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UCSF Research Development Office (RDO): Grant Templates and Guides: NIH Loan Repayment Program

NIH Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Resource Guide

Welcome to the NIH Loan Repayment Program  (LRP) Resource Guide. The following materials were prepared by the UCSF Clinical and Translational Science Institute. We hope this information will be useful to you as you navigate the LRP application process!

Overview of the LRP

The NIH Loan Repayment Programs are a set of programs established by Congress, designed to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals in biomedical or biobehavioral research careers. The program repays up to $50,000 annually of a researcher’s qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to conduct NIH mission-relevant research for at least 20 hours per week for 2 years.

  • Applications are accepted annually, September 1 – November 20.
  • Applicants must have a valid eRA Commons Login. Contact OSRinfo@ucsf.edu if a new login is required. 
  • Application Guide is located on the NIH LRP website.
  • Applicants can start their applications from the LRP home page using the Apply tab.
  • Institutional Business Officials are asked to report the applicant's salary and confirm to NIH that:
    • (1) the applicant will be provided time and resources to engage in research for the term of the LRP contract;
    • (2) the applicant is or will be engaged in qualifying research for at least 50 percent or more of his/her total level of effort for an average of at least 20 hours per week during each quarterly service period, and;
    • (3) the employer is a nonprofit organization. 
  • At UCSF, the IBO is the applicant’s Department Chair Delegate, typically a Finance Manager or Department Administrator. If a Delegate does not have a Commons login, contact OSRinfo@ucsf.edu to create a Commons account for the delegate with the Business Official (BO) role.  An individual who already has a PI role in eRA Commons cannot also have a BO role.  

If you have questions, please contact OSRInfo@ucsf.edu.

Sample Successful Applications

An online library of successful LRP applications has been created to support UCSF researchers in their grant writing process. It has been made possible by award recipients who have generously offered their work for review by the UCSF community.

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