42 CFR §68.3
Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
To be eligible for consideration for the NIH LRPs, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- (a)Be citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States;
- (b)Have the necessary degree from an accredited institution as determined by the NIH to be consistent with the needs of the LRP;
- (c)
- (1)For Intramural LRPs only: Applicants must be employed by the NIH and engage in qualified full-time research as specified by the LRP and be recommended by the employing IC or have a firm commitment of employment from an authorized official of the NIH;
- (2)For Extramural LRPs only: Applicants must be conducting qualified research for an average of at least 20 hours per week that is supported by a domestic nonprofit foundation, nonprofit professional association, or other nonprofit institution (e.g., university), or a U.S. or other government agency (Federal, state or local);
- (d)Have total qualifying educational loan debt as determined on the program eligibility date;
- (e)The NIH or the employing institution must provide an assurance that the applicant will be employed/appointed and provided research support for the applicable term of the LRP contract; and
- (f)Recipients of LRP awards must conduct their research in accordance with applicable Federal, state, and local law (e.g., applicable human subject protection regulations).
- (g)For Clinical Research for Individuals from Disadvantaged Background only: Individual must be from a disadvantaged background. (See § 68.2, Definitions, Individual from disadvantaged background.)