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NIH Grants and Funding
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
National Institutes of Health
Supporting Scientific Discovery
The NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) are a set of programs established by Congress and designed to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers. The escalating costs of advanced education and training in medicine and clinical specialties are forcing some scientists to abandon their research careers for higher-paying private industry or private practice careers.
The LRPs counteract that financial pressure by repaying up to $50,000 annually of a researcher's qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research. Since tomorrow's medical breakthroughs will be made by investigators starting in their research careers today, the LRPs represent an important investment by NIH in the future of health discovery and the wellbeing of the Nation.
Application Periods and Documentation Deadlines
Extramural New & Renewal Awards
Online Application Period
Sep 1, 2025 - Nov 20, 2025
Supporting Documentation PeriodSep 1, 2025 - Nov 20, 2025
Intramural New & Renewal Awards
Online Application Period
Jan 2, 2025 - Mar 17, 2025
Supporting Documentation PeriodJan 2, 2025 - Mar 17, 2025
Intramural ACGME New Awards
Online Application Period
Jan 2, 2025 - Apr 15, 2025
Supporting Documentation PeriodJan 2, 2025 - Apr 15, 2025
Contact Us
(866) 849-4047lrp@nih.gov
Download LRP Application Instruction Guide
Application Process
Interactive Roadmap
Ambassador Highlights
View All Ambassador HighlightsKen W., DC, PhD
“The NIH LRP has provided me with the foundation to compete for additional NIH funding and the protected time to grow as an early career researcher. The financial freedom from student loan debt has allowed me to be more flexible as a scientist and expand into new areas of research”
Christine F., PhD
“I have a daughter who will be heading off to college soon. My husband and I were worried that my huge loan debt would impact our ability to help her with tuition and the other expenses she will have as a college student. The LRP award will significantly lessen our burden and help us to plan for her future, and ours”
Ben L., PhD
“By decreasing my financial burdens, the LRP allowed me to focus more on work and family, leading to a substantial overall improvement in my mental health & well-being”
Contact & Engage
Engage
NIH LRP Overview – Matthew Lockhart
Matthew Lockhart provides a brief overview of the NIH Loan Repayment Program.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8NeWueSnR8
Inside Cancer Careers Podcast Episode 3: Starting Your Lab & Repaying Your Loans
In this episode of Inside Cancer Careers, we first hear from Dr. Simon Schwörer, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago in Hematology Oncology, and how he started his own lab. We then hear from Matthew Lockhart, Director of the Division of Loan Repayment at the NIH to discuss the Loan Repayment Program (LRP) along with a couple of LRP Ambassadors.
https://www.cancer.gov/grants-training/training/inside-cancer-careers/episode-3
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