Fellowships and Other Research Opportunities
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INVEST Research Fellowship

The INVEST Research Fellowship provides a unique opportunity for postdoctoral training with an established scientist engaged in NIDA-supported research at a U.S. institution. Each Fellow receives training in drug abuse research methods and participates in professional development activities. Fellowships are peer-reviewed through a competitive process and are awarded for 1 year. Fellows may conduct their research in any aspect of the biomedical and social/behavioral foundations of drug abuse and addiction. Previous Fellows have conducted research in all aspects of NIDA research, including basic neuroscience, epidemiology, prevention, treatment, and preclinical and clinical sciences. While additional funding is not guaranteed, INVEST Research Fellows learn about the NIH grants application process from a U.S. researcher who has been successful in seeking NIDA support. Fellows and their mentors develop jointly a potentially fundable collaborative research project to be carried out in the Fellow's home country. Fellows and their U.S. mentors are part of a network of international scientists who exchange information and collaborate on drug abuse research nationally, regionally, and globally.

What Does the Fellowship Include?

Each Fellow receives a stipend of US $36,000. Living expenses are the responsibility of the Fellow and are paid out of the Fellowship stipend. In addition to the stipend, the Fellowship provides funds for round-trip travel from and to the home country for the Fellow only; health insurance for the Fellow only; and a supplemental professional development allowance.

Who Is Eligible?

To be eligible for the INVEST Research Fellowship, an applicant must:

• Be a citizen or permanent resident of a country other than the United States;
• Hold an earned doctoral degree in medicine, public health, or behavioral, biomedical, or social science;
• Have a minimum of 2 years of postdoctoral research experience, including a demonstrated ability to engage in independent research;
• Have assurance from an institution in the home country that there is a position to which the applicant can return after completion of the Fellowship;
• Be proficient in written and spoken English;
• Be eligible for a J-1 visa to enter the United States; and
• Live and work outside the United States at the time the application is submitted.

How Should I Apply?

NIDA encourages outstanding scientists to apply for the competitive INVEST Research Fellowships. Interested persons should:

• Contact a NIDA-supported researcher in the United States who is willing to serve as a mentor, and develop a joint research plan for the Fellowship application. For assistance in locating a potential mentor, please contact the NIDA International Program.
• Write a detailed plan for working with the mentor in research relating to the causes, prevention, treatment, patterns, and consequences of drug abuse and addiction.
• Obtain the mentor's signed agreement for the proposed research plan, and submit it with the Fellowship application.
• Obtain three letters of support.
• Secure a letter from an institution in your home country verifying that there is a position to which you may return at the conclusion of your Fellowship.

Application Deadlines: April 1 and October 1
Notification of Award: June 1 and December 1
Fellowships awarded by June 1 must begin by December 31 of the current year.
Fellowships awarded by December 1 must begin mid summer of the following year.

INVEST Brochure [PDF - 924 KB] Download now

INVEST Research Fellowship Instruction Packet
[PDF format, 250K]
[MS Word format, 100K]

INVEST Research Fellowship Application Packet
[PDF format, 950K]
[MS Word format, 250K]

For further information contact:

International Program
Office of Science Policy and Communications
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Room 1B59, Building 31
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
Phone: +1-301-594-1928
Fax: +1-301-402-5687
E-mail: ip@nida.nih.gov
Web site: http://www.drugabuse.gov/ or http://www.nida.nih.gov/

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Questions? See our Contact Information. Last updated on Tuesday, October 12, 2004.