NIH Foreign Subawards

Updated Policy on NIH Foreign Subawards

Posted May, 2025

Effective May 1, 2025 the NIH will not issue awards to domestic or foreign entities (new, renewal or non-competing continuation), that include a subaward to a foreign entity. Additionally, NIH will no longer accept prior approval requests to add a new foreign component or subaward to an ongoing project. Instead, all NIH-funded research involving foreign subawards must be structured as subprojects directly linked to the prime award. If a current project is no longer viable without the foreign subaward, NIH will work with the recipient to negotiate a bilateral termination of the project.

This policy change is not retroactive, does not apply to existing awards, and does not apply to funds provided to support foreign consultants, or purchasing unique equipment or supplies from foreign vendors. NIH plans to expand this policy to domestic subawards in the future, implementing the new award structure for foreign and domestic subawards by September 30, 2025.

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