NIH Dissertation Grants

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) offers dissertation grants for doctoral candidates pursuing health-related careers in scientific research. The purpose of these grants is to promote research in the health sciences. There are diversity grants as well to promote diversity in biomedical research. These awards for dissertation research include the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral Fellows, the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral Fellowships to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research, and the Mental Health Dissertation Research Grant to Increase Diversity.

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards

• Health research

  Dissertation grants are awarded by the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral Fellows. This fellowship award supports "promising doctoral candidates who will be performing dissertation research and training in scientific health-related fields relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) during the tenure of the award," according to the Department of Health and Human Services at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-10-108.html.

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research

• Diversity in research

  The "Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral Fellowships to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research" is a dissertation diversity grant for "individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds." This opportunity may be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-10-109.html.

Mental Health Dissertation Research Grant to Increase Diversity

• Mental health research

  The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/, in participation with the NIH, at http://www.nih.gov, sponsor a Mental Health Dissertation Research Grant to Increase Diversity. This grant opportunity can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-09-132.html.

Funding Information

• Electronic submission

  Funding opportunities and notices may be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.html. NIH forms and applications may be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm. Deadlines for grant submissions vary. Please note that the grant submission process is changing from paper to electronic submission, so check the following website for details: http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/index.htm.

Eligibility Information

• Predoctoral students

  The "NIH supports scientists at various stages in their careers, from pre-doctoral students on research training grants to investigators with extensive experience who run large research centers," states the NIH. Eligibility information for particular awards may be found at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/. Diversity awards are for underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and the disabled.

New Investigators

• Biomedical research

  New researchers breathe new life into the field. The NIH seeks to attract new investigators to the field, because "entry of new investigators into the ranks of independent, NIH-funded researchers is essential to the health of this country's biomedical research enterprise," according to http://grants.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators/#definition.