NIH Biosketch & Other Support
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued new requirements for Other Support reporting and Biographical Sketches (Biosketches) submitted on or after May 8, 2026.
The information provided below summarizes these new requirements.
NIH and AHRQ require that the Biographical Sketch Common Form external site, opens in a new window , the Current and Pending (Other) Support Common Form external site, opens in a new window , and a new NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement external site, opens in a new window for all applications, Just-in-Time (JIT), RPPRs, and Prior Approval submissions.
This aligns NIH with the government-wide effort to standardize disclosure forms per the OSTP Policy Regarding Use of Common Disclosure Forms external site, opens in a new window and National Security Presidential Memorandum – 33 (NSPM-33) external site, opens in a new window .
Key Changes & Requirements
- SciENcv is now mandatory to generate:
- All senior/key personnel must:
- Have an ORCID iD linked to their eRA Commons account (see ORCID iD topic in eRA Commons external site, opens in a new window ), and confirm that the ORCID iD appears in the Persistent Identifier (PID) section of the Common Forms.
- Personally certify their own forms in SciENcv external site, opens in a new window .
- Certify they are not part of a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program (MFTRP).
MFTRP Prohibition & Certification
Effective January 25, 2026, any individual currently participating in an MFTRP is not eligible to serve as senior/key personnel.
- Institutions (AOR) must certify awareness of and compliance with MFTRP prohibitions.
- Individuals certify in their Common Biosketch at application and annually in the RPPR.
Submission Rules by Deadline
- Before January 24, 2026: use the current NIH Biosketch and Other Support formats.
- On/after January 25, 2026: use the Biographical Sketch Common Form external site, opens in a new window , NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement external site, opens in a new window , and Current and Pending (Other) Support Common Form external site, opens in a new window for all applications and post-award submissions.
- See FAQs: Common Forms for Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support external site, opens in a new window .
- RPPR, JIT, and Prior Approval modules will include new attachment fields beginning January 26, 2026.
Notable Form Changes
| Current NIH Biosketch | Biographical Sketch Common Form | NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement |
|---|---|---|
| Education/Training | Professional Preparation | Not applicable |
| A. Personal Statement Narrative with up to 4 cited products. | Products “Products Most Closely Related to the Proposed Project” (up to 5 citations). | Personal Statement No citations allowed. Narrative (limit 3,500 characters) that may refer to products listed in the Products Most Closely Related to the Proposed Project section of the Biographical Sketch Common Form. |
| B. Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors | Appointments and Positions All domestic and foreign professional appointments and positions outside the primary organization for up to three years prior to application. | Honors Limited to no more than 15 entries. |
| C. Contributions to Science Up to 5 contributions, each with narrative and up to 4 cited products. | Products Up to 5 “Other Significant Products” that highlight the individual’s contributions to science. Narrative detail is moved to the Supplement. | Contributions to Science No citations allowed. Up to 5 narrative contributions (each limited to 2,000 characters). May refer to relevant products listed in the “Other Significant Products” section of the Biographical Sketch Common Form. |
Current & Pending (Other) Support Common Form external site, opens in a new window
| Current NIH Other Support | Current and Pending (Other Support) Common Form |
|---|---|
| Person Months Effort expressed as calendar or academic/summer months. | Person-Month(s) Effort expressed only in person months (e.g., 1.2 calendar months or 0.9 academic + 0.3 summer = 1.2 person months). |
| Major Goals | Overall Objectives Field label updated; limited to 1,500 characters. |
| Estimated Dollar Value of In-Kind Contribution Estimate reported regardless of value or time commitment. | US Dollar Value of In-Kind Contribution Report only if estimated at $5,000 or more and requiring a commitment of the individual’s time. |
| Overlap Section Overlap summarized at the end of the document. | Statement of Potential Overlap Each proposal, active project, or in-kind contribution has its own overlap statement. |
| Supporting Documentation Provided as a PDF appended after the Other Support form. | Supporting Documentation Not attached inside the SciENcv form. Uploaded separately alongside the Current and Pending (Other) Support document in JIT, RPPR, or Prior Approval modules. |
Resources & Availability
- Preview templates are available now in SciENcv external site, opens in a new window .
- Additional resources, including training videos, will be posted on Common Forms for Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support external site, opens in a new window as they become available.
- NOT-OD-26-018 also includes Reminders and Tips for SciENcv external site, opens in a new window and Reminders and Tips for eRA Commons external site, opens in a new window .
- Using SciENcv to Create the NIH Common Forms Biosketch external site, opens in a new window (Video courtesy of UCI ICTS)