Yes. Fellows and sponsors no longer sign fellowship applications, progress reports, and prior approval requests. Instead, institutions have to keep your signature assurances on file.

You still sign other fellowship forms: activation notices, termination notices, payback agreements, and annual payback activities certification.

Should I submit my application electronically?

Yes. See the Fellowship Grants SOP for more information, including details on reference letters and other notable changes to the SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide. Also read the next question.

What happens if the correct form wasn't used for my reference letters?

If the people writing your letters did not complete the required References for Fellowship Awards format page, they will have to submit them again using this form. See the August 27, 2009, Guide notice for instructions on how to correct a reference.

What is the correct way to indicate a sponsor in Profile-Senior/Key Personnel?

From the SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide:

Person 1 is the (primary) Sponsor...Click on Other Project Role and choose Other in the drop down menu, then indicate in the blank Sponsor or Co-Sponsor as applicable to define the role the person will have in the project.

I had prior NRSA support on another fellowship from another agency. Am I eligible for an F32 award?

Fellows may receive up to three years of aggregate NRSA support at the postdoctoral level, including any combination of support from institutional training grants and individual fellowship awards.

Can I pursue my postdoctoral training at a foreign institution?

Yes. With an NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32), you may go abroad for your training. See Fellowships for more information.

Does the underrepresented group I must be part of to be eligible for an F31 include women? What are other eligibility requirements?

Women are not considered to be underrepresented in biomedical research. Also, the F31 funding opportunity announcement does not include women in the groups of which it is particularly interested in encouraging the recruitment and retention. See Eligibility Information in the FOA.

As for other eligibility information, consult the FOA as well as:

Fellowships page in our Advice on Research Training and Career Awards.
Our Office of Special Populations and Research Training at AITrainingHelpDesk@niaid.nih.gov.

Do I have to be part of an underrepresented racial or ethnic group to apply for an Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (F31)?

See Do I have to be part of an underrepresented racial or ethnic group to apply for an Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (F31)? in our Special Populations questions and answers.

Also see previous question above.

Can I revise and resubmit my F31 application? When are resubmissions due?

According to the Executive Summary in the F31 program announcement, you can resubmit. Learn about NIH's resubmission policy by reading the October 8, 2008, Guide notice.

In a nutshell, it says:

Applicants may resubmit applications submitted on January 25, 2009, and later only once with no time limit.
Applicants may resubmit applications sent before that date twice and must do so by January 7, 2011.

As for due dates, go to Standard Due Dates for Competing Applications. New, renewal, and resubmissions are due April 13, August 13, and December 13. Submit your application electronically. See the Fellowship Grants SOP for more information.

To finish my thesis and two papers, must I continue writing from my institution, or can I do so from another location (including another country) and receive my award?

You may go elsewhere to write if your mentor approves. You don't need NIH approval if no money is involved. However, you should contact your grants management specialist if you are leaving your institution and are continuing to receive NIH funds.

Can I have more than one sponsor?

Yes. Sometimes it is advisable to have a second sponsor, especially if the project requires special expertise.

How many years of support can postdoctoral fellows receive?

Three years is the maximum for an F32.

What is the maximum number of years for which fellows can receive NRSA support?

Fellows can receive no more than five years' aggregate NRSA support at the predoctoral level and no more than three years' aggregate support at the postdoctoral level. This includes any combination of support from NRSA institutional research training grants and individual fellowships.

Anyone seeking an exception to the maximum period of support must obtain a waiver from NIAID. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for full details.

Where are F32 applications reviewed, and do they undergo a streamlined review?

Read Writing a Fellowship Application.

For F32s, what expenses are allowed?

The Allowable and Unallowable Costs section of the NIH Grants Policy Statement addresses allowed expenses for both institutional allowance and tuition and fees. In a nutshell, here's what it states:

Institutional allowance

The type of sponsoring institution determines the costs that may be charged to this category.

For example, the allowance for nonfederal public or private nonprofit institutions can defray expenses such as research supplies, equipment, travel to scientific meetings, and health insurance. It can also offset, as much as possible, appropriate administrative costs of training.

Tuition and Fees

Costs associated with tuition and fees are allowed only if they are for specific courses required for the training supported by the F32. Note that health insurance is not included since it's part of the institutional allowance.

After four years of biochemistry, I want to learn more applied research approaches. With the new stimulus package, what are the chances that I would be awarded another fellowship, or should I try for a career development award?

Your chances of getting a second postdoc fellowship would be very remote. You could try for a Research Scholar Development Award (K 22), but getting an award may be difficult if you're in a new field and don't have publications or much experience.

Should I include a budget in the noncompeting grant progress report?

No. Fellowships do not require a budget.

Do I need to submit an Inclusion Enrollment Form in my progress report?

You must provide the Inclusion Enrollment form only if you participated in research involving human subjects not reported in the progress report of another PHS-supported project.

If you are conducting clinical research, you must report the annual cumulative enrollment of subjects and their distribution by sex/gender and ethnicity/race using the Inclusion Enrollment Report. The Inclusion Enrollment Report is not included in the two-page summary limit.

For more information, see our Noncompeting Progress Reports and Program Officer Approval SOP.

Where do I send my annual noncompeting grant progress report?

Send your PHS 416-9 progress report to:

Division of Extramural Activities Support, OER
National Institutes of Health
6705 Rockledge Drive, Room 2207, MSC 7987
Bethesda, MD 20892-7987 (Use this ZIP code for the U.S. Postal Service, including express mail.)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (Use this ZIP code for commercial carriers such as FedEx and UPS.

What if my question wasn't answered here, or I'd like to suggest a question?

Try our central page for Fellowship Grants (F), Advice on Research Training and Career Awards tutorial, and the main Training, Career Awards, and Fellowships questions and answers page.

If you still need help, email deaweb@niaid.nih.gov with the title of this page or its URL and your question or comment. We answer questions by email and post them here. Thanks for helping us clarify and expand our knowledge base.

Look It Up

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