National Institutes of Health (NIH) Student Research Grant

1. Eligibility

  • This grant is open to all UP Manila undergraduate, masteral, PhD, and medical students who will conduct their thesis or research.
  • The student/s must conduct the study as a co-investigator/s and the thesis adviser must assume the role of the principal investigator.
  • The Thesis Adviser, Department Chair and Dean must endorse the application and submission of requirements. The thesis adviser shall be responsible for the proper financial disbursements and liquidation of funds of the grant.
  • Each thesis adviser is eligible for a maximum of only two (2) projects for funding per year.

2. Amount Provided

  • A research grant of up to P100,000.00 each shall be given to deserving research project to subsidize the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) only.
  • A maximum of two (2) projects per thesis adviser will be funded per year.

3. Submission requirements:

  • Word file and pdf of the full thesis/research paper (with Line-item Budget and Work Plan/Gantt Chart of activities)
  • Endorsement letter signed by the Thesis/Research Adviser, Department Chair and College Dean
  • Certificate of thesis panel review approval
  • UPMREB/IACUC/IBBC Certificate of Approval / Exemption from review; OR Acknowledgment Letter with PRID as proof of submission to UPMREB
  • Certificate of RGAO Registration (http://rgao.upm.edu.ph/registration/)

4. Projects shall start not earlier than the date of approval.

5. Projects should be Research Ethics Board-approved or IACUC-approved, or is expected to have the appropriate approval within 2 months of awarding of the grant. This is to allow sufficient time for the research to be completed within the fiscal year of the grant award. Failure to secure the necessary approvals at the appropriate time may be grounds for withdrawal of the grant award.

6. Activities of the research that will incur expenses for which the fund grant is expected to be used must be completed by the end of the fiscal year. The research may be completed within one calendar year of the grant approval.

7. Deferment of the awarding of the grant may be allowed on meritorious cases for a maximum of six months to avoid disenfranchisement of new proposals.

8. A mutually agreed-upon line-item-budget shall be prepared for each research.

9. A memorandum of agreement/contract shall be executed between the NIH and the principal investigator/thesis adviser covering the terms of reference of the grant.

10. The processing for the funding of the grant is as follows:

  • Upon awarding of the grant, the principal investigator/thesis adviser determines the quarterly financial requirement and the corresponding scheduled output of the research.
  • The NIH Research Grants Office staff prepares the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and line-item-budget to be signed by NIH Executive Director countersigned by NIH RGO Head.
  • The NIH Research Grants Office staff furnishes the principal investigator a copy of MOA and the Research Guidelines.
  • MOOE Fund Release
    • First release 80% upon signing of the MOA.
    • Second release 20% upon submission of the progress report and the financial report/accounting of the expenses and settlement of the first release.
  • No release of MOOE fund shall be made during the last two weeks of the research implementation.
  • No additional research-related expenses are allowed beyond 31 December of the fiscal year.

11. Any revision of the approved line-item-budget shall be made in writing. Revision is allowed provided it is necessary for the efficient implementation of the research and it will not entail additional funds.

12. A 1 to 6-month extension of the research may be granted to complete it, without additional funding. A request for an extension must be made in writing not later than one month before the scheduled end of the research, together with a progress report on the status of the research.

13. Any request for change in the research shall be made in writing. Changes in the project shall be mutually acceptable. The following minor changes shall be allowed provided it will not entail additional funds and provided further that they will not substantially alter the original design of the research:

  • Change of Pl
  • Change in title
  • Change in schedule of activities
  • Change in research site

14. If the Principal Investigator/Thesis Adviser is going out of the country for 21 consecutive days or more, he/she shall notify the NIH. No OIC shall be allowed for thesis or dissertation grants.

15. In no case shall replacement of an approved research with another be allowed.

16. The release of research grant fund shall be suspended on the following grounds:

  • Unauthorized foreign travel by the Principal Investigator/Thesis Adviser
  • Suspension from UPM by the Principal/Thesis Adviser for any offense
  • Failure to produce the mid-term report

The Principal Investigator/Thesis Adviser of suspended research grants shall submit an accomplishment report covering the period from start of the research grant up to the date of suspension.

Lifting of suspension/resumption of research activities & continuation of release of funds will be done when requirements shall have been complied with but not beyond one year after the date of suspension.

17. Unutilized research grant fund not claimed within 60 days after the end of the research shall revert to the general research fund of NIH.

18. If for any reason the Principal Investigator/Thesis Adviser can no longer pursue the project, he/she shall refund the amount released to him/her in full.

19. The Principal Investigator/Thesis Adviser shall settle all financial accountabilities within one month after the termination date of the project.

20. Sanctions of Principal Investigator/Thesis Adviser who fails to submit the report/financial/property accountabilities of a research grant to NIH:

  • Not eligible for another research grant until accountability is settled.
  • No clearance shall be issued upon resignation or retirement until accountability is settled.

21. The NIH Executive Director shall decide on all research grant-related problems and may opt to refer the case with far-reaching implications to the University Research Executive Council or the Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Research.

22. Issuance of clearance shall be made upon submission of the following:

  • The student’s thesis paper approved by the Thesis Panel to be submitted within 1 month after the end of the research
  • A published version of the research in a peer-reviewed journal or a publication-ready version of the research paper with proof of submission of the manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal publication.
  • Acknowledgment of settlement of all financial accountabilities related to the research grant by the UPM Accounting Office.

Recent Call for Proposal:

NIH Project Proposal FormDownload