F31 Basics
- Typically, students apply for the F31 NRSA in the 3rd or 4th year of their Ph.D. (even if you are funded by an NSF GRFP)
- You are eligible to apply once you identify a dissertation research project and sponsor(s) (your PI)
- You are eligible through your ~5th year
- You can request 2 - 3 years of funding
- Funding covers your stipend, and tuition & fees
Planning your writing
1. Grant Kickoff Meeting
You will receive a dropbox with:
- Proposal checklist
- Funded sample applications
- Template files
- Instructions for sending reference letter requests
- Review criteria and how to address them
2. Proposal editing by request
- Application Component
- Specific Aims
- Page limits
- 1
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 6
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant
- Application Component
- Biosketch: Candidate
- Page limits
- 3500 characters personal statement; 2000 characters each, contributions to science (maximum 5 contributions)
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 6
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant
- Application Component
- Introduction (for resubmissions)
- Page limits
- 1
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 3 (as early as possible)
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant
- Application Component
- Training in Responsible Conduct of Research
- Page limits
- 1
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 5
- Who prepares this?
- Graduate Program
- Application Component
- Facilities & Other Resources
- Page limits
- Unlimited
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 5
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant, starting from mentor's version
- Application Component
- Equipment
- Page limits
- Unlimited
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 5
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant, starting from mentor's version
- Application Component
- Candidate's Goals, Preparedness, Potential
- Page limits
- 3
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 4
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant
- Application Component
- Training Activities and Timeline
- Page limits
- 3
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 4
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant
- Application Component
- Letters of Reference (send out requests)
- Page limits
- 2 pages each (3 letters required, up to 5 letters accepted)
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 4
- Who prepares this?
- Letter writers
- Application Component
- Research Strategy
- Page limits
- 6
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 2
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant
- Application Component
- Sponsor(s) Commitment
- Page limits
- 6
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 4
- Who prepares this?
- Sponsor(s), with support from applicant
- Application Component
- Vertebrate animals (if applicable)
- Page limits
- Unlimited
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 3
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant, starting from mentor's version
- Application Component
- Descriptive Title
- Page limits
- 200 characters
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 2
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant
- Application Component
- Cover Letter Attachment
- Page limits
- Unlimited
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 2
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant, with support from pre-award team
- Application Component
- Letters of support from collaborators, contributors
- Page limits
- 6 pages total, for all letters combined
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 1
- Who prepares this?
- Letter writers, with support from applicant
- Application Component
- Bibliography & References Cited
- Page limits
- Unlimited
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 1
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant
- Application Component
- Project Summary/Abstract
- Page limits
- 30 lines of text
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 1
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant
- Application Component
- Project Narrative
- Page limits
- 3 sentences
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 1
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant
- Application Component
- Biosketches: mentor, co-mentor
- Page limits
- 3500 characters personal statement; 2000 characters each, contributions to science (maximum 5 contributions)
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 1
- Who prepares this?
- Sponsor, co-sponsor, collaborators (biosketches optional for collaborators)
- Application Component
- Resource sharing plan
- Page limits
- Unlimited
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 1
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant, starting from mentor's version
- Application Component
- Authentication of key resources
- Page limits
- Unlimited
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 1
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant, starting from mentor's version
- Application Component
- Applications for Concurrent Support (usually none)
- Page limits
- Unlimited
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 1
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant, with support from pre-award team
- Application Component
- Select Agent Research (usually none)
- Page limits
- Unlimited
- Suggestion completion deadline(weeks before submission)
- 1
- Who prepares this?
- Applicant, starting from mentor's version
- Anatomy of a Specific Aims Page - BioScience Writers
- 8 Elements of Concise and Compelling Grants (focused on R01, but most parts are applicable to any grant) - Stanford Digital Repository