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The Graduate School is committed to advancing academic excellence in graduate and postdoctoral education and training. We have several departments that can assist you with questions regarding professional development activities, administrative processes, and graduate student success initiatives. 

 

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Campus Location: GSR 2.116

Phone:210-458-4331 

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Institutional Training Grants Resources

Institutional training grants differ in their guidelines and requirements compared to typical research grants. This webpage serves as a resource for PIs and administration staff when preparing and managing NIH T grants.

About Training Grants

An institutional research training grant is an award that provides funding to support research training and education programs for trainees at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels. Training grants are an important source of support for research training programs, and help to ensure adequate numbers of highly trained scientists to assume leadership roles related to the Nation’s biomedical and behavioral research agenda. For National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded training grants, the focus of training activities can be in basic biomedical or clinical sciences, in behavioral or social sciences, in health services research, or in any other discipline relevant to the mission of NIH. Training grants provide support for stipends, tuition and fees, training-related expenses, and health insurance. Training grants are awarded to institutions, rather than individual researchers, and the institutions are responsible for overseeing the administration of the training program and selecting trainees who will participate. Training programs can include a variety of activities, such as research rotations, coursework, and mentored research projects. Training grants are usually awarded for a period of five years, and are renewable, subject to the availability of funding and demonstration of a strong program.

NIH Training Grants

The NIH offers several types of T-grants to support research training and education programs.

The most common types of T-grants include:

  • T32 Ruth L Kirschstein Institutional National Research Service Award

  • T35 Short-Term Institutional Research Training Grant
    • To provide individuals with research training during off-quarters or summer periods to encourage research careers and/or research in areas of national need.
    • These grants provide support for short-term research training programs, usually lasting one to two months, for high school, undergraduate, and medical students.
    • Parent Announcement
    • View Current Funding Opportunities

  • T90/R90 Interdisciplinary Research Training Award
    • To support comprehensive interdisciplinary research training programs at the undergraduate, predoctoral and/or postdoctoral levels, by capitalizing on the infrastructure of existing multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research programs.
    • These grants provide additional funding to institutions to support the research training and education of individuals from underrepresented groups in health-related research.
    • View Current Funding Opportunities

  • T15 Continuing Education Grants
    • To assist professional schools to establish, expand, or improve programs of continuing professional education, or refresher education dealing with new developments in the science of technology of the profession.
    • These grants provide support for research training programs for predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees in areas of biomedical and behavioral research.
    • View Current Funding Opportunities

  • T34 Undergraduate NRSA Institutional Research Grant
    • To enhance the undergraduate research training of individuals from groups underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral sciences through Institutional NRSA training grants, in preparation for research doctorate degree programs.
    • View Current Funding Opportunities

Application Overview

T grants require different elements than R01s. Institution must show

  • Clear objectives and quality training program, including special features (e.g., lab rotations, seminar series, entrance requirements; advisory committee)
  • Proposed training program director who is a well-recognized scientist with a long training track record
  • Senior-level faculty with publications history, grants from NIH or similar agencies, and training experience
  • Successful past trainees
  • Adequate source of trainees
  • Recruitment plan
  • Course on responsible conduct of research

NIH Resources

  • Link to NIH Home Page for Institutional Training Grants
    • Contains links to parent announcements, forms, and policy notices
    • Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts (T32)
      • Not all NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) participate in Parent Announcements.
      • Applicants should carefully note which ICs participate in this announcement and view their respective areas of research interest and requirements at the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts website. ICs that do not participate in the announcement will not consider applications for funding.
      • Note: Consultation with appropriate NIH staff before submitting an institutional T32 application is strongly encouraged.

T grants require a number of unique data tables that permit the evaluation of the ability of participating departments/interdepartmental programs to successful attract, support, and mentor the trainees.

