Temporary Policy Exception to NIH Grants Policy Statement to Permit Continued Eligibility for Mentored Career Development Award When an Award Ended Early

The purpose of this Notice is to inform the extramural research community of a temporary exception to the NIH Grants Policy Statement (NIHGPS) Section 12.3.7, which generally limits eligibility for mentored career development (K) awards to those who have not previously been the recipient of such awards.  Effective immediately, NIH will allow individuals whose mentored career development awards prematurely ended on or after January 1, 2025, to be eligible to apply for a new mentored career development award, contingent upon all other eligibility requirements being met.

Implementation

This policy exception is applicable to:

• Investigators that meet all other NIH eligibility requirements for mentored career awards and for whom this exception will enable completion of career development goals and progression towards research independence.
• Investigators previously awarded competing or non-competing continuation career development awards that prematurely ended on/or after January 1, 2025.

Included within the application, investigators should provide a justification (including timelines) addressing the need for additional mentored research training and career development.  NIH maintains the authority to approve or reduce requested years of support based on justification provided by the applicant.  All other NIHGPS requirements remain unchanged unless explicitly stated in this Notice.  

Effective Date and Duration

This exception is effective immediately and will remain in effect until July 31, 2026. NIH will evaluate the impact of this policy and may revise or rescind this exception based on that review.

Full Notice:
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
NOT-OD-25-115
May 28, 2025

Notice of Short-Term Extension to Early-Stage Investigator (ESI) Eligibility Period

This notice grants the automatic extension of Early-Stage Investigator (ESI) eligibility.This extension addresses delays impacting grant application submissions, peer review, or award processing timelines between January 1, 2025, and May 31, 2025, and seeks to mitigate their effects on the biomedical research community. 

Who Is Impacted

This Notice provides information about an extension of ESI eligibility for the following investigators:

• Investigators whose last submission date for a new/resubmission application, based on ESI eligibility, was October/November 2024 will be granted a three-receipt cycle extension (roughly twelve additional months). The last submission as an ESI will be October 2025
• Individuals whose last submission date for a new/resubmission application, based on ESI eligibility, was February/March 2025 will be granted a two-receipt cycle extension (roughly eight additional months). The last submission as an ESI will be October 2025
• Individuals whose last submission date for a new/resubmission application, based on ESI eligibility, will be June/July 2025 will be granted a one-receipt cycle extension (roughly four additional months). The last submission as an ESI will be October 2025

No action is required from investigators to receive this extension; thus, no ESI extension request submission is necessary. 

Implementation

• Automatic Adjustment: Updated ESI end dates will appear in eRA Commons profiles by June 8, 2025.
• Verification: Investigators may confirm their status via the Education section in the eRA Commons Personal Profile.

Additional background and examples to aid potential applicants in determining whether they are eligible for the extension are available in the Full Notice.

Full Notice:
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
NOT-OD-25-114
May 20, 2025