External Fellowships & Grants

To begin your search, consult the resources listed below to find opportunities that fit your research, your career stage, your gender, your country of origin, etc. In addition, you may be eligible for one of the more common external fellowships or grants for each career stage listed below. For the exact application deadline for a particular grant, refer to the fellowship or grant website.

Please note that if you plan to apply for an external fellowship or grant, you need to inform Muin Khan in the 500 office 4 WEEKS BEFORE THE EXTERNAL DEADLINE. 

All applications will need to be submitted to Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) for internal processing 5 DAYS BEFORE THE EXTERNAL DEADLINE.

Students who receive an external fellowship will be awarded an additional $1,500 from GSAS.

Resources for Finding External Funding

• Common funding opportunities for each career stage (see below)
• Columbia's AI-powered grants search engine, GrantForward
• Additional links:
  • NSF 101: Graduate and postdoctoral researcher funding opportunities
  • Johns Hopkins University monthly updated funding lists
  • Duke University database
  • Pathways to Science database

Common Funding Opportunities for Each Career Stage

UNDERGRADUATES

Sigma Xi  
Deadline: March, October
Eligibility: Undergraduate or Graduate students; US Citizenship and residence not required. International applications are welcome.
Length: one-time sum up to $1000

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
Deadline: mid-October
Eligibility: Undergraduate or first year graduate student; US citizen, US national, or permanent residents; have completed no more than one academic year of full-time graduate study (or the equivalent).
Funding: 3 years of financial support inclusive of an annual stipend of $37,000
Length: 5 years

Hertz Foundation
Deadline: late October
Eligibility: College senior, first-year graduate student, or in a gap period preparing to apply to graduate school; intend to pursue a full-time, in-person PhD in the applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics or engineering at an institution in the United States; intend to direct their studies toward understanding and solving major, near-term problems facing society; be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.Doctoral students in the physical, biological and engineering sciences.
Funding: a cost-of-education allowance and a personal stipend valued at up to $250,000.
Length: up to 5 years

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CGSF)
Deadline: January
Eligibility: Graduate students who are U.S. citizens, have *at least* THREE remaining years in your graduate degree program, and are pursuing research in alignment with one or more specific topics identified in the Department of Defense's Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs).
Funding: Fellowships cover the cost of tuition and annual $18,000 stipend for living expenses.
Length: Up to four years.

Graduate Women in Science
Deadline: January
Eligibility: Women holding a degree from a recognized institution of higher learning, of outstanding ability and promise in research, who are performing hypothesis-driven research at any institution in the U.S. or abroad. Any person who identifies as a woman in science, irrespective of race, religion, nationality, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, or age is welcome to apply. GWIS membership is required by the application deadline.
Funding: $50,000
Length: One academic year

Sigma Xi 
Deadline: March, October
Eligibility: Undergraduate or Graduate students; US Citizenship and residence not required. International applications are welcome.
Funding/Length: one-time sum up to $1000

NIH F99/K00: Individual Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition Award
Deadline: New applications: Feb 12, June 12, Oct 12
                Renewal, resubmission, or revision: March 12, July 12, Nov 12
Eligibility: PhD students in year 3 or 4 of doctoral studies at US institutions 
Funding: Find 2023 funding levels here.
Length: Individuals may receive up to 6 years combined support for both phases, which includes up to 2 years in the F99 fellowship phase and up to 4 years in the K00 career development phase

NIH National Research Service Award Pre-Doctoral Fellowships (NRSA F31)
Deadlines: April 8, August 8, Dec 8
Eligibility: Predoctoral individuals with supervised research training in specified health and health-related areas leading toward the research degree. All F31 recipients must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents at the time of award. 
Funding: Find 2023 funding levels here.
Length: Up to 5 years

PhRMA Predoctoral Fellowships
Deadline: April, Letter of Intent; August, Full Application
Eligibility: 

• U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) must attend an accredited U.S. university as full-time, in-residence students.
• Applicants will have completed most of their pre-thesis requirements (at least two years of coursework) and be engaged in thesis research as PhD candidates by the time the award is activated. Students just starting graduate school should not apply.
• Applicants should expect to complete their PhD requirements in two years or less from the time funding begins.
• Fellows are expected to devote full time (including summers) to their research.
• Applicants currently funded on an institutional training grant (e.g., NIH TL1, T32, T90, or T35 awards or a nonprofit/professional society equivalent) may apply if they state they will forgo the institutional training slot if funded by a PhRMA Foundation predoctoral award.
• Applicants are ineligible if they are the recipient of an NIH-F award.