New Predoctoral Training

Table # Title of Table Comments

Table 1

Census of Participating Departments or Interdepartmental Programs

Except last 2 columns

Table 2

Participating Faculty Members

Table 3

Federal Institutional Research Training Grant and Related Support Available to Participating Faculty Member

Table 4

Research Support of Participating Faculty Members

Table 5A

Publications of Those in Training: Predoctoral

Table 6A

Applicants, Entrants, and their Characteristics for the Past Five Years: Predoctoral

Table 8A

Program Outcomes: Predoctoral

Part III only

New Postdoctoral Training

Table # Title of Table Comments

Table 1

Census of Participating Departments or Interdepartmental Programs

Except last 2 columns

Table 2

Participating Faculty Members

Table 3

Federal Institutional Research Training Grant and Related Support Available to Participating Faculty Member

Table 4

Research Support of Participating Faculty Members

Table 5B

Publications of Those in Training: Postdoctoral

Table 6B

Applicants, Entrants, and their Characteristics for the Past Five Years: Postdoctoral

Table 8C

Program Outcomes: Postdoctoral

Part III only

New Undergraduate Training

Table # Title of Table Comments

Table 2

Participating Faculty Members

Table 3

Federal Institutional Research Training Grant and Related Support Available to Participating Faculty Member

Table 4

Research Support of Participating Faculty Members

Table 5C

Publications of Those in Training: Undergraduate

Table 8D

Program Outcomes: Undergraduate

Part II only

New Mixed Pre and Postdoctoral Training

Table # Title of Table Comments

Table 1

Census of Participating Departments or Interdepartmental Programs

Except last 2 columns

Table 2

Participating Faculty Members

Table 3

Federal Institutional Research Training Grant and Related Support Available to Participating Faculty Member

Table 4

Research Support of Participating Faculty Members

Table 5A

Publications of Those in Training: Predoctoral

Table 5B

Publications of Those in Training: Postdoctoral

Table 6A

Applicants, Entrants, and their Characteristics for the Past Five Years: Predoctoral

Table 6B

Applicants, Entrants, and their Characteristics for the Past Five Years: Postdoctoral

Table 8A

Program Outcomes: Predoctoral

Part III only

Table 8C

Program Outcomes: Postdoctoral

Part III only

Data Table Summary

NIH Biosketches written for research grants must be adapted for use with a training grant. It is critical that the personal statement of your NIH Biosketch describes why you are qualified and well-suited to your proposed role(s) on the project, whether as a mentor, preceptor, advisory committee member, program director, etc.

Participating faculty should provide a personal statement that describes the appropriateness of their research background for the proposed training program, and their commitment to the following:

  • Training, mentoring, and promoting inclusive, safe and supportive research environments;
  • Teaching trainees to conduct ethically sound and responsible scientific research;
  • Maintaining a record of, and providing training in rigorous and unbiased experimental design, methodology, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of results;
  • Promoting the use of highest standards of practice to ensure the safety of all individuals in the research environment;
  • Supporting trainees participating in activities required to identify and transition into careers in the biomedical research workforce that are consistent with the trainees’ skills, interests, and values; and
  • Fulfilling the need of the trainees to complete their Ph.D. degrees in a timely fashion with the skills, credentials, and experiences to transition into careers in the biomedical research workforce.

Additionally, participating faculty should demonstrate how they:

  • Have sufficient time to commit to training given their other professional obligations;
  • Receive training in effective, evidence-informed teaching and mentoring practices;
  • Promote the use of highest standards of practice to ensure the safety of all individuals in the research environment;
  • Cooperate, interact, and collaborate (which can include joint sponsorship of trainee research);
  • Promote the development of trainee skills in approaches to rigorous experimental design, methods of data collection, data analysis and interpretation, and reporting;
  • Provide opportunities for trainees to initiate, conduct, interpret, and present rigorous, reproducible and responsible biomedical research with increasing self-direction;
  • Demonstrate a commitment to effective mentoring, and to promoting safe and supportive scientific and training environments; and
  • Are evaluated as teachers and mentors.

The RPPR is used by recipients to submit progress reports to NIH on their grant awards. 

