The NINR Graduate Partnerships Training Program in Biobehavioral Research is part of the larger Graduate Partnerships Program at the NIH. The Graduate Partnerships Program initiative links the NIH with universities in the graduate level training of students. Through university partnerships the NIH strengthens and expand its role as a key provider of excellent training for the biomedical scientists of the future. The mission of the Graduate Partnerships Program is to establish and foster graduate education partnerships with national and international universities and institutions dedicated to quality education in biomedical basic and clinical research while providing the infrastructure and community support needed by the students in these programs.

At the NIH, graduate students are exposed to thousands of biomedical research faculty and postdoctoral fellows surpassing the experience in any university in the world. A wealth of scientific information is available in the nearby National Library of Medicine. Scientific and community needs of NIH students are met by Graduate Partnerships Program and the Office of Education providing individual career advisement, training in scientific presentations and writing, and many events supporting quality student life. The Graduate Student Lounge near the centrally located graduate student offices, bookstore, and auditoriums provide the student with a comfortable academic setting and many community-building opportunities.

Students in the Graduate Partnerships Program spend their first year at the university while studying graduate level courses. In the second year, students move partially or completely to the NIH campus for their research and continue in higher-level graduate courses. The following years are dedicated completely to research. Affiliation with the home university is maintained throughout the graduate program experience.