Non-FTE Trainees Exceptional Extension Policy

Non-FTE Postbaccalaureate (Postbac) Fellows

NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP) Postbaccalaureate (Postbac) appointments are for one year and may be renewed a second year. Postbacs may be extended for an exceptional third year if they experienced delays in their research and career development plan due to extenuating circumstances. The expectation is that fellows will remain in their current research group for their exceptional third year; however, the OITE director, in consultation with IC leadership, may approve a transfer to a new research group under extenuating circumstances. No exceptional extension request is required for terminal extensions of less than three months beyond the second year.

Extension Request Plan

The PI and postbac should jointly prepare a request describing how the extension period will be used to complete work in progress and a plan for the fellow’s transition to their next educational or career stage. PIs and postbacs are strongly encouraged to discuss the extension request with the IC training office or OITE staff to ensure the plan considers both scientific and career development needs. Requests that focus exclusively on the research plan or lack a clear plan for the transition out of their postbac fellowship will be denied. The extension request must include:

A Trainee Exceptional Extension Request coversheet (see template [you may need to check your 'Downloads' directory if the file doesn't open directly])
Specific start and end dates of the fellowship period
Summary of current research progress and a plan for the third year
Summary of the career goals with past educational and career development experiences and a plan for the third year. The plan should include a discussion of what IC and OITE resources will be used and a clear plan for the fellow’s transition to their next career stage
PI commitment to the fellow’s plan for scientific and career goals
Fellow’s CV
IC financial commitment to the fellow for the full extension period

Note: Please use the Trainee Exceptional Extension Request coversheet template to provide a summary of this required information.

IC Review Process

All requests must be approved by the IC Office of the Scientific Director (OSD) prior to submission to OITE. PIs should follow procedures outlined in their IC for review and approval which may include a discussion with, or approval from, the Training Director or their designee.

OITE Submission and Review

Timeline: Extension requests must be submitted to OITE no later than three months before the current appointment end date. Requests submitted later than this may be denied.
Submission: Requests must be submitted by OSD leadership, the IC training office, or an appropriate administrative staff member. Requests should be submitted to OITE-Private@nih.gov with "POSTBAC EXTENSION" in the subject line.
Review & Determination: OITE may interview the student to review the extension terms, timeline, and plan for the extension period. The IC will be notified of the final determination by OITE, generally within 15 business days of submission.

Note: Postbacs may not be hired as contractors within the same research group after completing an exceptional third year. However, they may be hired as a contractor in another Intramural Research Group. Postbacs granted an exceptional third year should focus on completing their work and may not be appointed as a special volunteer at the termination of their postbac appointment. The postbac may transition to a predoctoral appointment in the Intramural Research Program if accepted into the NIH Graduate Partnerships Program.

Non-FTE Predoctoral (Predoc) Fellows

NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP) Predoc IRTA/CRTA appointments have a standard maximum of five years and predoc Visiting Fellow (VF) appointments have a standard maximum of three years. These appointment limits also apply for predoc fellows appointed as special volunteers or guest researchers. Predoc fellowships may be renewed beyond these appointment periods if the student: 1) is enrolled in a PhD program in good standing and, 2) would benefit from additional time to complete their PhD research. A maximum of one year may be granted per request, and subsequent requests are possible. While there is no firm limit on pre-doc appointments, it is expected that the mentor and student will work jointly to complete the doctoral program as quickly and efficiently as possible. OIR may grant extensions shorter than the period requested. No exceptional extension request is required for terminal extensions of less than three months to complete degree requirements. Future extension requests will not be approved after taking this terminal extension.

Extension Request Plan

The PI and predoc fellow should jointly prepare an extension request describing how the extension period will be used to complete dissertation work in progress and a plan for the graduate student’s transition to their next educational or career step. PIs and fellows are strongly encouraged to discuss the extension request with the IC training office or OITE staff to ensure the plan considers both scientific and career development needs. Requests that do not include a clear plan for completing dissertation research and the fellow’s transition out of graduate school will be denied. The extension request must include:

A Trainee Exceptional Extension Request coversheet (see template [you may need to check your 'Downloads' directory if the file doesn't open directly])
Specific start and end dates of the fellowship period
Summary of current research progress and a research plan for the extension period
Summary of the career goals with past educational and career development experiences and a plan for the extension period. The plan should focus on IC, program (for institutional GPP students), university, and OITE resources that will be used in support of the career development and research plans.
PI commitment to the fellow’s plan for scientific and career goals
Fellow’s CV
IC financial commitment to the fellow for the full extension period

Note: Please use the Trainee Exceptional Extension Request coversheet template to provide a summary of this required information.

