“Are there guidelines for the font I use in my application?”

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Yes, NIH guidelines state text must be 11 point or larger without any changes to character density, such as modifications to letter spacing and tracking. The following fonts are recommended:

  • Arial (NOT Arial Narrow) 
  • Georgia 
  • Helvetica 
  • Palatino Linotype 

Additionally, the type density must be no more than 15 characters (including spaces) per linear inch, and line spacing must be no more than six lines per vertical inch. While there are no restrictions on text color, we recommend using black or other high-contrast colors since they print well and are legible to the largest audience. In general, legibility is key, and applications that don’t conform to the minimum formatting requirements may be withdrawn from consideration. Takeaway: you want to make sure your reviewers aren’t struggling to read your application and can instead focus on your content. Read more about font requirements on the Format Attachment page as well as font FAQs

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