Funding: $30,000 per year ​​​​​
Length: 12, 18 or 24 months

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
Deadline: mid-October
Eligibility: Undergraduate or first year graduate student; US citizen, US national, or permanent residents; have completed no more than one academic year of full-time graduate study (or the equivalent).
Funding: 3 years of financial support inclusive of an annual stipend of $37,000, plus a $1500 “top-off” from GSAS.
Length: 5 years

Fulbright Study/Research Awards
Deadline: October
Eligibility: US citizens with a Bachelor’s degree, written and spoken proficiency in host country language. Applicants for study/research awards design their own projects and will typically work with advisers at foreign universities or other institutes of higher education. The study/research awards are available in approximately 140 countries.
Length: One academic year

Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans
Deadline: October
Eligibility: First or second year Ph.D.; Age 30 or younger at the time of application; Immigrant or child of immigrants; U.S. citizen/permanent resident, DACA, asylee, refugee.
Funding: up to $90,000 in financial support toward their graduate education. The award is divided into tuition support ($40,000) and stipend support ($50,000).
Length: 2 academic years

Hertz Foundation
Deadline: October
Eligibility: College senior, first-year graduate student, or in a gap period preparing to apply to graduate school; intend to pursue a full-time, in-person PhD in the applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics or engineering at an institution in the United States; intend to direct their studies toward understanding and solving major, near-term problems facing society; be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.Doctoral students in the physical, biological and engineering sciences.
Funding: a cost-of-education allowance and a personal stipend valued at up to $250,000.
Length: up to 5 years

National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG)
Deadline: October
Eligibility: PhD students who are U.S. citizens, U.S. Dual citizens or U.S. National (permanent residents are not eligible) who have at *least* THREE remaining years in their graduate degree program and are pursuing research in alignment with one or more specific topics identified in the Department of Defense's Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs).
Funding: Full tuition and all mandatory fees; a monthly stipend ($38,400 annually); a $5,000 travel budget over the Fellow’s tenure for professional development; and up to $1,200 a year in health insurance.
Length: 3 years

Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fellowship
Deadline: Fellowship applications are distributed to designated universities in October, applications are due in January
Eligibility: Graduate students who are United States citizens attending an accredited and designated institution of higher education within the United States. Supports students of financial need with outstanding character and ability who hold promise for achievement and distinction in the humanities, social sciences, or natural sciences. Funding: The cost of tuition and an annual $18,000 stipend for living expenses.

American Association of University Women Fellowships
(Multiple)
Deadlines for Dissertation, Postdoctoral and Publication Fellowships: Nov and Dec
Eligibility: Women scholars, including people who identify as women, who are PhD students or postdoctoral researchers, U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and who are completing dissertations or preparing research for publication.
Funding: $8,000-$50,000
Length: 1 year

Simons Society Fellowships 
(Multiple)
Fellowships include the Simons Graduate Fellowships in Ecology and Evolution.

INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENTS AND/OR POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS

Graduate Women in Science
Deadline: January
Eligibility: Women holding a degree from a recognized institution of higher learning, of outstanding ability and promise in research, who are performing hypothesis-driven research at any institution in the U.S. or abroad. Any person who identifies as a woman in science, irrespective of race, religion, nationality, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, or age is welcome to apply. GWIS membership is required by the application deadline.
Funding: $50,000
Length: One academic year

