Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Short-Term Institutional Research Training Grant (Parent T35) | PA 23 080

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 23 080

The Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Short-Term Institutional Research Training Grant (Parent T35) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity designed to help U.S.-based institutions create, strengthen, or expand short, intensive research training programs for predoctoral students who are considering careers in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research. The core idea is to fund organized, mentored research experiences that are substantial enough to give trainees a real grounding in how biomedical research is conducted, rather than a light or purely observational exposure.

A common use of the T35 mechanism across many NIH Institutes and Centers is to support summer research training for health professional students, such as medical and veterinary students, and students in other health professional degree programs. These programs are often structured to fit within an academic break and provide a focused research immersion under the supervision of experienced faculty mentors. In addition, the program explicitly aims to attract students from physical or quantitative science backgrounds by giving them short-term entry points into health-related research, with the goal of encouraging them to pursue longer-term research careers that connect their quantitative expertise to biomedical problems.

The training experience supported by this FOA is expected to be meaningful in depth and rigor. Institutions are expected to provide an environment and program structure that exposes participants to the underlying principles of research, such as study design, responsible conduct of research, data collection and analysis, interpretation of results, and the broader culture of scientific inquiry. The emphasis is on preparing trainees to understand the research process and to see themselves as potential future contributors to biomedical science, whether through subsequent research training, graduate study, or research-integrated clinical careers.

There are also clear boundaries around clinical trials. Trainees appointed to this T35 program are not permitted to lead an independent clinical trial. However, they are allowed to gain research experience that involves clinical trials as long as the trial is led by a mentor or co-mentor. In practice, this means trainees can participate in clinical research activities and learn how trials work, but they cannot be the responsible party directing the trial as an independent investigator.

Eligibility is centered on domestic (U.S.) applicant organizations. A wide range of entity types can apply, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district governments), as well as independent school districts and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. The FOA also highlights inclusion of organizations such as 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), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, foreign entities are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.

Key administrative details from the listing include the Funding Opportunity Announcement number PA 23 080, the funding instrument type listed as a grant, and the sponsoring agency being NIH. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (now often referred to through assistance listings), reflecting that various NIH Institutes and Centers may participate. The original closing date shown is May 7, 2026. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source data, which often means those details can vary by participating NIH component, fiscal year, and application volume.

• The National Institutes of Health in the environment, food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Short-Term Institutional Research Training Grant (Parent T35)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.273, 93.286, 93.351, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.847, 93.855, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-01-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), 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, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PA 23 080

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: