Career Development Awards (K) Frequently Asked Questions

NIAID has three extramural program divisions:

• Division of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (DAIDS)
• Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation (DAIT)
• Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID)

K awards fall under all three divisions based on their scientific content. 

For program officer contact information, check Contacting Program Officers and Grants Management Specialists. For programmatic or eligibility questions related to K awards, email AITraininghelpdesk@niaid.nih.gov.

No, with some exceptions. The K awards are designed to be career development awards. For most of the NIAID K awards (except the K24), current or former K awardees are not eligible.

Yes, check the Training and Career Awards section of NIAID’s Sample Applications & More webpage. Find more sample applications on NIH’s Sample Applications and Documents webpage.

No, not without prior approval. If this involves a change of scope, prior approval is required. Refer to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 8.1.2.5 Change in Scope.

No. We will review this information before award to ensure that sufficient levels of effort are committed to the project and that there is no scientific, budgetary, or commitment overlap.

No. There is no specific requirement that your mentor has funding from NIAID. However, for your application to be assigned to NIAID, your studies should fit NIAID’s research priorities. Check Understand NIAID Research Priorities.

Yes. Applicants are encouraged (but not required) to apply for independent positions at departments and institutions different from where they conducted their mentored research. It is important for all applicants, but especially for applicants who intend to stay at the mentored phase institution for the independent phase, to provide a plan by which they will separate from their mentor and advance to independence.

Yes.

Yes. You must have a tenure-track or equivalent position to be able to activate Phase II of the K22 award.

Yes. A no-cost extension is an option to address the need for additional time to complete the goals of the K99 phase. However, consistent with the NIH Grants Policy Statement, Section 12.2.3.2.2 K99 Phase, a plan for continued career development and a timely transition to an independent position should be submitted with the no-cost extension request. If an application for the R00 phase with a suitable position is not submitted within the 1-year period of the no-cost extension, the R00 will not be awarded.

Currently, NIAID provides a minimum of 1 year and up to 2 years of support for the K99 phase and 3 years of support for the R00 phase. For details, refer to NOT-AI-24-038, Notice of Information: NIAID to Increase K99, K25, and K01 Salary and Research Support and R00 Years of Support. Note: The 3 years of support for the R00 phase is for applications submitted on or after June 12, 2024.

Yes. The federal fiscal year begins October 1 and runs through September 30 of the following year. If your K22 Phase II or R00 paperwork is received by June 15, it will be reviewed during the current fiscal year. However, if your paperwork is received after June 15 and before the July 26 deadline, it will not be reviewed until the next fiscal year.

No. You must maintain the 4-year eligibility for the K99 and 5 years for the K22 for both submissions and resubmissions as indicated in the notices of funding opportunities.

For circumstances under which you can request an extension of eligibility for submission, check NIAID Career Transition Award (K22) and Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00).

Yes, this is a common situation. Once you have a signed agreement, you can start working on Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)/Institutional Review Board (IRB) details with the new institution. It is sufficient to provide a letter stating this in the Phase II application. If we offer you the award, those details are needed before the award can be made.

Yes. K99 mentored award recipients in NIH’s Intramural Research Program will be supported by intramural funds provided by the NIH institute or center intramural laboratory in which they are conducting their research. Email AITraininghelpdesk@niaid.nih.gov for Description of Institutional Environment and Institutional Commitment letters.

The R00 and K22 Phase II awards can only be activated once the recipient secures an extramural tenure-track position. These phases cannot be activated within the NIH Intramural Research Program.

No, the years of eligibility limit applies to total number of years as a postdoc. Check Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) and NIAID Career Transition Award (K22) for circumstances not considered part of the eligibility limit.

For guidance on submitting a request for extension of eligibility, refer to K22 Phase I or K99 Eligibility Extension Letter Format and Submission.

For guidance and instructions on what to include in your R00 application package and how to submit it, refer to R00 Application Submission Instructions.

For guidance and instructions on what to include in your K22 Phase II application package and how to submit it, refer to K22 Phase II Application Submission Instructions.