International Students: Can They Apply For F31 Grants?

The F31 award is a fellowship for PhD students that covers tuition and a stipend. It is offered by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and supports predoctoral research training for up to five years. Applicants must be candidates for a PhD degree and must be at the dissertation research stage. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) also offers an F31 award for doctoral candidates performing dissertation research and training for a PhD degree in a scientific health-related field relevant to cancer research. International students are eligible to apply for the F31 award, however, it is important to note that the competition for this award is high, and it often takes two submission cycles to receive funding.

F31 Eligibility Criteria

The F31 award is a fellowship for PhD students that covers tuition and a stipend but does not include funds for research costs. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) F31 award supports doctoral candidates who will be performing dissertation research and training for a PhD degree in a scientific health-related field. Applicants must be candidates for a PhD degree and must be at the dissertation research stage of training at the time of the award. The NCI also requires a clear focus on cancer in the research training plan.

The F31 award is also offered by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and supports up to five years of predoctoral research training for PhD students. The NIA F31 typically only funds 2-3 years as it requires students to be at the dissertation phase of their PhD. The F31 award is also mentioned in relation to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).

The F31 application process involves submitting a proposed PhD research project and mentor's training plan. There is no requirement for a certain number of publications before applying, but publications are viewed as evidence of productivity. The F31 Research Training Plan should be developed collaboratively between the sponsor and the F31 candidate, and the candidate is expected to make significant intellectual contributions to the project and write the Research Training Plan.

The F31 award is highly competitive, and it often takes two submission cycles for funding to be awarded. Individuals may receive up to five years of aggregate Kirschstein-NRSA support at the predoctoral level, including any combination of support from institutional training grants and the individual fellowship award.

F31 Application Requirements

The F31 Award is a fellowship offered by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to support promising doctoral candidates who will perform dissertation research and training for a PhD degree in a scientific health-related field relevant to the mission of the NCI. Here are the detailed requirements for applying for the F31 fellowship:

Eligibility:

To be eligible for the F31 fellowship, applicants must be candidates for a PhD degree and must be at the dissertation research stage of training at the time of the award. The fellowship is intended for individuals who are transitioning to the next stage of their careers and is only available to those who have not yet completed their PhD.

Research Focus:

The research training plan must have a clear cancer focus and be distinct from the specific aims of the sponsor's pending or active research grants. The F31 project can be within the overall scope of the active sponsor's research awards, but NCI expects the candidate to make significant intellectual contributions and write the Research Training Plan.

Application Process:

The application for the F31 fellowship should be developed in collaboration with the sponsor. It should include a description of the proposed PhD research project, the mentor's training plan, and how the research training plan suits the applicant's academic record and research experience level.

Additional Requirements:

The sponsoring institution must document a strong, well-established research program related to the candidate's area of interest. The application should also include information on the necessary facilities and resources that will be made available for career enhancement and the proposed research. A URL to a full list of the applicant's published work can be provided, although it is not a strict requirement.

It is important to note that the F31 fellowship does not cover research costs, so applicants should ensure that they have sufficient funds to support their research training plan.

F31 Application Review Process

The F31 application process is a comprehensive procedure that involves multiple steps and requirements. Here is an overview of the F31 application review process:

Eligibility Criteria:

The F31 fellowship is designed for promising doctoral candidates pursuing dissertation research and training for a PhD degree in scientific health-related fields. Applicants must be at the dissertation research stage of their PhD at the time of the award. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) specifically requires a clear focus on cancer in the research training plan.

Application Requirements:

The F31 application process mandates adherence to the instructions outlined in the SF424 (R&R) Fellowship Application Guide and any program-specific instructions in Section IV of the Program Announcement. Deviations from the Application Guide should follow the program-specific instructions. The application should include a description of the proposed PhD research project and the mentor's training plan. It is important to note that there should be no duplication of the scientific aims, and the research question proposed should be distinct from the sponsor's active or pending research grants.

Review Process:

The Center for Scientific Review (CSR) and the NCI are responsible for reviewing applications. They ensure that applications are complete and conform to all eligibility requirements and special provisions. Incomplete applications will not be considered further. Reviewers are required to certify their understanding of integrity and confidentiality in the peer review process. They must also disclose any conflicts of interest (COI). NIH reviewers undergo training in review integrity and bias awareness to participate in review meetings.

Evaluation Criteria:

Reviewers evaluate applications based on the criteria established in the notice of funding opportunity. The reviewers come together as a Scientific Review Group (SRG) to discuss the merits of the proposed studies and assign a final impact score for each application. Applications are given a preliminary rating by individual reviewers, and the final rating is determined by the entire review panel.

Funding Priority:

The F31 fellowship does not cover research costs. Therefore, funding priority is given to applications that clearly indicate the availability of funds to support the candidate's research training plan throughout its duration. Mentors are responsible for covering the cost of research.

F31 Funding and Support

The F31 award is a fellowship programme that provides funding and support for doctoral candidates pursuing a PhD in a scientific health-related field. The F31 award is offered by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and is specifically designed to support dissertation research and training. To be eligible for the award, applicants must be candidates for a PhD degree and must be at the dissertation research stage of their studies at the time of the award.

The F31 award provides funding for up to five years of predoctoral research training, including any time spent on an institutional T32 training grant. The award covers the cost of tuition and provides a stipend for the fellow, but it does not include funds for research costs. Therefore, applicants must ensure that their research training plan is supported by other funding sources. The F31 award is highly competitive, and applicants should expect to submit their applications through two submission cycles before receiving funding.

The application process for the F31 award is rigorous and requires a well-developed research proposal and training plan. Applicants must propose a distinct scientific research question or approach that is separate from the specific aims of their sponsor's pending or active research grants. The F31 Research Training Plan should be developed in collaboration with the sponsor, and the F31 candidate is expected to make significant intellectual contributions to the project and write the Research Training Plan.

To increase the chances of a successful application, it is recommended to seek feedback on the research topic and to follow the instructions and guidelines provided by the funding organisation. Applicants can submit a one-page overview of their specific aims to the relevant email address to receive feedback on the appropriateness of their research topic. Additionally, sample F31 applications are available from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which can provide valuable insights into the application process.

F31 Transferability

The F31 award is a fellowship for PhD students. It is offered by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The NIA F31 award supports PhD students conducting research on ageing or dementia, while the NCI F31 award supports promising doctoral candidates who will perform dissertation research and training for a PhD degree in a scientific health-related field relevant to the mission of the NCI.

The F31 award is transferable to a certain extent. The NCI F31 fellowship award is given for training at a specific institution under the guidance of a particular sponsor. However, prior approval by the NCI is required for a transfer of the award to another institution, a change in sponsor, or a significant project change. This means that it is possible to transfer the award, but it is not a straightforward process and requires approval from the NCI.

The F31 award is also transferable in the sense that it can be used to support up to five years of predoctoral research training for PhD students, including any time spent on an institutional T32 training grant. This means that the award can be used flexibly to support the student's research and training needs.

It is important to note that the F31 award does not cover the cost of research, and it is the mentor's responsibility to cover these costs. This may be a factor that affects the transferability of the award, as the mentor would need to be able to continue supporting the research at the new institution.

Additionally, the F31 award is not open to international students. To be eligible for the award, applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents at the time of the award. This may limit the transferability of the award, as the student would need to meet the eligibility requirements at the new institution.

Overall, while the F31 award is transferable to some extent, there are several factors and approval processes that need to be considered and completed before a transfer can take place.

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