Continuous Submission

The NIH is committed to recognizing outstanding service in the NIH peer review process and to minimize disincentives to such service. An alternative submission policy is available for grant applications where one or more of the designated PD/PIs serve as an appointed member of an NIH chartered standing study section, NIH Board of Scientific Counselors, NIH Advisory Board or Council, or an NIH Program Advisory Committee. This policy allows applications to be submitted on a continuous basis, peer reviewed in a timely manner, and assigned to an Advisory Council per designated council round deadlines. The policy applies to R01, R21, and R34 applications that would normally be received on standard application submission dates (not special receipt dates). 

On This Page:

• Policy Announcements
• Continuous Submission Application Receipt Periods by Council Round
• How to check your Continuous Submission eligibility
• List of Reviewers Eligible for Continuous Submission
• Frequently Asked Questions

Policy Announcements

• NOT-OD-20-060 (01/24/2020) - Update of NIH Continuous Submission Policy: Change in Submission Deadlines and End of Recent Substantial Service Option
  • The practice of granting one-year continuous submission status to reviewers with "recent substantial review service" earned by serving 6 times in an 18 month period has been phased out. Reviewers who earned eligibility for continuous submission through recent substantial service during the period from January 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020 remain eligible through September 30, 2021. 

Continuous Submission Application Receipt Periods by Council Round

Excerpt from NOT-OD-20-060. See full notice for applicability and eligibility details.

For the Advisory Council Round:	Non-AIDS Standard Application Due Dates		Continuous Submission Non-AIDS Application Receipt Period Ends
	R01	R21, R34	R01, R21, R34
May	October 5 November 5	October 16 November 16	December 10
October	February 5 March 5	February 16 March 16	April 10
January	June 5 July 5	June 16 July 16	August 10

 

For the Advisory Council Round:	AIDS Application Due Dates	Continuous Submission AIDS Application Receipt Period Ends
	R01, R21, R34	R01, R21, R34
May	January 7	February 1
October	May 7	June 1
January	September 7	October 1

For example, a non-AIDS R01 application due October 5 for May Council review may be submitted by a continuous submission-eligible PD/PI through December 10. Applications received on or after December 11 will be assigned to October Council for second level review and funding consideration.

How to check your Continuous Submission eligibility

Instructions on how to check your Continuous Submission eligibility through your Commons account.

The list of reviewers eligible for Continuous Submission is no longer being generated and posted. Please click on the link above for instructions on how to check your CS eligibility through your Commons account. 

In addition, eRA Commons users with account administration roles (e.g., SO – Signing Official, AO – Administrative Official, AA – Account Administrator, BO – Business Official) can check an investigator’s eligibility using the Advanced Search feature in the Admin module.

Important note: The late policy does not apply to continuous submission. Applications received after the continuous submission receipt period end date are assigned to the next council round in all cases.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Frequently Asked Questions for Continuous Submission