Policies and Notices

NIH periodically issues a Guide Notice to update or clarify policies described in an active Funding Announcement. Compliance with these policy updates becomes a term and condition of award. Notices are published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. Every year, NIH incorporates the essential features of these Notices into the annual update of the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The NIH Grants Policy Statement makes available, in a single document, the policy requirements that serve as the terms and conditions of NIH grant awards. Because information is incorporated annually, the following material includes only Notices published in the last two years that affect research training and career development funding opportunities. In addition, a number of key historical Notices that affect the research training and career development community are provided in full to provide context for these changes.

General Policy Guidance

• NIH Grants Policy Statement
  • Research Career Development ("K") Awards
  • NRSA Individual Fellowships
  • NRSA Institutional Training Grants
• Next Generation Researchers Initiative
  • Early Stage and Early Established Investigator Policies
  • NOT-OD-18-235: Update on NIH Extension Policy for Early Stage Investigator Status (ESI) 
  • NOT-OD-18-214: Update on NIH’s Next Generation Researchers Initiative (NGRI) Policy on Early Established Investigators (EEIs)
  • NOT-OD-17-101: Policy Supporting the Next Generation Researchers Initiative
• Diversity
  • NOT-OD-18-210: Updated Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity
  • NOT-OD-15-089: Racial and Ethnic Categories and Definitions for NIH Diversity Programs and for Other Reporting Purposes
• Responsible Conduct of Research
  • NOT-OD-16-122: Update: Availability of Resources for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research
  • NOT-OD-10-019: Update on the Requirement for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research
• Individual Development Plans
  • NOT-OD-14-113: Revised Policy: Descriptions on the Use of Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Researchers Required in Annual Progress Reports beginning October 1, 2014
• Dual Role of Student and Postdoctoral Researcher
  • NOT-OD-15-008: OMB Clarifies Guidance on the Dual Role of Student and Postdoctoral Researchers
  • Dual role of Graduate Students and Postdocs Supported by Research Grants, page 19 (2014) 
• NIH-NSF Definition of a Postdoctoral Scholar
• NOT-OD-02-017: Graduate Student Compensation
• Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Usage of Person Months

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) Fellowship (F) and Training (T) Awards

• NOT-OD-19-039: Notice of Correction for Submission of Certification Letters for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research 
• NOT-OD-19-036: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Stipends, Tuition/Fees and Other Budgetary Levels Effective for Fiscal Year 2019 
• NOT-OD-19-029: Harassment and Discrimination Protections in NIH Training Applications 
• NOT-OD-18-170: Notice of HRSA Participation in NOT-OD-17-095 "Additional Guidance on Full-Time Training for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards
• NOT-OD-18-154: Summary of Leave, Part-Time and Extension Policies Available to Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) Trainees and Fellows
• NOT-OD-18-144: Notice of Correction to Resubmission Information in PA-18-673 "Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions Without NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30)”
• NOT-OD-18-143: Notice of Correction to Resubmission Information in PA-18-668 "Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions With NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30)”
• NOT-OD-18-145: Notice of Participation of the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs in PA-18-671 "Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31)"
• NOT-OD-18-128: Grant Application Instruction Correction for Training Grants with Human Subjects Involvement
• NOT-OD-18-001: Clinical Trials: Special Considerations for Career Development, Fellowship, Training, and Research Education Programs
• NOT-OD-17-123: The NIH Announces New Review Criteria for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grants Involving Research Experiences in Clinical Trials
• NOT-OD-17-122: The NIH Announces New Review Criteria for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship Applications Involving Research Experiences in Clinical Trials
• NOT-OD-17-095: Additional Guidance on Full-Time Training for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards
• NOT-OD-16-122: Update: Availability of Resources for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research

Career Development Awards (K Awards)

• NOT-OD-18-171: Update on Additional Awards that Permit Eligibility for K01, K08, K23, and K25 Career Development Awards   
• NOT-OD-18-156: Career Award (K) Policy Update: Temporary Adjustments to Percent Effort or Part-Time Institutional Appointment 
• NOT-OD-18-157: Career Award (K) Policy Update: Concurrent Support from a Mentored K Award and a Research Grant 
• NOT-OD-18-109: Revision: The NIH Announces Additional Review Criteria for Career Development Award Applications Involving Clinical Trials
• NOT-OD-18-001: Clinical Trials: Special Considerations for Career Development, Fellowship, Training, and Research Education Programs
• NOT-HL-17-533: Notice of Intent to Publish: Stimulating Access to Research in Residency Transition Scholar (StARRTS) (K38)
• NOT-OD-17-101: Policy Supporting the Next Generation Researchers Initiative
• NOT-OD-17-094: Clarification and Update: Salary Supplementation and Compensation on Research Career Development (K) Awards
• NOT-OD-16-054: Clarification: New Salary and Research Cost Allowances for K08 and K23 Career Development Awards
• Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Usage of Person Months
• NOT-OD-16-122: Update: Availability of Resources for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research

NRSA and K Award Authorities and Regulations

• Career (K) Award Authority: K Award Authority_USCODE-2011-title42-chap6A-subchapIII-partB-sec284 (PDF)
• Career (K) Award Authority: K Award Authority_USCODE-2011-title42-chap6A-subchapIII-partB-sec284l (PDF)
• Career (K) Award Authority: K Award Authority_USCODE-2011-title42-chap6A-subchapII-partA-sec241 (PDF)
• Career (K) Award Regulations: K Award Authority_CFR-2015-title42-vol1-part75 (PDF)
• Career (K) Award Regulations: K Award Regulations_CFR-2007-title42-vol1-part52 (PDF)
• NRSA Award Authority: Authorizing Legislation for the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Program (RTF - 20 KB)
• NRSA Award Authority: NRSA Award Authority_USCODE-2011-title42-chap6A-subchapIII-partG-Sec288 (PDF)
• NRSA Award Authority: Senate Report Language Associated with the Authorizing Legislation at 42USC288 (RTF - 13 KB)
• NRSA Award Regulations: Federal Regulations for the NRSA Program- May 31, 2001 (PDF - 71 KB)