PKG00286049.pdf

This is an application guide document for NIH FORMS-H providing instructions for submitting applications to the Independent Scientist Award (K02) opportunity. The guide directs applicants to use either the General Instructions or the Career Development Instructions, with specific links provided to both HTML and PDF versions of the general application guide and career development-specific guidance. Application form packages may contain optional forms, and applicants must refer to the funding opportunity announcement and application instructions to determine submission requirements. The document references https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide.html as the primary resource portal.

The Independent Scientist Award (K02) is a grant opportunity administered by the Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health with an application deadline of May 7, 2027. This award is specifically designed for applicants proposing research that does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, feasibility study, or separate ancillary clinical trial, though applicants may participate in clinical trials led by other investigators. The K02 provides three to five years of salary support and protected research time for newly independent scientists to enhance their research careers. The funding opportunity is part of multiple NIH programs including the Office of Research on Women's Health, Trans-NIH Research Support, Alcohol Research Programs, Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs, Oral Diseases and Disorders Research, Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders, and Aging Research. Eligible applicants include domestic institutions, HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribal colleges, and other designated categories, though foreign organizations and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. The award amount is not specified but provides salary support and protected time tailored to individual candidate needs.