NCCIH Research Blog

We have a time-sensitive update from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Extramural Research (OER) for researchers regarding changes planned for the NIH applications and peer review process this year.

OER is unable to reissue the parent fellowship funding opportunities to use the new review criteria, FORMS-I forms, and FORMS-I application instructions in time for the April 8 and May 7 (AIDS) due dates.

If applying to a parent Fellowship opportunity (PA-23-260, PA-23-261, PA-23-262, PA-23-263, PA-23-272) for the April 8 or May 7, 2025, standard due date, you must use FORMS-H application forms and FORMS-H instructions (PDF, 3.7 MB). OER will accept candidate biosketches with or without grades for applications submitted using FORMS-H.

Future changes to the process include updates to the peer review and submission of most research project grants, fellowships, and training grants; Common Forms for NIH biographical sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support; updated instructions for reference letters; and the transition to FORMS-I application instructions. Although each of these initiatives has specific goals, they are all meant to simplify, clarify, and/or promote greater fairness toward a level playing field for applicants throughout the application and review processes.

For more information, please visit OER’s Changes Coming to NIH Applications and Peer Review in 2025. 

Additional Resources

• How to Apply - Application Guide 
• Individual Fellowships