NIH Fellowships 2026 provide research training and funding opportunities for students and scientists pursuing careers in biomedical, behavioral, social, and clinical research. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) describes its individual fellowship programs as opportunities for mentored research experience at different stages of a research career, particularly at the graduate and postdoctoral levels.
The fellowship portfolio includes several award categories covering predoctoral, postdoctoral,l and other research-training pathways. Depending on the specific funding opportunity, fellowship support may include a stipend, institutional allowance, tuition and fees, and childcare costs.
NIH Fellowships 2026 Overview
NIH fellowships are part of the agency’s broader effort to develop the biomedical research workforce. The programs provide mentored research experiences designed to help researchers develop the skills and experience needed to progress toward research careers.
NIH’s fellowship programs are commonly referred to as the F series. Many are supported through the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) program.
The NIH currently identifies fellowship opportunities across several career stages, including:
- Predoctoral research training
- M.D./Ph.D. and other dual-degree research training
- Predoctoral-to-postdoctoral transition training
- Postdoctoral research training
- Senior fellowships for experienced researchers
Predoctoral NIH Fellowships
Predoctoral fellowships are designed for students pursuing advanced education and research leading toward a research doctorate or certain combined clinical and research degrees.
Important fellowship categories include:
F30 Fellowship
The F30 Individual Predoctoral NRSA supports students in combined M.D./Ph.D. and other eligible dual-doctoral degree programs. Its purpose is to develop promising clinician-scientists and physician-scientists through integrated clinical and research training.
F31 Fellowship
The F31 Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award provides supervised research training for predoctoral researchers working toward research degrees in specified health and health-related areas.
F99/K00 Fellowship
The F99/K00 pathway is designed to help promising Ph.D. students transition from predoctoral research training toward postdoctoral research careers. NIH identifies it as a predoctoral-to-postdoctoral transition award.
Postdoctoral NIH Fellowships
The F32 Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award is designed to provide postdoctoral research training that broadens a scientist’s research background and strengthens their potential for research in health-related areas.
Postdoctoral fellowship programs can therefore be particularly relevant to researchers who have completed a doctoral degree or equivalent qualification and are seeking additional mentored research experience before progressing toward greater research independence.
NIH states that postdoctoral research training is intended to enhance professional skills and research independence needed to pursue a chosen career path.
Senior Fellowship Opportunities
NIH also maintains the F33 National Research Service Award for Senior Fellows. This category is intended for experienced scientists seeking opportunities to broaden their scientific background, acquire new research capabilities, change the direction of their research career, er or strengthen their ability to conduct health-related research.
This means that NIH fellowship opportunities are not limited exclusively to students. The appropriate fellowship depends on the applicant’s career stage and the requirements of the particular funding opportunity.
What Funding Can NIH Fellowships Provide?
The exact financial support depends on the specific fellowship and funding opportunity.
NIH states that individual fellowships may provide:
- A stipend
- Institutional allowance
- Support for training-related costs
- Tuition and fees
- Childcare costs
Applicants should check the specific funding opportunity for the applicable support and eligibility conditions.
For FY2026, NIH published NRSA stipend and institutional-allowance levels. For example, the FY2026 predoctoral stipend for F30 and F31 fellows is listed at $29,364 per year ($2,447 per month). The FY2026 postdoctoral F32 stipend varies according to relevant postdoctoral experience.
These figures should not be interpreted as a universal payment for every NIH fellowship because funding terms can vary by award and applicant circumstances.
Research Areas Covered
NIH research-training programs span a broad range of biomedical and health-related disciplines.
Depending on the participating NIH Institute, Center, or Office and the specific funding opportunity, research can involve areas such as:
- Biomedical sciences
- Clinical sciences
- Behavioral research
- Social sciences
- Health services research
- Genetics and genomics
- Cancer research
- Neuroscience
- Infectious diseases
- Public health
- Medical research
- Biotechnology
- Other areas relevant to the NIH mission
The NIH notes that Kirschstein-NRSA fellowship activities can cover basic biomedical and clinical sciences, behavioral and social sciences, health services research, and other disciplines relevant to the NIH mission.
Who Can Apply?
Eligibility depends on the specific fellowship.
NIH’s fellowship portfolio includes opportunities for researchers at different career stages, with major categories covering:
Predoctoral researchers: Students pursuing research doctorates or eligible dual clinical/research degrees.
Postdoctoral researchers: Scientists who have completed doctoral-level training and are seeking additional mentored research experience.
Transition-stage researchers: Researchers moving from doctoral training toward postdoctoral research.
Experienced scientists: Researchers seeking opportunities to broaden or redirect their research capabilities.
Applicants should always consult the individual Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), because participating NIH Institutes and Centers can have different requirements. NIH specifically notes that requirements for individual predoctoral fellowships can differ between Institutes and Centers.
NIH Fellowship Application and Review
NIH has been updating its fellowship, training,g and career-development application and review processes.
In July 2026, NIH reported that changes were intended to make review more consistent and tailored to F, K, and T applications. NIH also highlighted the importance of the candidate’s potential and training goals in the review process.
Applicants should therefore pay close attention not only to their proposed research but also to how their training objectives and long-term research development are presented.
NIH also recommends that applicants use the current application instructions when preparing fellowship applications.
2026 NIH Fellowship Opportunities
NIH’s current fellowship framework includes several major F-series pathways:
| Fellowship | Career Stage | Main Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| F30 | Predoctoral | M.D./Ph.D. and other dual-degree research training |
| F31 | Predoctoral | Supervised research training toward a research degree |
| F32 | Postdoctoral | Advanced mentored research training |
| F33 | Senior | Broaden or redirect research capabilities |
| F99/K00 | Predoctoral → Postdoctoral | Transition toward postdoctoral research |
NIH’s application guide also identifies other specialized fellowship activity codes, including international research fellowships and medical informatics-related programs.
Why NIH Fellowships Matter for Researchers
NIH fellowships can provide more than financial support. Their central purpose is to provide mentored research training, allowing fellows to develop scientific skills and research experience while working toward longer-term careers in the biomedical research workforce.
NIH explicitly describes its fellowship programs as helping early-career scientists develop the skills and experiences needed to transition into biomedical research careers.
For graduate and postdoctoral researchers, an NIH fellowship can therefore form an important part of a longer-term research-development pathway.
Important 2026 NIH Funding Updates
NIH’s 2026 funding environment includes several changes relevant to researchers. The agency has been working to simplify its funding-opportunity landscape and place greater emphasis on investigator-initiated research.
NIH also launched updates concerning fellowship, training, and career-development application referral and peer review during 2026.
Researchers should consequently check the latest NIH guidance before preparing an application rather than relying on older fellowship instructions.
How to Find NIH Fellowships 2026
Prospective applicants can use NIH’s Individual Fellowships resources to identify programs appropriate to their career stage. NIH also provides an Explore NIH Opportunities tool for finding current Notices of Funding Opportunity.
Official NIH Individual Fellowships: NIH Individual Fellowships
Applicants should carefully review the specific NOFO for eligibility, participating NIH Institutes or Centers, deadlines, allowable costs, and application instructions before applying.
Final Thoughts
NIH Fellowships 2026 offer structured research-training opportunities for scientists at multiple stages of their careers, particularly predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers. The F-series includes pathways such as F30, F31, F32, F33, and F99/K00, while NIH’s broader research-training portfolio also includes institutional training and career-development programs.
For researchers interested in biomedical and health sciences, these programs can provide valuable mentored research experience and, depending on the award, financial support for training and related expenses. Because eligibility and funding conditions differ between programs, applicants should use the current NIH funding opportunity and application guidance as the definitive source before submitting an application.
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