Registration for the 2023 Workshop is closed. The 2024 Workshop will be announced via Research News in the spring.
Summer 2023 Workshop Timeline
| Important Dates | Required Activities |
|---|---|
| May | Registration opens Part 1 of the series: a lecture and 1-question quiz are available on-demand via Learn@Work. |
| Thursday, June 22 | Part 2 of the series, complete in one of two ways: 1) Attend an online, interactive live session via Zoom on Thursday, June 22, 1-3 p.m. 2) Watch the recording of the session from June 22, which will be available June 26, via Learn@Work. |
| Sun., July 2 | This is the final due date for Parts 1 & 2 to be completed, and your specific aims uploaded in Learn@Work (Learn@Work must have a status of “successful” for each part). At this point in the workshop series, you MUST have a significant portion of your application written and be prepared to review it in Part 3 with a faculty mentor and your peers. |
| Mon., July 3 | Part 3 Registration Opens Only individuals who successfully complete parts 1, 2, and load their specific aims in Learn@Work will receive an email with links to register for part 3. Registration for the small groups is available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and fills VERY QUICKLY. |
| July 10 – August 8 | Part 3 of the series*: Faculty-led Small Group Discussions Faculty mentors will lead their small groups in reviewing and discussing your applications. Your leader(s) will contact your small group to arrange a schedule during this timeframe. |
| August 8 | F-Series application due date. |
Be aware of the upcoming NIH due dates for your award application type. All applications are due at 5 p.m. local WashU time (Central Time Zone).
| Award Type | Due Dates |
|---|---|
| F Series – Fellowship Awards | April 8 August 8 December 8 |
| K Series – Career Development Awards – NEW | February 12 June 12 October 12 |
| K Series – Career Development Awards – Renewal/Resubmission/Revision | March 12 July 12 November 12 |
PREPARE
3+ Months Before Application Due Date
Become better acquainted the NIH guidelines and your research interests. The NIH mission is public health-related, and therefore it is crucial that F and K fellowships emphasize this mission.
Gather as much information as possible about the NIH awards.
- Review the NIH’s Application Guide for instructions on how to apply, write the application, and submit.
- For those interested in F (Fellowship) award, visit the Individual Fellowships page; for information on the K (Career Develop) awards visit the Research Career Development Awards page.
- Explore other helpful information by browsing through resources (WUSTL Key required). Here you will find tips from past fellowship award winners, sample proposals, and recordings of past workshops presented by WashU faculty members.
Reach out to potential advisors.
If you are a graduate student, meet with your current advisor to discuss prospective topics for your proposal.
Begin to read literature for any “knowledge gaps.”
Within your area of interest, comb through discussion and conclusion sections for any knowledge gaps that you believe you can “fill in.” Reading through the literature will ensure that you choose a primary field of study that best suits your interests.
- Make sure that you keep track of all your sources and begin to construct an outline. You will use these sources later on when you draft your writing statements.
Watch the Grant Writing Videos by ICTS and DBBS (2019).
This video series covers a wealth of information on how to write a grant. You can choose to watch the entire 4-hour series, or review their table of contents and watch only the sections of the series that are most pertinent to you.
Watch the STEM Fellowship Writing Workshop (2018).
This 1 hour and 45 minute video is presented by John Russell, PhD, Philip Bayly, PhD, and Adam Eggebrecht, PhD.
WRITE
2 Months Before Application Due Date
If you have not already done so, you will now start writing the components of your fellowship application. While your application my be due a couple of months from now, good writing takes time (and, very often, a lot of editing and rewriting). Use the NIH’s “Write Your Application” guidance for important instructions and helpful tips.
Required Application Materials
The NIH F and K award applications require that you submit the following materials:
- Specific Aims
- Project Summary/Abstract
- Project Narrative
- Biosketch
- Personal Statement
- Contributions to Science
- Goals for Training/Career
- 3 Reference Letters
- Academic Transcripts
Need help?
The Writing Center provides free, one-one-one tutorials to all Washington University students. The Writing Center can help with any writing project, including NIH fellowship applications, and at any stage of the writing process (from brainstorming to draft to final versions). They can help you to generate ideas and to strengthen and clarify your writing. To make an appointment, please visit The Writing Center website, and follow the “Schedule an Appointment” link.
Watch the Writing Center’s Lecture on Grant Writing.
This one-hour lecture is provided by Steven Pijut, Associate Director of the Writing Center. This lecture provides insight on the writing process, and reflection on your research, your personal and intellectual interest, and your career.
REFINE
1 Month Before Application Due Date
By now you should have a draft of each section of your application. Over the next few weeks you will need to fill in any gaps, finalize your draft, and submit your application to the NIH.
Register to Apply
If you have not done so previously, make sure you have registered for accounts with eRA Commons and Grants.gov. It will take 1 or more business days to process this request, so it MUST be done prior to your application deadline.
Review How to Apply
The NIH provides guidance on How to Submit, Track and View Your Application, which you should review in advance of the due date. This page provides an overview of the process, and a helpful checklist to make sure you are prepared to apply.
Have Others Review Your Application
It is important to have your peers and mentor(s) review your application prior to submission. Make sure you ask them in advance of the deadline so they have time to read your writing and provide feedback. Consider having peers from outside your field of study read you application, because they can sometimes provide valuable feedback on readability and clarity.
Apply!
Make sure you apply at least TWO DAYS before the deadline in case you have technical difficulties, need to fix application errors, or to manage other unforeseen problems in applying.