Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 – Independent Clinical Trial Required)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 19, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for early-career researchers seeking support to establish independence in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research. Applicants must be sponsored by and conduct research at a U.S. research institution. The award provides three to five years of protected research time with intensive mentorship. Individuals retraining in new fields or returning after career breaks are especially welcome. Foreign organizations cannot be applicants, though U.S. organizations with foreign components may be eligible.
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Program description
The purpose of the NIH Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) is to provide support and protected time (three to five years) for an intensive, supervised career development experience in the biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences leading to research independence. Although all of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) use this support mechanism to support career development experiences that lead to research independence, some ICs use the K01 award for individuals who propose to train in a new field or for individuals who have had a hiatus in their research career because of illness or pressing family circumstances.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- Graduate Student
- Nonprofits
- Postdoctoral Researcher
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Researcher (independent)
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (R&R) - Application cover page
- Project Narrative (NIH format)
- Mentor and Co-mentor Biosketch(es)
- Career Development Plan
- Institutional Commitment Letter
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Research Plan
- References
- Facilities and Resources documents
Program contact
- 👤 National Institutes of Health
- 📧 grantsinfo@nih.gov
- 📞 301-402-2541
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.310 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$383,462,829
-
$198,364,987
-
$190,396,050
-
$179,737,926
-
$169,422,678
-
$148,383,140
-
$143,679,156
-
$115,739,255
-
$108,778,286
-
$90,799,903
Top States by Funding
- NC 4 awards $446.4M
- WA 1 awards $383.5M
- MD 2 awards $317.8M
- NY 3 awards $207.3M
- CA 1 awards $198.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.172). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $452,727,668 | |
| 2025 | $423,878,429 | |
| 2026 est. | $9,989,158 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for a K01 award?
Early-career researchers in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences who have earned a research degree (MD, PhD, DDS, etc.). You must have a sponsoring institution and mentor committed to your career development.
What is the typical award duration?
K01 awards provide three to five years of supported, protected research time. Your institution commits to ensuring you dedicate significant effort to your research project.
Can international researchers apply?
Non-U.S. organizations cannot be applicants. However, U.S. research institutions can sponsor the award, and non-U.S. citizens with work authorization may be eligible to apply through a U.S. institution.
What is covered by K01 funding?
Your salary or stipend, research personnel, equipment, and project costs are typically allowable. Indirect costs are negotiated between your institution and NIH based on your Facilities and Administrative (F&A) rate.
When is the deadline?
The deadline is fixed at May 7, 2027. NIH K01 programs typically use single, fixed deadlines rather than rolling acceptance.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Build a strong relationship with your mentor before submitting. NIH reviewers evaluate mentoring quality heavily—choose someone with proven success in training researchers.
- Frame your research as a natural next step in your career. Explain how the award enables independence you couldn't achieve elsewhere and how your mentor's expertise fills specific skill gaps.
- Show institutional commitment clearly. Include letters from your department and mentor documenting protected time, lab space, and ongoing support after the award ends.
- Be specific about your career development plan. Describe concrete milestones (publications, grant submissions, leadership roles) and a timeline to research independence within three to five years.
- Address any career gaps or field changes head-on. If you're retraining or returning from illness/family leave, briefly explain the circumstances and emphasize your renewed commitment.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak mentoring plan or unclear mentor qualifications. Reviewers reject K01s when the mentor lacks track record training junior researchers or when institutional support commitments are vague. Unrealistic career timeline or goals that extend beyond five years. Applicants often propose too much research or fail to explain how the award uniquely enables independence compared to regular R01 funding.
Similar grants
- OPEN Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 – Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Institutional Mentored Career Development Award (Parent K12) (Clinical Trials Not Allowed) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 Independent Clinical Trial Required) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 Independent Clinical Trial Required) — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) — National Institutes of Health