NIH F99/K00 Funding Opportunity
Declare your path to research independence through the NIH F99/K00 funding opportunity
The NIH is pleased to announce a new parent funding opportunity designed to help promising Ph.D. students take an important step toward research independence.
The NIH Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Award (F99/K00) (PA-27-037) is a phased award that supports outstanding doctoral students as they complete the final stages of their graduate training and transition into mentored postdoctoral positions.
Early career transitions represent one of the most important, and often most uncertain, stages in the biomedical research pathway. The F99/K00 is designed to provide continuity of support during this period while helping promising researchers identify postdoctoral training environments that best prepare them for long-term research independence.
Through this support, the program helps researchers develop the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to establish successful independent research careers. As a newer funding opportunity, the F99/K00 builds on NIH’s long-standing commitment to supporting this critical career transition and strengthening the biomedical research workforce.
What Makes This Program Unique?
As part of NIH’s broader effort to simplify the funding opportunity landscape, this parent funding opportunity provides a common application framework across participating NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs).
Rather than navigating multiple ICO-specific announcements with different structures, applicants can apply through a single parent opportunity while still being considered by participating ICOs whose missions align with their proposed research.
This program was intentionally designed with career development at its core. Specifically, the program:
- Supports students who still need meaningful doctoral research and training before completing the Ph.D., followed by a mentored K00 postdoctoral phase.
- Encourages a move to a different institution for the K00 phase whenever possible to expand scientific perspectives, collaborations, and professional networks.
- Encourages applicants to describe how they will identify a postdoctoral mentor after receiving the F99 award rather than requiring one at the time of application.
- Emphasizes the research, training, and mentoring needed to launch an independent research career.
Planning Your Application
Prospective applicants should carefully review the full notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for eligibility requirements and application instructions.
Competitive applications will include:
- A detailed plan for completing the remaining doctoral research.
- A broad vision for potential postdoctoral research and career development activities.
- A clear explanation of how the combined F99 and K00 phases will build the skills, experience, and scientific foundation needed for an independent research career.
The F99/K00 is intended for graduate students who are approaching the end of, but have not yet completed, their doctoral training. Application timing is an important part of career planning. The first standard application receipt date is August 8, 2026, with additional standard due dates continuing through April 2029.
As with all NIH funding opportunities, F99/K00 applications must align with the scientific missions of the participating NIH ICOs. For more information, review the NIH F99/K00 program page and the individual fellowships funding considerations and contacts page.
Below, NIH provides F99-related scientific priority statements and additional guidance from several participating NIH ICOs to help prospective applicants assess program fit, identify potential mentors, and refine long-term career goals. This guidance may also be useful for other ICOs participating in the parent F99/K00 funding opportunity.
Because assignment to a participating ICO is based on the scientific focus of the proposed research, applicants should carefully consider which ICO best aligns with their anticipated postdoctoral research direction.
Through sustained NIH support, the F99/K00 plays a critical role in advancing a strong biomedical research workforce. By investing in scientists at a pivotal career stage, the program helps position promising investigators for long-term success and leadership in biomedical science.