NIH F32: Postdoctoral Individual NRSA Fellowship

Eligibility

F32 applicants must hold a doctoral degree and be in the early stages of postdoctoral training.

• Doctoral degree — must have received a PhD, MD, DDS, or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited institution
• Citizenship — must be a US citizen, non-citizen national, or permanent resident at the time of award
• Career stage — typically within the first several years of postdoctoral training
• Sponsor — must identify a sponsor at the host institution who will direct the training
• Institution — must be a domestic non-profit or for-profit organization with research training capabilities

Application Components (FORMS-I, effective Jan 2025)

The F32 application is similar to the F31 in structure but emphasizes the transition to research independence. As of January 25, 2025, fellowship applications use FORMS-I (SF424 R&R Version I) with restructured sections.

• Specific Aims (1 page) — objectives for the postdoctoral research project
• Research Training Project Strategy (6 pages) — Scientific Foundation & Rationale and Approach (replaces the former Significance/Innovation/Approach structure)
• Candidate's Goals for the Fellowship (6 pages) — four personal statements covering professional goals, fellowship qualifications, self-assessment, and scientific perspective
• Training Activities and Timelines (6 pages) — structured training plan with timelines, including Additional Educational Information
• Sponsor(s) Commitment — five required statements covering mentoring approach, prior training record, commitment to candidate's plan, research training environment, and candidate's potential
• Responsible Conduct of Research (1 page) — plan for instruction in the responsible conduct of research
• Letters of Support — from collaborators, consultants, and others supporting the training plan

F32 vs. K Awards

The F32 and K-series awards (such as K99/R00 and K23) both support career development, but they serve different stages and have different structures. The F32 is a training fellowship with a stipend; you are a trainee under a mentor. K awards are career development grants with salary support; you are typically junior faculty or transitioning to an independent position. The F32 is appropriate when you are still building foundational skills, while K awards support the transition to research independence.