NRSA Stipend Levels and GSRA Max

NRSA Stipend Levels

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) stipend levels will increase for fiscal year (FY) 2026 awards for undergraduate, predoctoral, and postdoctoral trainees and fellows. The new Level 0 amount is $63,480. 

View the full list of amounts by level in the tables published in the NIH notice.

The training-related expenses and institutional allowances, and tuition and fees for all educational levels remain unchanged from last year. Childcare costs will remain at $3,000; however, NIH released updated procedures for childcare costs.

Photo credit:
Ruth L Kirchstein, NIH - By National Institutes of Health - Always There, Public Domain 

Tracking GSRA/GSI/GSSA Compensation

This section provides guidance to the U-M research community on NIH requirements related to compensation levels for Graduate Student Research Assistants (GSRAs) working on NIH research grants.

NIH caps the allowable compensation level for GSRAs so that it does not exceed that of a first-year Post Doc. NIH defines GSRA compensation as salary or wages, fringe benefits, and tuition remission. See NIH's notice on Graduate Student Compensation from Dec 10, 2001 (NOT-OD-02-017).

Maximum Allowable Charges

At U-M, the maximum GSRA compensation rate is determined at the school/college level. In addition to our GSRA Cost Estimates page, you can reference the rates from other schools and colleges here. This is useful to those who reconcile statements and sign off on Final Financial Reports (FFRs).