NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) 2026-2027: Historical Reference
Historical reference for the closed NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program admission cycle for 2026-2027. The NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education lists up to $20,000 per academic year, renewable up to two years, for eligible undergraduates with exceptional financial need who accept NIH research service obligations.
NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) 2026-2027: Historical Reference
The National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) is a needs-based scholarship for undergraduates who are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science research. The NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education (OITE) page currently identifies 2026-2027 as the academic year for admission, but it also states plainly that the UGSP application is closed. No later application deadline or successor admission cycle is posted on that official page. This entry is therefore a historical reference for the completed 2026-2027 round, not an invitation to submit an application now.
The closed cycle’s application deadline is retained as 2026-03-31 in the front matter so the archive records the real end of the round. NIH’s current page separately lists Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at noon Eastern Time as the deadline for references and Friday, May 22, 2026 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time as the deadline for the Exceptional Financial Need (EFN) form. Those supporting dates did not keep the application open after the main submission window. The page’s historical flag prevents the date from being read as a live opportunity.
Key details
| Item | Verified information for the 2026-2027 admission cycle |
|---|---|
| Program | NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) |
| Operating organization | National Institutes of Health, through the Office of Intramural Training and Education |
| Status | Closed; no later UGSP deadline is posted on the official program page |
| Archived application deadline | March 31, 2026 |
| Reference deadline | April 7, 2026 at noon ET |
| EFN form deadline | May 22, 2026 at 9 a.m. ET |
| Scholarship | Up to $20,000 per academic year |
| Award period | One year, renewable up to two additional years |
| Research area | Biomedical, behavioral, and social science research |
| Application system | NIH Application Center |
| Service requirement | Ten-week full-time summer internship plus one year of full-time NIH work for each year of support |
| Official page | https://www.training.nih.gov/research-training/pb/ugsp/ |
What the scholarship provides
NIH says UGSP scholars may receive up to $20,000 of scholarship support for each academic year. The scholarship is paid directly to the student’s university and may be used for tuition, educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses as established by that university. The award is made for one year and may be renewed for up to two additional years. Renewal is not an automatic promise of three years of support; a student should read the applicable continuation terms before planning a complete degree budget.
The scholarship is only one part of the program. Scholars are also paid directly while completing their NIH service obligations. NIH says the salary is commensurate with the level of education completed and that scholars receive benefits, including access to health insurance and transportation-related benefits such as free parking or Transhare. The official page does not describe UGSP as a cash award with no further conditions. A student considering the program must weigh the aid against the required research employment and the possibility of relocating.
For each full or partial year of scholarship support, the scholar incurs 1 year and 10 weeks, or 62 weeks, of obligated NIH service. The service has two parts: a ten-week full-time summer internship at NIH immediately after the supported academic year and one year of full-time work at NIH after graduation. The post-graduation service may be deferred until completion of an advanced degree program, subject to the UGSP rules. The maximum service obligation is three years. NIH also says the service must generally begin within 60 days after the undergraduate degree requirements are completed unless the program grants a deferment.
Who the closed cycle was for
The official eligibility section gives a focused set of requirements rather than a general undergraduate profile. An applicant had to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and be enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, as a full-time undergraduate student at an accredited four-year college or university. The academic standard was either a grade point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale or a class rank within the top five percent.
Exceptional financial need was also mandatory. The applicant’s undergraduate institution financial aid office had to certify that need under the program’s EFN process. The NIH page provides an EFN table using adjusted gross income and family size as one factor for the 2026-2027 admission year, with 2024 or 2025 tax-year information. That table is part of the completed cycle’s documentation; it is not a reason to assume that a future cycle will use identical income limits.
Applicants also had to be able to pass a federal background check and fulfill the program’s payback or service requirements. NIH lists several disqualifying situations: a high school senior is not eligible; someone who has already received an undergraduate degree is not eligible; someone currently enrolled in an advanced degree program such as a master’s program is not eligible; and someone unable to fulfill the service obligation is not eligible. Applicants with a family member working at NIH also needed to understand the agency’s strict nepotism policy, which could limit the institutes, centers, or research groups in which they could serve.
The program is intended for students preparing for research careers. NIH names biomedical, behavioral, and social science research and gives examples of relevant preparation including biology, engineering, epidemiology, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, nursing, physics, computer science, bioinformatics, and other health-related fields. A particular major is not the only test. The applicant needed a credible connection between their experience, research interests, career goals, financial need, and willingness to work in the NIH Intramural Research Program.
Research setting and location obligations
UGSP scholars work in research groups directed by a principal investigator. NIH describes opportunities in basic, translational, and clinical research and says that scholars may have access to cohort activities, professional development, educational and career advising, and well-being and resilience programs. This structure is materially different from a scholarship that ends when a university receives tuition support.