Jane Coffin Childs Fund for Medical Research
Deadline: February
Eligibility: Citizens of any country are eligible, but awards for non-U.S. citizens can only be made to sponsoring institutions in the United States. Applicants should have no more than 18 months of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the application deadline; Ph.D. degree not conferred more than 24 months before application deadline; Ph.D. candidates that do not have their degree at time of the application deadline are eligible to apply; Applicants who have accepted a postdoctoral research fellowship award are not eligible; Applicants must have identified a sponsoring laboratory and sponsoring institution prior to applying;
Funding: Annual stipend of $70,000 for the first year, $72,000 for the second year, and $74,000 the third year; $1,000 of stipend support annually per dependent child under 18; Annual allowance of $2,000 for the cost of the research; Up to $1,800 total for travel to scientific meetings; Relocation award, capped at $500.
Length: 3 years

Life Sciences Research Foundation
Deadline: October
Eligibility: U.S. citizens working in any geographic location and non-U.S. citizens working in a U.S. laboratory may apply within 5 years of receiving their PhD. Applications must include a letter of acceptance from your proposed postdoctoral supervisor. You must complete your postdoctoral training in a lab different from that of your graduate (thesis) lab.
Funding: $231,000 ($77,000/year). The salary/stipend is $198,000 ($66,000/year) and the research allowance is $33,000 ($11,000/year).
Length: 3 years

EGL Charitable Foundation
Deadline: October
Eligibility: Israeli citizenship; Completion of Ph.D. and / or M.D./Ph.D. from an Israeli university by commencement of the fellowship; Applicants may not have completed their requirements more than one year prior to the submission deadline; Commitment from U.S. host research institution prior to submitting an application; Applicants must not have begun work at their U.S. Host Institute prior to the submission deadline; A postdoctoral research position in an area of biomedical science.
Funding: Total annual award of $84,648 (in 2024). This includes a salary of $65,523 and fringe benefits of $11,794 (in 2024); Travel stipend of $3,300 (in 2024); Indirect costs of $4,031 (in 2024) awarded to the host institution, in addition to a Relocation award of $5,000 for expenses, $3,000 for a spouse and $1,500 per child. Annual childcare allowance equivalent to 10% of the Fellow’s salary allowance from the Fellowship, awarded per child.
Length: 3 years

American Association of University Women International Fellowships
Deadline: December
Eligibility: Women, including people who identify as women, who are PhD students or postdocs and not U.S. citizens, who intend to return to their home country to pursue a professional career.
Funding: $20,000–$50,000
Length: 1 year

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS

Graduate Women in Science
Deadline: January
Eligibility: Women holding a degree from a recognized institution of higher learning, of outstanding ability and promise in research, who are performing hypothesis-driven research at any institution in the U.S. or abroad. Any person who identifies as a woman in science, irrespective of race, religion, nationality, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, or age is welcome to apply. GWIS membership is required by the application deadline.
Funding: $50,000 (up to $10,000)
Length: 1 academic year

PhRMA Postdoctoral Fellowships
Deadline: April, Letter of Intent; August, Full Application
Eligibility: 

• Applicants (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) must currently be at a PhD and/or MS degree-granting accredited U.S. university.
• Applicants must have a firm commitment from a research supervisor or sponsor at their university.
• Applicants must 1) hold a PhD, PharmD, MD, or appropriate terminal research doctorate in a field of study logically or functionally related to the proposed postdoctoral activities or 2) expect to receive the doctoral degree before activating the award. (Activation can begin as early as January 1, 2026, or as late as August 1, 2026.)
• You are not eligible if your doctoral degree was granted before January 1, 2023.
• Applicants currently funded on an institutional training grant (e.g., NIH TL1, T32, T90, or T35 awards or a nonprofit/professional society equivalent) may apply if they state they will forgo the institutional training slot if funded by a PhRMA Foundation postdoctoral award.
• Applicants are ineligible if they are the recipient of an NIH K99/R00 award or NIH-F award.

