Fellowships

Fellowships
Many opportunities have issued updated calls for funding, including the NIH F31, 30 and a new parent F99/K00, as well as the HHMI Gilliam predoctoral fellowship. NRSA fellowships are limited to domestic trainees, but the AHA and new Gilliam fellowships are open to international candidates. Details and restrictions are in the funding opportunities.

NIH NRSA Fellowships

• How to Apply
• Guide to Grants and Contracts to find funding announcements
• F31 Individual Predoc Announcement, PA-25-422 NIGMS now participating
• F30 Individual Predoc Dual Degree Announcement, PA-25-426
• Slide Deck for the 2026 NIH NRSA Predoctoral Fellowship Information Session, January 21, 2026 - Form I
• NIH Guide to Reference Letters
• NIH Instructions for Fellowship Candidate Referees
• F32 Individual Postdoc Announcement, PA-25-423
• F99/K00 Funding Announcement live - Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Award released June 16, 2026
• Standard due dates August 8, December 8, April 8
  • Institutes Currently Participating:
    OD, OAR, NEI, NHGRI, NIA, NIAAA, NIAID, NIAMS, NICHD, NIDCD, NIDCR, NIDA, NIEHS, NIGMS, NIHM, NINDS, NCCIH, NCI, THRO (subject to change, confirm with funding announcement)
  • This is an NRSA award, so limited to citizens and permanent residents with an aggregate of 5 years for PhD students and 6 for MD-PhDs.  For the postdoc component, the aggregate NRSA limit is 3 years.

*Fellowship candidates are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.

NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence - see various Grants.gov

AHA FELLOWSHIPS - Open to international students - see funding notices for eligibility details.

• Predoctoral Fellowships - Due August 4, 2026 at 3 PM Central Time
• Postdoctoral Fellowships - Due August 5, 2026 at 3 PM Central Time

NSF Fellowships

• NSF GRFP
• NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunities

NSF Proposals should include the following statement in the budget justification:

The University of Chicago uses the following definition for the purpose of calculating the NSF two-month limit on salary requested in the proposal budget for senior personnel. The University of Chicago defines year as fiscal year, which is the consecutive 12-month period beginning July 1 and ending June 30.

Gilliam Fellows Due October 27, 2026 at 10:59 Central Time
The new Gilliam Fellows PhD and Postdoc Transition Program supports PhD students and their faculty thesis advisors in advancing cutting-edge research and fostering inclusive scientific training environments, while supporting the transition to postdoctoral scientist. Gilliam Fellows receive up to three years of stipend support and a discretionary allowance during their PhD training, along with professional development programming tailored to both students and advisors. Gilliam PhD Fellows interested in pursuing an academic research career may apply for four additional years of postdoctoral support as Gilliam Postdoc Fellows. 

• Who’s Eligible: Second- and third-year PhD students in the basic biological and biomedical sciences at an HHMI eligible institution, applying with their faculty PhD advisor

DOD National Defense Science and Engineering Fellowships (NDSEG) Application Period August 15 through November 15. Must be early in graduate career, must be a citizen or US national (e.g. Samoa). Permanent Residents are not eligible.

DOE Science Graduate Fellowship Program

Institutional generic boilerplate language for Responsible Conduct of Research, Facilities and Resources should be edited and augmented to highlight your specific program. Language describing myCHOICE is also provided.