individual fellowship, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards, NRSAs, NRSA

11.2.1 General

The Kirschstein-NRSA program helps ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists is available in adequate numbers and in appropriate research areas to carry out the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research agenda. Fellowship activities can be in basic biomedical or clinical sciences, in behavioral or social sciences, in health services research, or in any other discipline relevant to the NIH mission. Under this authority, NIH awards individual postdoctoral fellowships (F32) to promising applicants with the potential to become productive, independent investigators in fields related to the mission of the NIH ICs. Individual pre-doctoral fellowships for research doctoral dissertation training (F31), Individual pre-doctoral fellowships for MD/PhD and other dual clinical/research doctoral training (F30), and Senior Fellowships (F33), are also provided under this authority. For individual pre-doctoral fellowships, NIH ICs have differing requirements; specific NOFOs should be consulted for guidance.

Kirschstein-NRSA fellowships are awarded as a result of national competition for research training in specified health-related areas. All NIH ICs have authority to award Kirschstein-NRSA fellowships. FIC and NLM also have unique funding authorities for fellowships that are not under the Kirschstein-NRSA authority.