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Funding for Training and Career Development

Find grants, fellowships, and other types of funding for students and professionals, including:

Looking for internships, fellowships, or training programs at NEI? 

NEI offers internships, fellowships, and other training programs for students and researchers at our labs in Bethesda, Maryland

Pre- and post-doctoral individual fellowship awards

F30: Ruth L. Kirschstein Individual Predoctoral NRSA for MD/PhD and other Dual Degree Fellowships

This award is for students in a combined-degree integrated research and clinical training program. It offers up to 6 years of support with a stipend and funds to help cover tuition, fees, health insurance, and research expenses.

F31: Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award

Grantees can get up to 5 years of support for research training leading to a PhD or equivalent degree. Support includes a stipend; funds to help cover tuition and fees; and an institutional allowance for health insurance, research expenses, books, and travel to scientific meetings.

F31: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research

This type of F31 grant is specifically for students with disabilities and students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups or disadvantaged backgrounds. It offers up to 5 years of support to help cover tuition, fees, health insurance, and research expenses.

F32: Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship

This award provides grantees with a stipend and funds to help cover tuition, fees, health insurance, and research expenses. Support generally lasts for 2 or 3 years and grantees work under the guidance of the mentor or committee of mentors.

Career development awards

K08: Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award

Clinicians who are committed to a career in research can get an intensive, supervised research experience. Grantees receive a salary for 3 to 5 years and funding for research-related costs.

K12: NEI Institutional Mentored Physician Scientist Award (Clinical Trial Optional)

This grant is designed to train the next generation of vision researchers. Selected institutions can receive funding that they can use to appoint scholars to clinical trials — or to new studies related to existing clinical trials. Grantees get research experience and learn from more experienced investigators.

K23: Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award

This grant is similar to K08, but it’s specifically for clinically trained professionals committed to patient-oriented research. They receive a salary for 3 to 5 years and funding for research-related costs.

K99/R00: NIH Pathway to Independence Award

This 2-phase award is designed to help investigators who already have a clinical or research doctorate get an R01 research award early in their careers. It begins with 1 to 2 years of mentored research (K99) followed by up to 3 years of independent research (R00).

Institutional training grants

T32: Ruth L. Kirschstein Institutional National Research Service Award

Pre- and post-doctoral trainees can receive stipends to cover tuition, health insurance, research supplies, and more. Program directors at the institution where trainees are enrolled choose the recipients, and training may focus on one or more disciplines related to vision research.

T35: Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Short-Term Institutional Research Training Grant

This grant is similar to T32, but it specifically offers research training during off-quarters or summer periods.

Loan repayment programs (LRPs)

These awards encourage health professionals to pursue careers in clinical or pediatric research. In exchange for a 2-year research commitment, these programs will repay up to $35,000 of qualified educational debt (including taxes on the benefit).

Questions?

Get in touch with the NEI Extramural Program.

Dr. Neeraj Agarwal
301-435-8155
agarwalnee@nei.nih.gov

Ed Clayton, PhD
240-987-8255
Ed.clayton@nih.gov

Last updated: March 5, 2024