What is a NIH NRSA (F Award)?
A National Health Institute Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (F30, F31, F31 Diversity & F32) support the training of biomedical, behavioral, and clinical researchers through individual pre- and postdoctoral fellowships. The fellowship provides a stipend and partial tuition and fee support.
Additional NOFO Information:
NIH NRSA Predoctoral Opportunities (F30/F31)
NIH NRSA Diversity Predoctoral Opportunities (F31D)
NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Opportunities (F32)
NIH Resubmission Application Information
NIH Information for Reference Letters
NIH Announcements:
Implementation of Revisions to the NIH and AHRQ Fellowship Application and Review Process NOT-OD-24-107
New NIH "Forms - I" Grant Application and Instructions for due dates after January 2025 NOT-OD-24-086
New NIH Guidance on Marking Changes in Resubmission Applications (effective 05/25/2024) NOT-OD-24-061
Notice of Key Dates for Individual Fellowships NOT-OD-24-082
Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity NOT-OD-20-031
Pre-Award Instructions
Applying for a NRSA (F Award) involves multiple steps and adherence to strict deadlines. Getting started as early as possible and completing application materials well before deadlines will help us to ensure that your application is submitted successfully.
Important Submission Deadlines
All application submissions must be submitted for review by your Graduate Studies External Fellowships Analysts at least five business days in advance of the submission date. Submissions turned in after five business days will not be accepted.
| Spring Submission Deadlines | |
| Application Materials Due to Graduate Studies | Monday, April 1, 2024 |
| NRSA Submission Deadline | Monday, April 8, 2024 |
| Summer Submission Deadlines | |
| Application Materials Due to Graduate Studies | Thursday, August 1, 2024 |
| NRSA Submission Deadline | Thursday, August 8, 2024 |
| Fall Submission Deadlines | |
| Application Materials Due to Graduate Studies | Friday, November 29, 2024 |
| NRSA Submission Deadline | Friday, December 6, 2024 |
*Please note, Graduate Studies External Fellowship Analysts are not available outside of working hours (Monday through Friday 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM PST), on weekends or on university holidays to assist with submissions. All application submissions must occur on the Friday prior to the submission deadline if it falls on a weekend.
Who is responsible for what?
| Step or Application Item | Responsible Party | Who can help me? |
| Complete the internal Graduate Studies questionnaire. | Student | This questionnaire will route to the External Fellowship Analysts and will let us know which analyst will be assigned to you as your AOR, which submission cycle you intend to apply, which F award you plan on applying to, and if you need assistance with setting up an eRA Commons account. Questions? Contact your external fellowship analyst. |
| Complete Application in ASSIST | Student | Your major professor (faculty mentor) should assist you with completing your application in ASSIST. Additional help for completing this portion may be found on the NIH website. |
| SF-424 Form | Student | Your major professor (faculty mentor) and/or contracts and grants analyst should assist you with completing this form. Oftentimes, this staff member is the same person who helps your major professor. Additional information required for the SF-424 form may be found here. |
| Budget | Student/Account Manager | Your major professor (faculty mentor) and/or contracts and grants analyst/account manager should assist you with completing your budget. Oftentimes, this staff member is the same person who helps your major professor with their grant submissions. A budget template for both pre and postdoctoral students is available. |
| Internal Processing Form | Student/Account Manager | This is the IPF and is completed in CayuseSP. When you notify your external fellowship analyst that you intend to apply for an F award, instruction on how to submit this form will be sent via email. |
| Conflict of Interest Form | Student | This form is found within CayuseSP and any questions regarding this form can be directed to the Office of Research. |
| PI Exception Form | Student | This form is required by SPO at the Office of Research. Your major professor (PI) will need to sign the form along with your department chair. Once completed, the form needs to be submitted as an attachment to your proposal in CayuseSP. |
| Submission of Application | External Fellowship Analyst | Once the application is complete, reviewed by an external fellowship analyst, and consent from the applicant has been given, the assigned external fellowship analyst will submit the application. |
Post-Award Instructions
Congratulations on being awarded a NRSA Award (F Series)! Once you have received notification of your fellowship, it must go through several steps to be set up at the university before it can be distributed to you.
