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NREF Research Fellowship Grant & Young Clinician Investigator Award

Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation

⌖ North American neurosurgical institutions · United States

Profile completeness56%11 decision fields need confirmation
DECISION SUMMARY

Key facts at a glance

Source reviewed 8 Oct 2026. Verify the current intake with the host.

Eligibility
US citizenship is not required; applicants must be in (or accepted into) a North American neurosurgery residency (RFG) or hold a North American faculty post (YCI).
Funding
Up to $50,000 for one year per award; may be awarded in lesser amounts; NREF does not pay indirect costs.
Deadline
8 November 2026 (2027–28 cycle; opened 1 September 2026; notification 15 April 2027)
Duration
1 year
Hands-on status
Research Fellowship Grant: 80% of the resident's effort devoted to research; Young Clinician Investigator Award: 50% research effort (exceptions considered).
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

NREF's principal early-career research awards, supporting residents and junior faculty preparing for careers as neurosurgeon clinician investigators.

Protected neuroscience and neurosurgical research time: 100% of the resident's research effort for the Research Fellowship Grant and 50% effort for the Young Clinician Investigator Award (exceptions can be considered).

✓
Official NREF award pageLast checked 8 Oct 2026
Review source ↗
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT CHECK

What the official evidence currently supports.

Decision-critical fields are separated into published information, partial signals and questions that require direct confirmation.

2/6fully publishedNot an admission decision
✓Published in profile

International eligibility

US citizenship is not required; applicants must be in (or accepted into) a North American neurosurgery residency (RFG) or hold a North American faculty post (YCI).

≈Partially supported

Training level & pathway

Research · Academic neurosurgery

✓Published in profile

Participation / hands-on scope

Research Fellowship Grant: 80% of the resident's effort devoted to research; Young Clinician Investigator Award: 50% research effort (exceptions considered).

?Confirm with host

Medical registration & licensing

No programme-specific licensing field is recorded in the cited profile. Confirm directly with the host and regulator.

?Confirm with host

Language requirement

No programme-specific language score is recorded in the cited profile. Confirm the clinical working language and any formal test requirement.

?Confirm with host

Visa & work authorisation

Visa, sponsorship and work-right requirements are appointment-specific and must be confirmed with the institution.

NeuroSurgFellow does not guarantee admission, licensing, visas, employment, funding or operative privileges. Requirements may change by intake and appointment.

Data quality & missing information · 56% of decision fields recorded
DATA QUALITY & AVAILABILITY

56% of tracked decision fields are published

Checked 8 Oct 2026. Unavailable details below were not published in the cited material and have not been guessed.

✓ Duration✓ Eligibility✓ Funding✓ Training exposure✓ Current status✓ Official source✓ Commencement✓ Deadline✓ Positions✓ Participation level✓ International eligibility✓ Application documents✓ Application route✓ Official contact— Training level: confirm directly— Medical registration: confirm directly— Examinations: confirm directly— Language: confirm directly— Visa / work authorisation: confirm directly— Benefits: confirm directly— Fees: confirm directly— Insurance: confirm directly— Accommodation: confirm directly— Programme director: confirm directly— Accreditation: confirm directly
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APPLICATION TIMELINE & ROUTE

Plan the application.

Application status
Accepting applications
Commencement
1 July 2027 (grant period to 30 June 2028)
Duration
1 year
Positions
Usually no more than one award per institution per year.
Application route
Apply online through the NREF Grant and Fellowship Portal (AANS log-in required) after reading the application instructions.
Standalone deadline
8 November 2026 (2027–28 cycle; opened 1 September 2026; notification 15 April 2027)
Official contact
info@nref.org; 847.378.0500
Open application source ↗
ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS

Published entry requirements.

Clinical or academic eligibility

Research Fellowship Grant: residents only, currently in an approved neurological surgery residency in North America. Young Clinician Investigator Award: neurosurgeons no more than two years from completing residency who hold full-time faculty posts at North American teaching institutions.

Funding and support

Up to $50,000 for one year per award; may be awarded in lesser amounts; NREF does not pay indirect costs.

Benefits, fees & relocation

Benefits not published in this profile. Programme fees are not published. Insurance details are not published. Accommodation support is not published.

Application documents

  • Research proposal (max. 5 pages, NIH format)
  • Career development plan (1 page)
  • Three signed letters of reference on letterhead (project sponsor; programme director or chair; faculty member or mentor)
  • Project sponsor statement with sponsor biosketch
  • Mentor letter (RFG and YCI); department chair letter (YCI)
  • Honors, experience and goals documents

Licence, examinations, language & visa

Registration requirements need direct confirmation. Examination requirements are not published. Language requirements are not published. Visa and work-authorisation requirements need direct confirmation.

HOST INSTITUTION

Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation

2 sourced pathways are currently indexed for this institution.

View institution profile →Visit official source ↗
SOURCE & VERIFICATION

Official programme information.

Source
Official NREF award page
Coverage
Official programme or institutional starting point
Last checked
8 Oct 2026
Editorial status
Source-linked profile
Programme lead
Not recorded
Accreditation / recognition
Not recorded · confirm with the host or accreditor
Planned editorial review
8 Apr 2027
Open official programme page ↗
BEFORE YOU APPLY

Confirm the details
that affect your move.

  1. Is the stated intake still open?
  2. Are international graduates eligible?
  3. Does the role include hands-on clinical privileges?
  4. Which licence, visa and language requirements apply?
  5. What salary, fees, insurance and relocation costs apply?