PhD Thesis and Postdoc Research Completion Program

The PhD Thesis and Postdoc Research Completion Program aims to provide financial support to PhD students who are completing their dissertations and postdoctoral fellows who had been expecting support from awarded federal research grants that were terminated. This includes terminated grants to students and postdocs themselves (e.g., F31, R36) or institutional training awards (e.g. T32).

Faculty PIs with students/postdocs impacted by terminations of faculty-funded grants with student/postdoc support explicitly budgeted should apply for a Pivot or Bridge Grant.

Questions about the program should be directed to [email protected].

Eligibility Requirements

• Applicants must be a PhD student in good standing who has advanced to candidacy and is actively working on dissertation research, or a postdoc already employed at the university with a contract end date beyond May 1, 2025.
• Applicants must have had expected funding from a terminated federal research grant that was either awarded directly to the student (e.g., F31) or was awarded to a faculty PI with student/postdoc support explicitly budgeted.
• Applicants must have a recommendation from their program director and dissertation advisor, for PhD students, or their postdoc supervisor, for postdoctoral fellows, confirming the funding gap and lack of alternative sources of funding.

Award Components

• Up to one year of support consistent with the terminated award.
• Allowable costs are the same as federal training awards including stipends (up to NIH pre- and post-doctoral published limits), childcare costs, health insurance, travel funds, and research related training expenses such as supplies and equipment.
• Departments/Divisions must cover any tuition costs and any stipend costs above NIH limits.
• Partial awards may be available depending on individual circumstances.

Application Requirements

All documents should be formatted as PDF files and must be submitted through InfoReady.

Graduate Student applications must include:

• Detailed completion timeline
• Statement explaining research funding interruptions and need for support
• Endorsement letters from advisor and program director
• Budget outlining financial needs
• Confirmation of division/department’s commitment to cost-sharing

Postdoc applications must include:

• Appointment letter end date and terminated award end date
• Statement explaining research funding interruption cause and need for support
• Endorsement letters from supervisor and department head/chair
• Budget outlining financial needs
• Confirmation of division/department’s commitment to cost-sharing