Individual Research Fellowships (F)

Alert

For due dates on or after January 25, 2025: Changes are coming both for how to apply for NIH fellowships as well as how NIH will review the applications. Learn about these changes.

NIH supports training of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows through the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) program. These fellowships provide a stipend for salary support and a small institutional allowance to partially offset the costs of research, tuition, and health insurance.

The goal of these programs is to support promising applicants with the potential to become productive, independent investigators in priority scientific, health-related research fields relevant to the NICHD mission. NRSA fellowships are limited to U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Please Note: NICHD does not participate in the Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA for Individual Senior Fellowship (F33) program for post-doctoral research training.

Before preparing an application, prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Dennis A. Twombly, Ph.D., Deputy Director of the Office of Extramural Policy, to discuss the relevance of the proposed research and training to NICHD's research priorities.

Parent F30: Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA for Individual Predoctoral M.D./Ph.D. and Other Dual Doctoral Degree Fellows

Purpose: Supports the dissertation research stages of training in combined M.D./Ph.D. and other dual doctoral degree programs
Eligibility:Predoctoral students in a formal combined dual doctoral degree program who plan to become physician-scientists and other clinician-scientists, including patient-oriented researchers, in priority scientific, health-related research fields relevant to the NICHD mission. Detailed eligibility criteria are described in the full announcement.
Access:
- Parent F30 for Institutions with NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs
- Parent F30 for Institutions without NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs
NICHD and Other NIH Institute/Center-Specific Requirements for the F30 Mechanism: Select the “Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements, and Staff Contacts” link within the parent announcement to find NICHD-specific information.

Parent F31: Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA for Individual Predoctoral Fellows

Purpose: Supports promising doctoral candidates who will be performing dissertation research and training in priority scientific, health-related research fields relevant to the NICHD mission.
Eligibility: Those with a bachelor’s degree and currently enrolled in a Ph.D. or equivalent research degree program. Detailed eligibility criteria are described in the full announcement.
- With limited exceptions, students must be within the first 6 years of graduate school to receive support.
- Students should submit applications early enough to ensure that at least 2 years of dissertation-stage research training will remain at the time of award.
- Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact NICHD's Scientific/Research Contact before preparing an application to discuss the relevance of the proposed research and training to NICHD's research priorities.
Access: Parent F31 Announcement
NICHD and Other NIH Institute/Center-Specific Requirements for the Parent F31 mechanism: Select the “Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements, and Staff Contacts” link within the parent announcement to find NICHD-specific information.

Diversity F31: Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA for Individual Predoctoral Fellowships to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research

Purpose: Promotes diversity of the health-related research workforce by providing up to 5 years of support for doctoral candidates (Ph.D. or equivalent research degree) or up to 6 years support for combined M.D./Ph.D. degree
Eligibility: Predoctoral students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and individuals with disabilities. Detailed eligibility criteria are described in the full announcement.
Access: Parent Diversity F31 Announcement
NICHD and Other NIH Institute/Center-Specific Requirements for the Diversity F31 Mechanism: Select the “Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements, and Staff Contacts” link within the parent announcement to find NICHD information.

F32: Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA for Individual Postdoctoral Fellows

Purpose: Supports up to 3 years of postdoctoral research training in the laboratory of an established investigator (mentor). Research training must be in priority scientific, health-related research fields relevant to the NICHD mission.
Eligibility: Those with a doctoral degree at the time of award.
Access: Parent F32 Announcement
NICHD and Other NIH Institute/Center-Specific Requirements for the F32 Mechanism: Select the “Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements, and Staff Contacts” link within the parent announcement to find NICHD-specific information.

Fellowship Resources

NIH Information on Individual Fellowships (F): Provides a description of various predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships available through the Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA program.
NRSA Fellowship Award Policies and Notices: This webpage offers the latest policies, including current stipend, fee, and other budgetary levels, for NRSA F awards. Select the “Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Fellowship (F) and Training (T) Awards” link on the page to find the most recent notices.
Peer Review of Fellowships: F31 and F32 applications assigned to NICHD are reviewed by committees at the Center for Scientific Review (CSR) based on the scientific area covered in the application. Access the rosters for CSR committees.
NIH Grants Policy Statement (GPS): The GPS outlines policies for all grant mechanisms at NIH, including fellowships, career development awards, and institutional training grants. The GPS is the ultimate resource for policy questions. NRSA fellowship policies are in Chapter 11.
Application Guides and Instructions: This site provides links to the different sets of NIH application instructions. F31 and F32 applicants should use the “Fellowship Instructions.”
FAQs about NSRA Fellowships: Get answers to common questions about NSRA fellowships.