IC Review Process

OD/OIR Submission and Review

Timeline: IC-approved extension requests must be submitted to the OITE no later than three months prior to the current appointment end date. Requests submitted after this date may be denied.
Submission: Requests must be submitted by OSD leadership, the IC training office, or an appropriate administrative staff member. Requests should be submitted to OITE-Private@nih.gov with "GPP EXTENSION" in the subject line.
Review & Determination: OITE will interview the student to discuss their training experience and to review the extension plan, terms, and timeline toward completion of their PhD training. The IC will be notified of the final determination by OITE, generally within 15 business days of the student interview.

Predoctoral Trainees Staying in the IRP Past Defense

Predoctoral trainees may remain at the NIH after defending their dissertation to complete remaining projects or to pursue postdoctoral fellowships. Once their university issues an official letter confirming that degree requirements have been met, or the degree is conferred in a graduation ceremony, it is expected that the trainee will be transitioned from a predoctoral to a postdoctoral appointment as quickly and efficiently as possible. A fellow’s predoctoral appointment time does not count toward NIH postdoctoral time limits, including the 8-year rule. If interested, the fellow and/or their PI should reach out to the OITE to discuss mechanisms for remaining at NIH after their doctoral defense.

Non-FTE Postdoctoral (Postdoc) Fellows

NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP) Postdoc IRTA, CRTA, and Visiting Fellow (VF) appointments have a standard maximum of five years. Under extraordinary circumstances, postdocs may be extended for an exceptional sixth and seventh year as an IRTA, CRTA, or VF if they would benefit from additional training to achieve their research and career goals. A maximum of one year may be granted per request. No exceptional extension request is required for terminal extensions of less than three months beyond the fifth year.

Note: The option to transition to a Research Fellow (FTE) is still available. This exceptional extension policy is only for the IRTA, CRTA, and VF appointment mechanisms.

Extension Request Plan

The (PI) and postdoc should jointly prepare an extension request describing how the extension period will be used to complete work in progress and a plan for the fellow’s transition to their next career stage. PIs and postdocs are strongly encouraged to discuss the extension request with the IC training office or OITE staff to ensure the plan considers both scientific and career development needs. Requests that do not include a clear plan for the transition out of their postdoc fellowship will be denied. The extension request must include:

A Trainee Exceptional Extension Request coversheet (see template [you may need to check your 'Downloads' directory if the file doesn't open directly])
Specific start and end dates of the fellowship period
Summary of current research progress and a research plan for the extension period
Summary of the career goals with past educational and career development progress and the plan for the extension period, including a focus on IC and OITE career development resources and a clear plan for the fellow’s transition to their next career stage
PI commitment to the fellow’s plan for scientific and career goals
Fellow’s CV
IC financial commitment to the fellow for the full extension period

Note: Please use the Trainee Exceptional Extension Request coversheet template to provide a summary of this required information.

IC Review Process

OD/OIR Submission and Review

Timeline: IC-approved extension requests must be submitted no later than six months prior to the current appointment end date. Requests submitted after this date may be denied.
Submission: Requests must be submitted by OSD leadership, the IC training office, or an appropriate administrative staff member. IRTA/CRTA requests should be submitted to OITE-Private@nih.gov with "POSTDOC EXTENSION" in the subject line. Visiting Fellow requests must be filed with DIS directly and should include all required documents as outlined on the DIS website. DIS will communicate with OITE once they have completed their review of the package.
Review & Determination: OITE will interview the postdoc to review the extension terms, timeline, plan for the extension period and activities to find a more permanent position. For IRTA/CRTA fellows, the IC will be notified of the final determination by OITE, generally within 15 business days of the student interview. For Visiting Fellows, the IC will be notified of the final determination by DIS following DIS and OIR review.

Returning to NIH

Once the extended postdoc appointment ends, postdocs can be offered an FTE appointment at NIH. PIs are encouraged to make this transition from fellow to staff as early as possible. Alternatively, contractor positions may be an appropriate path as long as the postdoc has publications derived from their work at NIH. The transition from postdoc to contractor must be approved by DIS (for foreign nationals) and OITE/OIR; inquiries regarding contractor appointments should be directed to OITE-Private@nih.gov. Further, the 8-year rule continues to be in effect for the full postdoc period and any exceptions beyond 8 years must be requested from OD/OIR c/o Dr. Arlyn García-Pérez, Director of Policy and Analysis.

This page was last updated on Thursday, July 10, 2025