National Institutes of Health · United States

Independent Scientist Award (Parent K02 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Open

Applications close on 7 May 2027. Eligible applicant types include small businesses, private institutions of higher education, county governments and 12 more.

Deadline: 7 May 2027 (in 173 days)
Grant amount: Not stated — see the official call
Funding rate: No mandatory cost sharing stated; funding percentage not stated
Cost sharing: Not required
Likely applicant types: SMEs / start-ups, Companies, Universities & research, Public bodies, Non-profits From source categories or programme rules; the call decides.
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Reference: PA-24-179
Assistance listing: 93.121 Oral Diseases and Disorders Research; 93.273 Alcohol Research Programs; 93.279 Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs; 93.310 Trans-NIH Research Support; 93.313 NIH Office of Research on Women's Health; 93.853 Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders; 93.866 Aging Research
Last checked: 13 Nov 2026

Open the official call ↗ Add deadline to calendar

About this call

The purpose of the NIH Independent Scientist Award (K02) is to foster the development of outstanding scientists and enable them to expand their potential to make significant contributions to their field of research. The K02 award provides three to five years of salary support and "protected time" for newly independent scientists who can demonstrate the need for a period of intensive research focus as a means of enhancing their research careers. Each independent scientist career award program must be tailored to meet the individual needs of the candidate.This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is designed specifically for applicants proposing research that does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or a separate ancillary clinical trial. Applicants to this FOA are permitted to propose research experience in a clinical trial led by another investigator. Applicants proposing a clinical trial or an ancillary clinical trial as lead investigator, should apply to the companion FOA

Who can apply

Small businesses
Private institutions of higher education
County governments
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
City or township governments
Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
State governments
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Independent school districts
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Special district governments
For profit organizations other than small businesses
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities

Other Eligible Applicants include the following:

Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government; Faith-based or Community-based Organizations; Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized); Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession; Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply.

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.

Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.

Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.

Topics

Education Health

How to apply

Read the full notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) linked from the official page: eligibility, cost sharing and evaluation criteria.
Make sure your organisation has an active SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity ID (UEI); registration can take several weeks.
For NIH: the organisation and the principal investigator also need eRA Commons accounts; applications are usually submitted through Grants.gov (for example with ASSIST).
Prepare the required forms, narrative, budget and attachments exactly as the NOFO specifies.
Submit before the deadline and keep the tracking number. Check for amendments before you submit.

From the call text

Who can apply: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Company stage: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Single applicant or consortium: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Where applicants must be based: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Where to apply: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page

Contact

National Institutes of Health · grantsinfo@nih.gov · 301-402-2541

Where these facts come from

Fact	Value	How we know	Taken from the source
Deadline	7 May 2027	official data field	15 Nov 2026
Amount per applicant	Unknown — not stated in the source we hold	unknown	—
Total budget	Unknown — not stated in the source we hold	unknown	—
Funding rate	No mandatory cost sharing stated; funding percentage not stated	read from the official text	15 Nov 2026
Who can apply	Small businesses; Private institutions of higher education; County governments; Public and State controlled institutions of higher education; City or township governments; Others (see text field entitled "Additional…	official data field	15 Nov 2026
Where to apply	Unknown — not stated in the source we hold	unknown	—

Official sources

Official call page · Funder's programme page

Facts on this page come from the funder’s official data, taken on 13 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.