NIH Career Development (K) Awards
NIH's career development awards provide protected time and mentoring for early-career scientists and clinicians on the path to research independence.
Official program page- Sponsor
- National Institutes of Health
- Mechanism
- K series
- Typical award
- Typically 3 to 5 years, with salary and research development amounts set by each NIH institute.
- Deadlines
- New applications Feb 12, Jun 12, Oct 12; resubmissions Mar 12, Jul 12, Nov 12.
What it funds
- Salary support for protected research time, typically 75% effort or more for mentored awards
- Research development costs such as supplies, travel, and training
- A structured mentoring and career development plan
Who can apply
Varies by award: mentored awards are for postdoctoral and junior faculty researchers and clinicians, while mid-career awards support established investigators who mentor. Most mentored K awards require U.S. citizenship or permanent residency; the K99/R00 does not.
Best for
Researchers and clinician-scientists who need protected time and mentoring before applying for an R01.
Figures and deadlines change year to year: always confirm current details on the official program page before applying.
Common K awards and what replaces them
NIH is consolidating its individual K awards into four parent opportunities for due dates on or after October 12, 2027. Current announcements expire by July 13, 2027.
| Current award | Who it's for | From October 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| K01 Mentored Research Scientist | Postdocs and junior faculty in research careers | KR1 |
| K25 Mentored Quantitative Research | Quantitative scientists moving into biomedical research | KR1 |
| K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Research | Clinicians in laboratory or translational research | KC1 |
| K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research | Clinicians in patient-oriented research | KC1 |
| K24 Midcareer Investigator in Patient-Oriented Research | Established clinician-scientists who mentor | KS1 |
| K99/R00 Pathway to Independence | Postdocs moving to a first faculty position | KT1/R00 |
K00, K12, K43, and K76 continue unchanged.
Deadlines
K awards use their own standard cycle, due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.
| Application type | Cycle 1 | Cycle 2 | Cycle 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New | February 12 | June 12 | October 12 |
| Renewal, resubmission, revision | March 12 | July 12 | November 12 |
Other changes to plan for
- K funds will no longer support leading a clinical trial, a feasibility study, or an ancillary study. Awardees can gain trial experience in a mentor's trial.
- Independent-clinical-trial-required K announcements are ending.
- K applications will no longer require a Data Management and Sharing Plan once the change takes effect.
Frequently asked questions
What is an NIH K award?
A career development award that pays for protected research time and mentoring so early-career scientists and clinicians can build toward independent funding.
When are NIH K award deadlines?
New applications are due February 12, June 12, and October 12; renewals and resubmissions March 12, July 12, and November 12.
What is the difference between a K08 and a K23?
Both support clinician-scientists. The K08 is for laboratory or translational research, while the K23 is for patient-oriented research. Both become the KC1 in October 2027.
What is changing with NIH K awards in 2027?
For due dates on or after October 12, 2027, NIH is consolidating individual K awards into KR1, KC1, KS1, and KT1/R00, ending support for leading clinical trials, and dropping the DMS Plan requirement.
Related programs
All NIH opportunitiesA two-phase award that carries a promising postdoc through the last of mentored training and into their first independent faculty position.
An NIH fellowship supporting postdoctoral research training under an established sponsor.
NIH's flagship, investigator-initiated grant for a discrete, mature research project.
Managing a NIH K Awards proposal?
GrantsManager tracks the deadline, budget, and submission from first draft to award.