Funding: $60,000 per year ​​​​​
Length: 12, 18 or 24 months

Jane Coffin Childs Fund for Medical Research
Deadline: February
Eligibility: Citizens of any country are eligible, but awards for non-U.S. citizens can only be made to sponsoring institutions in the United States. Applicants should have no more than 18 months of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the application deadline; Ph.D. degree not conferred more than 24 months before application deadline; Ph.D. candidates that do not have their degree at time of the application deadline are eligible to apply; Applicants who have accepted a postdoctoral research fellowship award are not eligible; Applicants must have identified a sponsoring laboratory and sponsoring institution prior to applying;
Funding: Annual stipend of $70,000 for the first year, $72,000 for the second year, and $74,000 the third year; $1,000 of stipend support annually per dependent child under 18; Annual allowance of $2,000 for the cost of the research; Up to $1,800 total for travel to scientific meetings; Relocation award, capped at $500.
Length: 3 years

NIH F32: Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award
Deadlines: April 8, August 8, Dec 8
Eligibility: Postdoctoral candidates who have the potential to become productive, independent investigators in scientific health-related research fields relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers.
Funding: Find 2023 funding levels here.
Length: Three years

Simons Society Fellowships 
(Multiple)
Fellowships include the Simons Postdoctoral Fellowships in Plant Biology and the PIVOT Fellowship for researchers moving into a new field.

Life Sciences Research Foundation
Deadline: October
Eligibility: U.S. citizens working in any geographic location and non-U.S. citizens working in a U.S. laboratory may apply within 5 years of receiving their PhD. Applications must include a letter of acceptance from your proposed postdoctoral supervisor. You must complete your postdoctoral training in a lab different from that of your graduate (thesis) lab.
Funding: $231,000 ($77,000/year). The salary/stipend is $198,000 ($66,000/year) and the research allowance is $33,000 ($11,000/year).
Length: 3 years

Leon Levy Scholarships in Neuroscience
Deadline: October
Eligibility: Supports postdocs with 125% NIH postdoc rate working in

• Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience
• Systems Neuroscience
• Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience
• Translational & Clinical Neuroscience
• Other (applicant will be asked to provide brief description)

American Association of University Women American Fellowships
(Multiple)
Deadlines for Dissertation, Postdoctoral and Publication Fellowships: Nov and Dec
Eligibility: Women scholars, including people who identify as women, who are PhD students or postdoctoral researchers, U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and who are completing dissertations or preparing research for publication.
Funding: $8,000-$50,000
Length: 1 year

American Association of University Women Research Publication Grants in Engineering, Medicine and Science
Deadline: December
Eligibility: Women, including people who identify as women, U.S. citizens or permanent residents, scholars conducting basic research in engineering, medicine or the physical or biological sciences and who have a doctorate degree in one of those fields. The grantee must publish their research in a scholarly publication and be listed as a primary author.
Funding: $10,000–$35,000
Length: 1 year

EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATORS

PhRMA Faculty Starter Grants
Deadline: April, Letter of Intent; August, Full Application
Eligibility: 

• Applicants (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) must be full-time, promotion-eligible, research-intensive faculty employed at a PhD and/or MS degree-granting accredited U.S. university by the time of award activation. (Awards may be activated between January 1, 2026, and August 1, 2026.).
• You are not eligible if your faculty status began before January 1, 2023.
• Applicants must be eligible to apply for independent external research funding by their university.
• Applicants should not have other substantial sources of research funding, excluding intramural funding or start-up funding from their university. Applicants are ineligible if they are the principal investigator (PI) of an R or K series award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation, or other significant financial award from any grant-making institution. Generally, funding over $150,000 a year is considered substantial, unless you are the PI of a grant where funds go to training others.

Funding: $100,000 per year ​​​​​
Length: one year

National Geographic Early Career Grant
Deadlines: Quarterly on Jan 15, April 22, July 10, Oct 12
Eligibility: Researchers with less than 5 years of full time experience. We fund individuals working on projects in science, conservation, storytelling, education, and technology that align with one or more of our focus areas.
Funding: Level I Grants: up to USD $20,000; Level II Grants: up to $100,000.
Length: Up to one year

Klingenstein Fellowship Awards in Neuroscience
Deadline: Application portal opens annually on September 15 and closes on February 1.
Eligibility: To qualify for an award, investigators must hold a Ph.D. and/or an M.D, and have completed all research training, including post-doctoral training. Candidates must also meet these four qualifications:

• The candidate must have a tenure track appointment or equivalent. A letter indicating the date of appointment and the commitment of institutional resources to establish the investigator and the prospects for long-term support by the institution must be provided by an institutional official (e.g., an offer letter from the dean or department chair).
• The candidate must be an independent investigator at a university, medical center, or research institute with a maximum of four years between the completion of last postdoc and the application deadline.
• United States citizenship is not a requirement, but research must be conducted in United States institutions.
• Applicants must inform the Esther A. & Joseph Klingenstein Fund of other sources of funding. Although there’s no strict prohibition against holding more than one fellowship at one time, the Fund may take other funding into account when deciding whether to grant an Award.