      • Streamlined Non-Competing Award Process (SNAP) RPPRs are due approximately 45 days before the next budget period start date.
      • Non-SNAP RPPRs are due approximately 60 days before the next budget period start date.
      • Multi-year funded (MYF) RPPRs are due annually on or before the anniversary of the budget/project period start date of the award.
      • The exact start date for a specific award may be found in grants status in eRA Commons.
    • Interim and Final RPPR Dues Dates:
      • 120 days from period of performance end date for the competitive segment

  • NIH encourages institutions to diversify their student and faculty populations to enhance the participation of individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral and social sciences, such as:
    • Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups
    • Individuals with disabilities
    • Individuals from socially, culturally, economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds that have inhibited their ability to pursue a career in health-related research
  • NRSA training programs require all applicants to submit a recruitment plan to enhance representation.

(if different from FOA,

Section of Application

FOA supersedes)

Project Summary/Abstract

30 lines of text

Project Narrative

Three sentences

Introduction to Resubmission Application (when applicable)

3

Introduction to Revision Application (when applicable)

1

Specific Aims (Attachment 2 on PHS 398 Research Plan form; applies only to R25 , R38 and DP7)

1

Research Education Program Plan (uploaded via the Research Strategy on PHS 398 Research Plan form)

25

For R25, R38 and DP7 applications only

Program Plan (Attachment 2 on PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan form)

25

For D43, D71, U2R, K12, KL2 and all Training (T) only

Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (Attachment 3 on PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan form)

3

For D43, D71, U2R, K12, KL2 and all Training (T) only

Plan for Instruction in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility (Attachment 4 on PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan form)

3

For D43, U2R, K12, KL2 and all Training (T) only

Progress Report (for renewal applications)

5 pages for a program overview and

For D43, D71, U2R, K12, KL2 and all Training (T) only

1 page for each appointee to the grant

Biographical Sketch

5

Appendix

Some FOAs may have different instructions for the Appendix. Always follow the instructions in your FOA if they conflict with these instructions.

A maximum of 10 PDF attachments is allowed in the Appendix. If more than 10 appendix attachments are needed, combine the remaining information into attachment #10. Use of hyperlinks and URLs is not allowed unless specified by the funding opportunity announcement.

If no page limit is listed in the table below, in Section IV of the FOA under Page Limitations, or in a related notice, you can assume the attachment does not have a limit.

  • As a reminder, tables other than the required Data Tables 1-8 must be incorporated into the Program Plan (and will count toward the Program Plan’s page limits), and must not be included in the Appendix. Follow the page limits for Institutional Training Grants specified in the NIH Table of Page Limits, unless otherwise specified in the FOA.
  • The only allowable appendix materials are:
    • Blank data collection forms, blank survey forms, and blank questionnaire forms - or screenshots thereof
    • Simple lists of interview questions
      • Note: In your blank forms and lists, do not include items such as: data, data compilations, lists of variables or acronyms, data analyses, publications, manuals, instructions, descriptions or drawings/figures/diagrams of data collection methods or machines/devices.
    • Blank informed consent/assent forms
    • Other items only if they are specified in the FOA as allowable appendix materials

No other items are allowed in the Appendix. Simply relocating disallowed materials to other parts of the application will result in a noncompliant application.

UTSA Resources

    • Prepared Language Templates
      • Institutional Support Letter Template
        • Documentation of Institutional support (eg financial, space, equipment, cost-sharing faculty effort) is required in TG applications in a highly formalized Institutional Letter of Support (LOS), which also covers Institutional harassment policies and is signed by a high-level Institutional official.
        • Template
      • Letter of Institutional Commitment to Harassment and Discrimination Protections
        • NIH takes the issue of sexual harassment and discrimination very seriously. For any training applications submitted for due dates on or after January 25, 2019, applications must now include a signed letter on institutional letterhead verifying that the University has proper policies, procedures, and oversight in place to prevent discriminatory harassment and other discriminatory practices.
      • Institutional Facilities

  • Trainee Retention Plan template