowship (F) Application Guide and the specific instructions in the funding announcement.
- Reference letters: Must be submitted directly through eRA Commons.
- Sponsor(s): Applicants must identify a primary sponsor (and optionally a sponsor team) with a strong record of research and mentorship.
- Foreign training: Allowed with strong justification for scientific advantage.
Additional Information
- Participating NIH Institutes and Centers: Not all NIH ICs participate; check the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements, and Staff Contacts before applying.
- Review criteria: Emphasize candidate’s potential, quality of training plan, sponsor’s qualifications, and institutional environment.
- No concurrent federal fellowship support: May not be held with another federal fellowship providing a stipend.
- Data management and sharing: Required per NIH policy for applicable projects.
- Responsible conduct of research: Training plan must include instruction in research ethics.
External Links
Contact Information