Redirect Notice
Individual fellowships.
NIH awards individual fellowship grants (often referred to as the "F" series) to provide research experience to students and scientists at the graduate and postdoctoral levels.
Individual fellowship programs provide mentored research experience to students and scientists at various stages of their careers.
These fellowships may provide a stipend, institutional allowance to help support the costs of training, tuition and fees, and childcare costs. Please see the funding opportunity for details.
Search for Individual Fellowships (F) Funding Opportunities
The NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts is NIH's official publication of notices of grant policies, guidelines, and funding opportunities.
Grants Process
Ready to develop your application? Learn from a step-by-step guide.
Review Criteria
To find the criteria reviewers will use to evaluate your application, see Section V of your funding opportunity.
Still looking for a funding opportunity? Check out the Fellowship Parent Announcements , which are broad funding opportunities allowing applicants to submit investigator-initiated applications. Parent Announcements include the minimum standard review criteria appropriate for their program.
Programs by Career Stage
Predoctoral.
Period during which a student who has earned a bachelor's or equivalent degree is pursuing additional education and performing research to obtain a research doctorate. Clinical students acquire the knowledge to earn the clinical doctorate degree.
- Individual Predoctoral NRSA for M.D./Ph.D. Fellowships (F30)
- Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
- Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition Award (F99) / (K00)
Postdoctoral/Residency
Postdoctoral refers to a temporary and defined period of mentored advanced training for those who have received a doctoral degree (or equivalent) to enhance the professional skills and research independence needed to pursue their chosen career path. Residency refers to a graduate medical education (GME) program that provides physicians with hands-on experience and training in a specific medical specialty after they graduate from medical school.
- Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Established Investigator
Stage at which investigator leads research programs in an academic, industry, or government setting with independent (often peer-reviewed) research funding and have delivered significant research outputs due to their experience and scientific quality.
- Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Senior Fellows (F33)
Also Consider...
- Dissertation Award (R36)
- Fellowship for Intramural Dual-Degree Scientists (FIDDS) (FM1)
- Research Supplements to Promote Diversity
- Research Supplements to Promote Re-entry & Re-integration into Health-Related Research Careers
- Research Continuity Supplements
Upcoming Events
- Full List of Activity Codes
- What Early Career Researchers Should Know (Part 1) – the Hidden Curriculum
- What Early Career Researchers Should Know (Part 2) – Discovering Strengths to Advance Your Research Career
- Navigating Early Career Funding Opportunities
- Understanding NIH Programs
- Developing and Optimizing Your Mentor Relationships
Websites and Topic Pages
- NIH Research Training and Career Development Site
- NIH Extramural Diversity Site
- Early Stage Investigator (ESI) Policies
- Family-Friendly Initiatives
Stipend Levels & Info
- NIH Policies for NRSA Stipends, Compensation and Other Income
- NRSA Stipends (FY 2024)
- NRSA Stipends (FY 2023)
- Stipend/Salary FAQs
Policy Notices
- NOT-OD-25-008: Announcement of Childcare Costs for Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition Programs F99 Recipients
- NOT-OD-24-129: Updates to NIH Institutional Training Grant Applications for Due Dates on or After January 25, 2025
- NOT-OD-24-116: Childcare Costs for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellows and Institutional Research Training Awards
- NOT-OD-24-107: Implementation of Revisions to the NIH and AHRQ Fellowship Application and Review Process
- NOT-OD-24-084: Overview of Grant Application and Review Changes for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2025
- NOT-OD-23-111: Reminder – NIH Policies for NRSA Stipends, Compensation and Other Income
IMAGES