The summer service obligation takes place in Bethesda, Maryland. NIH says research groups are located on several NIH campuses, including the main campus in Bethesda, and that the post-graduation service may be completed at any NIH campus. The official “before you apply” guidance tells applicants to be prepared to relocate to Bethesda for the summer and to Bethesda or another NIH campus for the post-graduation obligation. A student who cannot make those arrangements should not treat the award as a practical fit, even if the academic and financial criteria are met.
UGSP scholars may not work in administrative offices or outside the NIH Intramural Research Program. The service commitment is therefore research-specific. Someone seeking only general federal employment, a remote summer placement, or unrestricted tuition assistance would need to look for a different opportunity.
How the completed application worked
The 2026-2027 round required the NIH Application Center. NIH distinguishes the profile from the application: information in the profile can be stored for later use, but creating a profile does not submit an application. The archived workflow was:
- Create or complete an NIH Application Center profile.
- Indicate interest in the “Undergraduate Scholarship Program.”
- Complete the Eligibility Screener and confirm eligibility before selecting “Start Application.”
- Import relevant information from the profile into the application.
- Submit a list of all collegiate coursework and grades.
- Submit a CV or resume covering education, experience, and other relevant history.
- Submit a personal statement broadly describing research experience, interests, and goals.
- Provide the name and email address of a financial aid officer, or the centralized email address for the institution’s financial aid office, so that the institution could complete EFN certification. NIH says the office would be notified after application submission.
- Enter the names and contact information for three references. NIH says references received a request for a recommendation letter after the application was submitted.
- Review all materials carefully and submit within the published application window.
The submission deadlines were not interchangeable. The main application deadline was March 31, 2026. NIH’s current page lists April 7 for references and May 22 for the EFN form. A complete applicant had to coordinate all three parts, but the later supporting dates did not reopen the main application after it closed. Because the official page now says the application is closed, none of these steps can be used to submit for the archived cycle.
Review and selection
NIH says candidates who meet the minimum eligibility requirements are reviewed by the UGSP Scientific Review Committee. A subset receives invitations to virtual interviews in mid-July, and successful candidates are informed of selection in late July. During the application process, NIH encouraged candidates to learn about the Intramural Research Program and the missions of the NIH institutes and centers. It discouraged candidates from contacting investigators directly before selections were complete; NIH said it would guide new awardees through mentor matching after selection.
That process explains why a strong application needed more than a high GPA. The committee had to see research fit, evidence of serious interest in a biomedical, behavioral, or social science career, documented financial need, and an ability to accept the service structure. References, EFN certification, coursework, and the personal statement each addressed a different part of that decision.
What to do if NIH announces another round
There is no confirmed next-cycle deadline on the official UGSP page. Do not substitute a date from an old scholarship directory, a repost, or a search result for an NIH announcement. Start at the official UGSP page and check whether the “Opening and closing dates” section has changed. If NIH opens a new cycle, read that version for the new academic year, amount, EFN thresholds, application dates, reference process, and any revised service terms.
An interested student can still prepare without pretending that an application is open. Keep a current coursework record, resume, and research-focused personal statement outline. Ask a financial aid office whether it can handle an EFN certification request. Identify three potential references who can discuss academic work, research preparation, and commitment. Review NIH Intramural Research Program institutes and campus locations so that the service obligations are a deliberate choice rather than a surprise.
Preparation should not turn into premature contact with investigators. NIH’s selection guidance for this cycle specifically discouraged direct investigator outreach before candidate selections were complete. A future call may repeat or revise that instruction, so the new official page should control.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply through Grants.gov or Research.gov?
No. NIH directs UGSP applicants to the NIH Application Center. Those other federal systems are not the application route identified by the official UGSP page.
Is the scholarship guaranteed for three years?
No. NIH describes one-year awards that may be renewed up to two additional years. The maximum three-year service obligation corresponds to the maximum supported period, but continued scholarship support should not be treated as automatic.
Can I use the award without working at NIH?
No. The scholarship is tied to required NIH Intramural Research Program service. Each full or partial year of support carries the 62-week obligation described above.
Can I defer the service obligation for graduate school?
NIH says the post-graduation obligation may be deferred until completion of an advanced degree program, subject to UGSP approval and rules. A deferment is not a cancellation of the obligation.
Is the 2026-2027 application still open because the EFN deadline was later?
No. NIH’s current page states that the UGSP application is closed. The April 7 reference date and May 22 EFN date were supporting deadlines for the closed round, not a later opportunity to start a new application.
Archive note
The National Institutes of Health Office of Intramural Training and Education is the verified source for this entry. Its current UGSP page confirms the 2026-2027 admission year, the closed application status, the scholarship amount, the eligibility rules, the NIH Application Center workflow, the supporting deadlines, and the research service obligations. No replacement cycle is announced there. This page therefore keeps the completed cycle’s deadline for historical context and should not be used as a live application listing.