Hopefully you’ve been tracking the various Changes Coming to NIH Applications and Peer Review in 2025. January 25, 2025 – the effective date for most of those changes and the first application due date to require updated application forms and instructions (FORMS-I) – is just over a month away. We thought we’d check in one final time to make sure you have the latest and greatest information as we head into the new year.

Updates

Application instructions

The full HTML version of the FORMS-I general instructions and all our filtered views by program type are now available on the How to Apply – Application Guide page.

The general instructions (in HTML and PDF) format include the basic form and field instructions that apply to all applications and callouts with additional program-specific instructions. The filtered PDF views include the basic form and field instructions and only the program-specific callouts associated with each view (i.e., filtered views are a subset of the general instructions). Make sure you are using the appropriate forms and instructions for your application due date!

Training data tables

The changes to the NIH Institutional Training Program application required training data tables take effect starting with submissions for due dates on or after January 25, 2025.

xTRACT, the eRA module used to create training tables for progress reports and institutional training grant applications, will support the FORMS-I data tables on Friday, December 20, 2024.

If using the consolidated documents of all training tables as a starting point to manually create data tables, remove any tables that aren’t required for your application (including the headers) and remember to update the list of included tables at the top. You can find the list of training tables needed for your application in the Introduction to Data Tables document. Note that the link will download the Word document and you may need to open it from your Downloads or similar folder.

Table of page limits

The standard Page Limits page includes limits for many of the new FORMS-I fellowship and institutional training attachments. Be sure to check it out before submitting your application!

Reminders

Carefully choose the correct form package based on the target due date and Competition ID.

• You must use FORMS-I application packages for due dates on or after January 25, 2025.
• You must use FORMS-H for due dates on or before January 24, 2025.
• For a short transition period, you may find FORMS-H and FORMS-I versions of application packages or funding opportunities active at the same time. All FORMS-H application packages and opportunities will be closed by January 24, 2025, and shortly after, will no longer appear as options.
• If you aren’t sure how to identify application package versions, check out Do I Have the Right Form Version For My Application?

Revisit your funding opportunity within 30 days of the due date to verify it has not been reissued.

• ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, and many system-to-system solutions have data copy features that can move your application data from one application package and/or funding opportunity to another. If you take advantage of copy features, make sure you have followed all instructions applicable to your due date.

Resources

• Changes Coming to NIH Applications and peer Review in 2025 webpage
• Video Overview of Grant Application and Review Changes for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2025
• How to Apply – Application Guide
• Training Data Tables
• Annotated Form Sets
• Do I Have the Right Forms for My Application?
• Application Forms, Form Updates, and Choosing the Correct Forms FAQs