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Research Training

Graduate Partnerships Program Institutional Partnerships

This program is available to:

An opportunity for doctoral graduate students to perform dissertation research in the NIH Intramural Research Program through longstanding agreements with a limited number of specific graduate programs in the U.S. and abroad.

On this page

About this program

Institutional Partnerships are collaborative educational experiences that allow students to benefit from the academic resources of their university and the research environment of the NIH Intramural Research Program. Students in Institutional Partnerships:

  • are selected jointly by university and NIH committees
  • complete academic requirements at the university
  • perform all, or part, of their dissertation in a research group within the NIH Intramural Research Program.

These are full-time research positions in one of the NIH Institutes and Centers (IC) in the NIH Intramural Research Program. Graduate students work in research groups on all NIH campuses, including the main campus in Bethesda, MD.

Before you begin your application, we encourage you to learn about:

Graduate students train in research groups directed by NIH Principal Investigators (PI). We offer research opportunities in the biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences with opportunities to explore basic, translational and clinical research. Current graduate students interested in biology, engineering, epidemiology, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, nursing, physics, computer science, bioinformatics, and other health-related fields are invited to apply. Graduate students may not work in administrative offices or outside of the NIH Intramural Research Program.

In addition to an intensive research training experience, our graduate students have access to:

Diversity and inclusion

Diversity strengthens our community. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and strongly encourage applications from individuals:

  • from racial and ethnic groups that are underrepresented in biomedical research and healthcare fields
  • with disabilities
  • who are/were Pell Grant-eligible in college
  • students who are/were enrolled in Tribal Colleges and Universities, community colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, or Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
  • who identify as LGBTQ+
  • disadvantaged by life circumstances that have negatively impacted their educational opportunities.

Eligibility criteria

Eligibility requirements vary by institutional partnership.  Please see specific partnership information on each partnership's page, linked in the 'Partner Programs' section.

Stipend and other compensation

Graduate student stipends are adjusted annually and are based on experience gained after completion of your undergraduate degree. We also offer fully-paid health insurance for individuals and families. This includes coverage for medical, dental, and vision needs.

There is free parking on each NIH campus; graduate students on some campuses may be eligible to participate in the Transhare program. Students in institutional agreements also receive funds for travel between the NIH and the university, but details differ for each partnership.

Before you apply

Your decision to come to NIH as a graduate student is an important one. You will be a full-time student at your university and a trainee working onsite at one of the NIH campuses.  All institutional partnerships require you to spend time on the university campus and some require you to establish a collaboration between an NIH PI and a university PI. Furthermore, you will be expected to meet all the academic requirements of your graduate program while you are doing dissertation research at NIH. It is crucial that you fully understand the program structure and the expectations of the specific programs that interest you.

Opening and closing dates

Opening date: Monday, August 19, 2024 at 9am ET.
Application deadline for applicant: Monday, December 2, 2024 at noon ET.
Letter of recommendation deadline for references: Thursday, December 5, 2024 at noon ET.

How to apply

You must complete the NIH GPP application. Requirements for the university application differ.

To apply to an institutional partnership:

  1. Complete the NIH GPP online application including:
  • Information on your undergraduate experience
  • A list of all coursework and grades
  • Your CV
  • Personal statement highlighting prior research experiences, why you are interested in the specific institutional agreement you are applying for, and your long-term career goals. Highlight any barriers you experienced as part of your educational experiences.
  • The names and contact information for three references

2. Complete the application for the partner university, if applicable (see details for each partnership below)

We encourage you to pay careful attention to our extensive FAQs to support you in the application process.

Start your application

Partner Programs

Contact

Have questions?

Check out our extensive frequently asked questions list to support you in the application process.

Reach out to us with questions at gpp@nih.gov.