Who is responsible for what?
| Step in Process | Responsible Party | What should I do? |
| Notification of Award (NOA) | Student | Send your award letter notification to your graduate program coordinator, your Graduate Studies' external fellowship analyst, and your major professor. |
| Entering the NOA into UC Davis systems | External Fellowship Analyst | The external fellowship analyst will enter the award into CayuseSP for routing to the next department, Contracts and Grants for fund code set up. CGA will notify your account manager once complete. |
| Setting Up the Account for Banner | Departmental Account Manager | Account managers should request a Banner Fund Code using the Banner Fund Code Request form. This will link the UC Davis (KFS/Aggie Enterprise) account to Banner. |
| Entering the UC PATH Appointment | Department and Payroll Service Center | This fellowship falls under the BR union contract, and the stipend and required supplement will be paid through UC PATH. The staff member responsible in the department for entering Aggie Service cases should submit a UC PATH GSR Fellow appointment. |
| Entering Fee Payment in Banner | Department and/or Graduate Studies | An account manager should submit a Request for Payment form to Graduate Studies for entry OR a Graduate Program Coordinator may enter the award directly into Banner. Questions about entering fellowships into Banner may be directed to gspayments@ucdavis.edu. |
| External Fellowship Fee Match | Departmental Account Manager or Graduate Program Coordinator | Account managers or graduate program coordinators should request an external fee match for any tuition and fees or health insurance not covered by the award. |
Frequently Asked Questions
- When should I expect my fellowship stipend payment?
- Once all of the above steps are completed, fellowship stipends will be disbursed through UC Path on the 1st of each month, for the preceding month. The fellowship funds are allocated in twelve equal monthly installments, although the necessary supplement may fluctuate. We highly recommend that you set up direct deposit with UC Path.
- Can I receive a stipend supplement while on fellowship?
- Individual Fellowships: Kirschstein-NRSA fellows receive stipends to defray living expenses. Stipends may be supplemented by an institution from non-Federal funds provided this supplementation is without any additional obligation for the fellow. An institution can determine the amount of stipend supplementation, if any, it will provide according to its own formally established policies governing stipend support.
Research Training Fellowships: An individual may not receive support under a Kirschstein-NRSA institutional research training grant concurrently with another federally sponsored fellowship or similar Federal or non-Federal award that provides a stipend or otherwise duplicates provisions of the Kirschstein-NRSA award. - Can I hold other employment (i.e. GSR or TA position) while on a NRSA Award?
- Individual Fellowships: NIH recognizes that Kirschstein-NRSA fellows may seek part-time employment incidental to their training program to offset further their expenses. Fellows and trainees may spend on average, an additional 25% of their time (e.g., 10 hours per week) in part time research, teaching, or clinical employment, so long as those activities do not interfere with, or lengthen, the duration of their NRSA training.
Research Training Fellowships: NIH recognizes that student or postdoctoral trainees may seek part-time employment coincidental to their training program to further offset their expenses. Fellows and trainees may spend on average, an additional 25% of their time (e.g., 10 hours per week) in part time research, teaching, or clinical employment, so long as those activities do not interfere with, or lengthen, the duration of their NRSA training.
If you are considering holding another employment position, please contact your External Fellowship Analyst. - Can I hold other awards while on fellowship?
- Individual Fellowships: NRSA individual fellowship may not be held concurrently with another federally sponsored fellowship or similar Federal or non-Federal award that provides a stipend or otherwise duplicates provisions of the Kirschstein-NRSA.
Research Training Fellowships: An individual may not receive support under a Kirschstein-NRSA institutional research training grant concurrently with another federally sponsored fellowship or similar Federal or non-Federal award that provides a stipend or otherwise duplicates provisions of the Kirschstein-NRSA award.