Applicant Profile
You’re eligible to apply for a K23 award if you have a health-professional doctoral degree. Such degrees include M.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.M.D., O.D., D.C., Pharm.D., N.D. (Doctor of Naturopathy), as well as a doctoral degree in nursing research or practice. Candidates with a Ph.D. or other doctoral degree in a clinical discipline such as clinical psychology, nursing, clinical genetics, speech-language pathology, audiology, or rehabilitation are also eligible. If you have a Ph.D. in a nonclinical discipline but are certified to perform clinical duties, contact the scientific research contact listed in the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) to discuss your eligibility. Also, candidates must have completed their clinical training, including specialty and, if applicable, subspecialty training, before receiving an award. However, candidates may submit an application prior to the completion of clinical training.
Your proposed research must be patient-oriented as defined in the NOFO.
If you have a substantial publication record in the field and/or have been a principal investigator (PI) on an independent research grant (e.g., R01), you may want to consider applying for an R01 instead of a K23.
Notice of Funding Opportunity
Award Specifics
Duration of 3 to 5 years, not renewable.
Salary up to $100,000 (if institutional base salary is equivalent or more) plus fringe benefits.
Research support of $50,000 each year.
Facilities and administrative costs based on 8 percent of modified total direct costs.
Minimum 9 person months (or 75 percent) effort required each year. Learn more about Percent Effort and Concurrent Salary Support for Research Career Development (K) Awards.
Application
When you apply, bring together the following elements to succeed:
- Strong curriculum vitae, with outstanding academic record and letters of recommendation.
- Mentors who are top-notch scientists with superior funding, robust publication history, and the time and interest to mentor you as the K23 applicant. Refer to Application Advice for Mentored Ks and Know What To Look for When Choosing a Mentor.
- State-of-the-art Research Plan showing strong institutional commitment.
NIAID will not accept K23 applications proposing an independent clinical trial. Learn more at Clinical Trials and NIAID Research Career Development (K) Opportunities.
Also check our Application Advice for Research Career Development (K) Awards.
During Your Award
In the last 2 years of a K23 award, NIH permits concurrent salary support from a peer-reviewed grant from any federal agency if 1) your K award is active, and 2) you are a PI on a competing research project grant or director of a subproject on a multicomponent grant from NIH or another federal agency.
More Information
Learn more on the NIAID Research Career Development (K) Awards main page.
Email your questions to AITrainingHelpDesk@mail.nih.gov.
We can also advise you on your eligibility for a particular K program and whether your proposed research aligns with NIAID if you send us your NIH-formatted biosketch and Specific Aims page. Learn more at Create Biosketches and Draft Specific Aims.