NIH Biosketches

Most grant applications require a Biographical Sketch (biosketch), an abbreviated record of your accomplishments. If you are engaged in research, even as a collaborator, you will need a biosketch. The National Institute of Health (NIH) Biosketch is the most common format. It is similar to a CV but limited to five (5) pages with information pertinent to the application.

NIH encourages researchers to create a NIH biosketch online using SciENcv (Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae) to integrate information from your NIH eRA Commons profile and your bibliography in NCBI.

There have been changes to the NIH Biosketch and the Other Support page. NIH requires researchers to use the updated format for NIH Biosketches and Other Support in the new format for applications, JIK reports, and RPPRs with due dates on and after January 25, 2022. 

To learn how to create the NIH Biosketches (for non-Fellowship and Fellowship) and Other Support in the new format, please contact Yingting Zhang, Research Services Librarian, at yzhang@rutgers.edu.

There have been changes to the NIH Biosketch. The notice for changes was released in March 2021, became effective in May 2021, and will be mandated to use for applications or reports for due dates on and after January 25, 2022. The new NIH Biosketch now has two types: Now-Fellowship Biosketch and Fellowship Biosketch. Major changes are noted below:

• Section A - Updated
• Section B - “Positions and Honors” à "Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors”
• Section D - was removed for Non-Fellowship Biosketch
• Section D – Updated for Fellowship Biosketch. “Additional Information: Research Support and/or Scholastic Performance” à  “Scholastic Performance” for Fellowship Biosketch