Investigators must be U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, or permanent residents with a valid Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-551) at the time of the award. People on temporary or student visas are not eligible.

Signatures are not required on fellowship applications, progress reports, or prior approval requests. Instead, institutions must keep a signature assurance on file for all fellows and their sponsors.

Fellowship awards do not:

Receive F&A costs.
Have carryover authority.
Have no-cost extensions.
Have preaward spending.

Special activation, health insurance, and other requirements apply for foreign institutions or federal government agencies. Grants management specialists will request additional information as necessary. For details, go to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) -- NRSA Fellowships and the fellowship grants links above.

Go to Fellowships Grants (F) for basic information on fellowships, such as who can apply and award length.

Applicants

Submit competing applications by standard due dates.
- F31 -- April 13, August 13, and December 13.
- F32 and F33 -- April 8, August 8, and December 8.
Apply electronically.
- For instructions, read the relevant funding opportunity announcement and the SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide.
  - Check Notable Changes Made to SF424 (R&R) Application Guides for key revisions, including clarification on fitting publications within the biosketch page limit, updated instructions to reflect NIH Guidelines on Human Stem Cell Research, and the requirement to submit reference letters on the correct form. See next bullet.
- Request at least three (but no more than five) reference letters.
  - The people you ask must use the References for Fellowship Awards format page, which has three parts:
    1. Fellowship applicant ranking
    2. Narrative evaluation
    3. Referee information
  - Read the Reference Letter Instructions in the Application Guide (Part 1, Section 5.4) for detailed instructions, including information you should give to people writing your letters. Also see NIH's Reference Letters FAQs.
  - Note: those who write letters for you will submit them directly through the eRA Commons at Submit Reference Letter.
- For F31s, make sure your institution includes a letter certifying that you are a member of an underrepresented group. The certification letter titled Diversity_Eligibility_Ltr must be:
  - Attached under Item 11 Other Attachments in Section 4.4 Other Project Information Component.
  - On institutional letterhead and scanned so that an institutional official signature is visible.

Grantees and Fellows

Noncompeting fellowship applications are due two months before the anniversary start date. Use form PHS 416-9.
Submit your NRSA forms for activation, payback, and termination as follows:
- Activation Notices (PHS 416-5) -- required for initial activation of all fellowships and annually for fellows sponsored by foreign institutions and the federal government.
- Payback Agreements (PHS 6031) -- for the initial year only of F32 or F33 support.
- After the initial year, you don't need a payback agreement even if you have support from a different NRSA (for example, you had 12 months of T32 support before you got an F32).
- If you are required to fill out a payback agreement, be sure to mail it in with the original activation notice (required by NIH legal office). Mail both forms to:
  Shellie Wilburn
  National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH
  6700B Rockledge Drive, Room 2233
  Bethesda, MD 20892-7614
  Express Mail: Bethesda, MD 20817
- Termination Forms (PHS 416-7) -- you may submit these forms to Shellie Wilburn in the following ways:
  - By mail or express mail to the address above.
  - As PDF email attachments to Shellie Wilburn.
  - By fax to 301-493-0597.

Program Officers

Document whether any requested postdoctoral fellowship courses are required for the research training funded by the F32 or F33. Courses must meet that requirement for us to award tuition and fees.
Work with grants management specialists on prior approval requests, such as change of sponsor or mentor, scope, and institution.

Contacts

AITrainingHelpDesk@niaid.nih.gov

Shellie Wilburn

For questions specific to funded fellowships, contact the appropriate grants management specialist.

If you have knowledge to share or want more information on this topic, email deaweb@niaid.nih.gov with the title of this page or its URL and your question or comment. Thanks for helping us clarify and expand our knowledge base.

Links

Fellowships questions and answers

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) -- NRSA Fellowships

NIAID Funding Policy and Process SOP

NIH Grants Glossary

NIH Research and Training Opportunities Web site

NRSA Web site

Training and Career Awards and Fellowships questions and answers

Look It Up

See the Glossary for terms.