NCCIH Research Blog

Are you a researcher planning to submit a grant application to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in late January 2025 or later? If so, I have important NIH-wide news to share about upcoming changes to certain application forms and their instructions. The revised package for applications submitted on or after January 25, 2025, is called FORMS-I. 

Federal agency staff periodically update application forms so that they remain current with the most recent forms approved by the Office of Management and Budget and align data collection with new policies. FORMS-I includes substantive changes (such as new/deleted/modified fields). In the big picture, it’s part of supporting wider changes coming in 2025 at NIH that will impact application submission and review. 

So, what changes can we expect in the FORMS-I? Here’s a preview with examples: 

• Application and review criteria for fellowships are being revised to improve the chances for the most promising fellowship candidates to be consistently identified by scientific review panels. Therefore, the PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan and PHS Fellowship Supplemental Form are modified to better align with how the application will be reviewed.
• Changes to institutional training grant applications are part of the effort at NIH to achieve a diverse, highly-trained research workforce. You’ll see major changes to the training data tables as you prepare an application. 
• The PHS Assignment Request Form (optional) also has changes. This form can be used, for example, to list the expertise needed to review your application and/or request a particular NIH Institute or Center assignment. 

You can find out more in the NIH document High-Level Grant Application Form Change Summary: FORMS-I and an NIH Extramural Nexus story previewing some of the changes. Please note two important milestones:

• Application guides for FORMS-I packages will be posted to the How To Apply—Application Guide webpage by October 25, 2024. 
• Full rollout of the FORMS-I package, revisions to the NIH fellowship application and review process, updates to the institutional training grants, and NIH’s simplified review framework (SRF) will take place on January 25, 2025. (There are no changes in forms associated with the SRF initiative itself.) 

In closing, if I can give you just one piece of advice: it is crucial to use the correct forms package for your particular application. If you use an incorrect package, your application will be withdrawn and removed from funding consideration. Use FORMS-I for due dates on or after January 25, 2025, and FORMS-H for due dates on or before January 24, 2025. I encourage you to take advantage of the resources I’ve mentioned to stay informed. 

For More Information: 

• NIH Grants summary: High-Level Grant Application Form Change Summary: FORMS-I
• NIH Guide Notice: New NIH “FORMS-I” Grant Application Forms and Instructions Coming for Due Dates on or After January 25, 2025 
• NIH Extramural Nexus: Preview Available: FORMS-I Application Form and Training Data Table 2025 Changes 
• NIH Grants webpage: Changes Coming to NIH Applications and Peer Review in 2025