Multiple (NSF, NIH/NCI, ACS, HCI)
Trainee & fellowship pipeline (overview)
The research-funding ladder runs roughly: paid summer/undergrad internships (PathMaker, ACS DICR, NIH/NCI summer) → post-bacc research awards (NIH Postbac IRTA/CRTA) → predoctoral fellowships in grad school (NSF GRFP, NIH F31/F30, R36, diversity supplements, T32 slots) → postdoctoral and faculty awards (NIH F32/K, ACS postdoc). An undergraduate cannot hold an R01 or an F31; match the mechanism to your current stage.
Who Can Apply
Award Amount
$5,000
Deadline
Varies by (2025)
Estimated
Topics
The Research Funding Ladder: Who Can Apply at Each Stage
Research funding is career-stage gated. The single most common mistake early trainees make is reading about a large award (an R01, an R37) and assuming it is a goal for this year. It is not. Each mechanism has a defined eligibility window. This overview maps the ladder so you can apply only to what you are actually eligible for, and plan the next rung.
The ladder, bottom to top
| Stage | You are... | Realistic mechanisms | |---|---|---| | Undergrad | Enrolled in a bachelor's program | Paid summer internships: HCI PathMaker, ACS DICR Internship, NIH/NCI Summer Internship Program (SIP), Student IRTA/CRTA. Possible named role on a faculty mentor's NIH diversity supplement. | | Post-bacc | Graduated, not yet in a PhD program | NIH Postbac IRTA/CRTA (intramural), diversity supplement (post-bacc candidate), research-assistant roles on funded grants. | | Predoctoral | Enrolled in a research PhD (or MD/PhD) | NSF GRFP (first-year grad), NIH F31 (PhD) / F30 (MD/PhD), R36 dissertation award (late-stage), predoctoral diversity supplement, a T32 institutional slot, R25 research-education programs. | | Postdoc / faculty | Hold a doctorate | NIH F32, K-series career awards, ACS postdoctoral fellowship, then independent research awards (R01, etc.). Out of scope for an undergraduate's near-term planning. |
Why the staging matters for cancer-prevention / population science
The NCI explicitly supports fellowships across cancer prevention, control, behavioral sciences, and population sciences — not just bench biology (NCI Training). That means a population-science trajectory has a complete ladder of its own: summer internship → post-bacc → F31 in epidemiology/behavioral science → dissertation award → postdoc. You do not have to be a wet-lab scientist to climb it.