Funding: Awardees receive $100,000 per year for three-years ($300,000 total) beginning July 1.
Length: 3 years

Brain & Behavior Young Investigator Grant
Deadlines: March
Eligibility: Postdoctoral researchers already employed in research training or a faculty research position: post-doctoral fellows, instructors and assistant professors (or equivalent); an on-site mentor or senior collaborator who is an established investigator in areas relevant to psychiatric disorders. Basic and/or clinical investigators are supported, but research must be relevant to serious brain and behavior disorders such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders or child and adolescent mental illnesses.
Funding: Up to $70,000, or $35,000 per year
Length: 2 years

HHMI Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program
Deadline: early December
Eligibility: individuals who:

• are from gender, racial, ethnic, and other groups underrepresented in the life sciences, including those individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. This includes, but is not limited to, women of any ethnic or racial group as well as any individual identifying as Hispanic, Black, Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander, or American Indian / Alaska Native.
• are basic science researchers and physician-scientists in the biomedical and life science disciplines.
• hold a PhD and/or MD (or equivalent), which must be conferred by the start of the grant term.
  • U.S. citizens must have a degree from a research institution in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) or an international research institution.
  • Non-U.S. citizens and applicants with other nationalities must have a degree from a research institution in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico).
• have been accepted to join a laboratory as a postdoctoral researcher at a research institution located in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) at the time of the application due date.

Funding: Postdoctoral Training Phase: $70,000 salary for the initial year and a $20,000 expense allowance. Faculty Phase: $250,000 in research funding and a $20,000 expense allowance per year.
Length: Up to 4 years for the postdoctoral training phase; up to 4 years for the faculty phase

Please note that if you plan to apply for an external fellowship, you need to inform Muin Khan in the 500 office 4 WEEKS BEFORE THE EXTERNAL DEADLINE.

All applications will need to be finalized with Muin and submitted to Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) for internal processing 5 DAYS BEFORE THE EXTERNAL DEADLINE.

NIH F31 NRSA

For Instructions and Guidance on the NIH F31 NRSA, including a list of required sections and a suggested timeline for application preparation, see this resource at ZMBBI. In addition, contact Muin Khan for examples of successful grant applications from our department. 

NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award

For Instructions and Guidance on the NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award, including choosing your track and eligibility, see this resource at ZMBBI. In addition, contact Muin Khan for examples of successful grant applications from our department.

For information about application materials for other grants, please refer to the particular fellowship or grant website.

Changes to your stipend, the timing of payments, health care, etc. vary depending on sponsors and grants. For questions about what will change once you are awarded a fellowship or grant, PhD students should contact Jaya Santosh, [email protected]. Postdoctoral researchers should contact Jessica Jimenez, [email protected].

If a Biology PhD student moves from departmental funding to an external fellowship award, the payment will be distributed to them differently. For example, a GRA receives their funding semi-monthly, but a student on a fellowship such as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship receives their funding in three lump sum stipend payments in September, January and June. US citizens do not have taxes withheld when they receive a stipend, but it is their responsibility to determine if they owe taxes on the stipend. International students who receive a stipend will have 14% withheld for taxes. 

Reporting requirements differ depending on your sponsor. Reporting requirements, deadlines, etc. can be found in the executed agreements (NOAs). Once you receive an agreement, please review all reporting requirements and guidelines and forward the agreement to Muin Khan, [email protected], in the 500 office. In addition, please send Muin any sponsor email notifications regarding reporting requirements, due dates, award changes, extensions granted etc. so he can help you navigate these changes.