Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (Parent T32)

The Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (Parent T32), administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is a long-standing initiative to support the training of predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers. Managed through the Office of the Director of NIH and numerous NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), this grant program aims to cultivate a well-prepared, highly skilled biomedical research workforce to address the nation's health-related research needs. The NRSA T32 program has supported scientific training since 1974 and is a cornerstone of NIH's strategy to foster future generations of biomedical, behavioral, and clinical scientists. This grant is designed to fund institutional training programs that offer rigorous, evidence-informed research training experiences. These programs must provide comprehensive development opportunities including coursework, mentored research, and career development. The grant does not support trainees to lead independent clinical trials but permits them to gain research experience in trials led by mentors. Training programs are encouraged to include instruction on data science, reproducibility, research integrity, team-based science, and career development to reflect the evolving nature of biomedical research. Programs focusing solely on short-term predoctoral training should apply under the T35 mechanism. Eligibility for this grant includes higher education institutions (both public and private), certain nonprofits, tribal and local governments, and U.S. territories. Foreign institutions are not eligible. Trainees must be U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, or permanent residents, and must commit to full-time training. Predoctoral trainees should be enrolled in research doctoral programs, while postdoctoral trainees must have completed a qualifying doctoral degree. Short-term trainees must be enrolled in a clinical or quantitative science doctoral program and are limited to training periods of 2–3 months. Applications must be submitted electronically via ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or institutional system-to-system solutions, adhering strictly to NIH’s detailed application instructions. Required documents include a research training program plan, budgets, letters of support, and institutional commitment letters. Key evaluation criteria include the quality of the training environment, mentor qualifications, training outcomes, program administration, and plans for enhancing reproducibility and responsible research conduct. Applications are reviewed three times a year, with deadlines on January 25, May 25, and September 25 through 2027. Applicants are encouraged to consult the Table of IC-Specific Information to ensure alignment with IC-specific priorities. There is no limit on application budgets, but proposals must align with actual training needs. NIH anticipates multiple awards depending on merit and available funding. Grants may be awarded for up to five years and are renewable. NIH will provide stipends, tuition, training-related expenses, and limited travel funding for trainees. For assistance, applicants may contact the eRA Service Desk, NIH Grants Information, or specific NIH program officers listed in the Table of IC-Specific Information. Consultation with NIH staff prior to submission is strongly advised to ensure programmatic fit. The funding opportunity closes on May 5, 2028.