Program Goal & Structure

The goal of the Institutional Biomedical Undergraduate Research Training (BURT) Program is to strengthen research training environments and develop a pool of well-trained students who:

• Complete their baccalaureate degrees in biomedically-related fields, and
• Transition into and complete biomedical, research-focused higher degree programs (such as Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D.). 

Training grants offset the cost of stipends, tuition and fees, and training related expenses, including health insurance. Training grants are usually awarded for five years and are renewable. Full details are found in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), PAR-26-033.

BURT NOFO (PAR-26-033)

Organizational Eligibility

Applicant organizations must:

• Enroll undergraduate students, and
• Have received NIH Research Project Grants (RPG) funding averaging less than $50 million in total costs (direct and F&A/indirect) per year over the last three fiscal years (FY). 

To promote undergraduate research training opportunities across a range of eligible organizations, the program will accept applications in two tracks:

1. Single Site Track: To support trainees from a single baccalaureate-degree granting organization.
2. Community College Partnerships: To support community college trainee development through strong collaborations between at least one associate-degree granting organization (that is, a community college) and at least one baccalaureate-degree granting organization.

Determining Institutional Eligibility

Trainees

The applicant organization will select the trainees to be supported by the research training program. It is the responsibility of the organization to establish the qualifications of the trainees, consistent with applicable law, before they are supported by the program. The individual to be trained must be a citizen or a noncitizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of appointment. Additional details on citizenship, training period, and aggregate duration of support are available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

All trainees are required to pursue their research training full-time, normally defined as 40 hours per week, or as specified by the sponsoring organization in accordance with its own policies. Appointments are normally made in 12-month increments, and no trainee may be appointed for less than 9 months during the initial period of appointment, except with prior approval of NIGMS. NIGMS expects that, with satisfactory progress, trainees will complete the entire 2-3 year training experience. Training grant funds may not be used to support short-term undergraduate biomedical research training.

For Single Site Track programs: Trainees must be enrolled in a program leading to a baccalaureate degree in a biomedical field at the applicant organization. 

For Community College Partnerships Track programs: At the time of initial appointment, trainees must be enrolled at the associate degree-granting organization(s) with plans to transition and complete a baccalaureate degree in a biomedical field. Upon transfer to a baccalaureate-degree granting organization, trainees funded through this program must be enrolled in a program leading to a baccalaureate degree. 

Training Related Expenses

NIGMS will provide funds to help defray other research training expenses, such as health insurance, staff salaries, consultant costs, equipment, research supplies, and faculty/staff travel directly related to the research training program. NIGMS will provide training related expenses (TRE) at a rate of $12,500/trainee/year. The maximum number of trainees supported on any BURT award is 30. NIGMS expects organizations to prioritize the provision of trainee benefits, such as health insurance, using TRE funds. TRE funds must be justified as specifically required by the proposed program and must not duplicate items generally available at the applicant organization. 

Information for Applicant Institutions

Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the NOFO (including Related Notices in the Overview Section), Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, and consult NIGMS staff to discuss eligibility and application requirements prior to submission.

BURT T34 FAQs

For Institutional Biomedical Undergraduate Research Training (BURT), potential applicants should contact the scientific contact at NIGMSBURTT34@nih.gov.