Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA)Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions Without NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30) | PA 18 673

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 673

The Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions Without NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30) is an NIH fellowship opportunity aimed at supporting students in dual-doctoral degree programs who do not have access to an NIH-funded institutional predoctoral dual-degree training grant at their home institution. In practical terms, it is meant to fill a training support gap for MD/PhD and other combined professional doctorate and PhD pathways at schools that lack a formal NIH-funded dual-degree training program, while still investing in students who show strong promise as future physician-scientists or clinician-scientists.

The core purpose of this F30 is to strengthen the applicant's integrated training across both research and clinical education. Applicants are expected to be actively matriculated in a combined dual-degree program such as MD/PhD, DO/PhD, DDS/PhD, AuD/PhD, DVM/PhD, or another similar track. The application has to lay out two main pieces that fit together as one coherent plan: (1) a dissertation research project in a scientific, health-related area that aligns with the missions of participating NIH Institutes and Centers, and (2) a clearly integrated research and clinical training plan that shows how the fellowship period will improve the applicant's development. The overall expectation is that the fellowship will meaningfully increase the applicant's potential to become a productive, independent clinician-scientist, not just by funding research time, but by shaping training experiences, mentorship, and professional development in a way that connects the clinical and research sides of the program.

A key boundary in this particular FOA is how it treats clinical trials. It is designed for applicants whose proposed research does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, running a clinical trial feasibility study, or conducting an ancillary study to a clinical trial as the lead. At the same time, it does not completely prohibit clinical trial exposure. Applicants are allowed to propose research experience within a clinical trial as long as the trial is led by a sponsor or co-sponsor, meaning the fellow is gaining training and experience rather than serving as the person responsible for directing the trial.

Eligibility is framed primarily around U.S.-based organizations and trainees. The FOA lists eligible applicant organizations broadly, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, certain nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), small businesses, and other categories NIH allows under its broader rules. The announcement also explicitly notes categories of institutions that may apply, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). On the other hand, non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply as components. However, "foreign components" as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement may be allowed, which generally means parts of the project can involve a foreign element under NIH rules even though the primary applicant organization must be domestic.

From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity is an NIH discretionary grant mechanism under the education and health-related activity categories and is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (including, for example, 93.113 and many others that correspond to different NIH Institutes and Centers). The funding opportunity number is PA 18 673, and the FOA was created on February 20, 2018, with an original closing date listed as February 22, 2019. While the provided data does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, the most important takeaway is that it is structured as an individual fellowship intended to directly support the trainee's development through an integrated dissertation research and clinical training experience at an institution that does not have NIH-funded institutional dual-degree predoctoral training support.

In short, this Parent F30 is best understood as a targeted NIH fellowship for dual-degree students at institutions without NIH-funded dual-degree training programs, requiring a well-mentored dissertation research plan plus an explicitly integrated clinical and research training strategy, with clinical trial participation permitted only in a non-leading, training-focused role.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA)Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions Without NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.121, 93.172, 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.307, 93.351, 93.398, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.855, 93.859, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867, 93.879.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-02-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-02-22. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Small businesses, Others.

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