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Application Referral and Review

What happens between the time you submit the application and NIH lets you know you will be funded? Read on for information about receipt and referral and NIH’s peer review process.

Receipt & Referral

Receipt & Referral

Learn how NIH staff check incoming grant applications for completeness, assign the applications to an NIH Institute or Center for potential funding consideration and to a scientific review group for evaluating scientific and technical merit.

Peer Review

Peer Review

Peer review is the cornerstone of the NIH grants process, helping ensure that NIH grant applications are evaluated in a way that is fair, equitable, timely, and free of bias. NIH has a two-stage review, with the first level of review carried out by a Scientific Review Group composed primarily of non-federal scientists. The second level of review is performed by the Institute and Center National Advisory Councils or Boards composed of both scientific and public representatives. Learn details of NIH’s peer review process, held up as a model around the world.