Fellowships

Questions and Answers Table of Contents

Where can I find basic information about fellowships?

Find basic information and advice on our Training and Career Awards page, Advice on Research Training, Career Awards, and Research Supplements tutorial, and our central page for Fellowships (F).

I had prior NRSA support as 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.

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

No. This award is also for people with disabilities or from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Remember that underrepresentation varies depending on the setting. If your institution can show that you belong to an underrepresented group, you are eligible.

For more information, see the December 12, 2006, NIH Guide notice.

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.

Should I enter the program announcement number in item 3 of the PHS 416-1 form for the NIH-wide postdoctoral fellowship program announcement?

No. Because you are applying to the parent program announcement, you should leave item 3 of the PHS 416-1 form blank. If you were applying for an institute-specific program announcement, you would use that PA number instead.

You can read more about the difference between parent PAs and institute-specific PAs at How Funding Opportunities Work.

How many years of support can postdoctoral fellows receive?

Three years is the maximum for an F32.

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.

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 Fellowships (F), Advice on Research Training, Career Awards, and Research Supplements 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.