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Postdoctoral Fellowship

American Heart Association

Purpose

To enhance the training of postdoctoral applicants who are not yet independent. The applicant must be embedded in an appropriate investigative group with the mentorship, support, and relevant scientific guidance of a research mentor. Recognizing the unique challenges that clinicians, in particular, experience in balancing research and clinical activity, this award mechanism aims to be as flexible as possible to enable applicants to develop academic careers in research alongside fulfilling clinical service commitments.

Budget

The Association does not pay indirect costs on fellowships.
The Association does not require use of the NIH salary cap.

Note: The Heart Association's stipend matches the published NIH stipend for postdoctoral fellows at the time the Association begins to accept proposals (July 1, 2026).

2027 American Heart Association Annual Stipends

Years of Experience	Stipend
0	$63,480
1	$63,900
2	$64,380
3	$66,948
4	$69,180
5	$71,748
6	$74,424
7 or more	$77,076

Plus $12,200 per year for health insurance.

Note: Stipend may be used to further supplement health insurance cost, however, the health insurance allowance may not be used for any other purpose.

Project Support

$3,000 per year, in addition to the stipend.

A minimum of $1,500 per year must be spent on travel to a national conference (attendance at the Heart Association's Scientific Sessions is strongly encouraged). International travel is permitted and does not require prior AHA approval.
No limit on any line item (travel, computer, equipment, etc.).

Award Duration

One or two years. May apply for a second two-year award. All eligibility criteria apply. Maximum of four years of Association-funded postdoctoral fellowship support per individual.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Strong Alignment with the AHA Mission

Applications that clearly demonstrate how the proposed work will reduce cardiovascular disease, stroke burden, brain health problems, or improve population health tend to score better. Reviewers explicitly assess potential impact on the AHA mission.

2. High Scientific Impact

Funded proposals typically address an important unmet need and show potential to change clinical practice, scientific understanding, prevention strategies, or health outcomes. Impact is a major review criterion across AHA mechanisms.

3. Innovation and Novelty

AHA strongly favors projects that:

Challenge existing paradigms
Introduce new concepts or technologies
Explore novel mechanisms
Open new research directions

Innovation is particularly important in programs such as the Innovative Project Award.

4. Strong Preliminary Data (Except Innovation-Focused Awards)

For most investigator-initiated grants, convincing preliminary data demonstrating feasibility and supporting the central hypothesis substantially improves competitiveness. Reviewers look for evidence that the project can realistically succeed.

5. Investigator Track Record

Successful applicants often demonstrate:

Relevant publications
Prior productivity
Expertise in the proposed area
Evidence of completing previous projects

For early-career awards, potential and career trajectory may weigh more heavily than extensive publication records.

6. Strong Mentorship Environment (Career Development/Fellowships)

For Predoctoral, Postdoctoral, and Career Development Awards, a highly accomplished mentor and supportive research environment are among the strongest predictors of success. AHA specifically emphasizes appropriate investigative groups and mentorship structures.

7. Clear and Feasible Research Plan

Successful applications generally have:

Well-defined aims
Logical experimental design
Appropriate statistical methods
Realistic timelines
Identified alternative approaches

Reviewers often downgrade proposals that are overly ambitious or lack contingency plans.

8. Multidisciplinary Collaboration

For larger AHA programs, including Strategically Focused Research Networks (SFRNs), multidisciplinary teams and collaborations across basic, clinical, translational, and population sciences are strongly encouraged and frequently seen in funded applications.

9. Effective Non-Scientist Summary

Unlike many funding agencies, AHA formally evaluates the lay/non-scientist summary. Applications that clearly explain the public-health importance and societal impact of the work receive an advantage.

10. Institutional Environment

Competitive applications usually come from environments that provide:

Necessary facilities
Access to patient populations or specialized resources
Strong research infrastructure
Protected research time for investigators

AHA review criteria consider whether the environment supports project completion.

Specialties

Cardiovascular Diseases

Eligibility Requirements

At the time of award activation, the applicant must hold a post-baccalaureate PhD degree or equivalent, or a doctoral-level clinical degree such as MD, DO, DVM, PharMD, DDS, DPh, or a PhD in nursing, public health or other clinical health science.
At the time of award activation, the awardee may not be pursuing a doctoral degree.
At the time of award activation, the applicant may have no more than five years of research training or experience since obtaining a post-baccalaureate doctoral-level degree (excluding clinical training).
The awardee will be expected to devote at least 80 percent of full-time work either to research or to activities pursuant to independent research (instead of administrative, clinical duties that are not an integral part of the research training program, or teaching responsibilities).
Recognizing the unique challenges that clinicians, in particular, experience in balancing research and clinical activity, this award mechanism aims to be as flexible as possible to enable applicants to develop academic careers in research alongside fulfilling clinical service commitments.
- The Association permits delayed start requests for up to six months. This includes applicants with clinical appointments.
- Applicants must indicate their intent to delay the start date in the Personal Statement section of their biosketch.
This award is not intended for individuals of faculty rank.

AHA research awards are limited to U.S.-based non-profit institutions, including medical, osteopathic, and dental schools, veterinary schools, schools of public health, pharmacy schools, nursing schools, universities and colleges, public and voluntary hospitals and others that can demonstrate the ability to conduct the proposed research.

Applicants are not required to reside in the United States for any period before applying for American Heart Association funding. However, applicants must have one of the following designations at the time of proposal submission – not award start date, depending on career stage and each individual’s situation. An awardee must maintain one of the designations listed below throughout the duration of the award. Please consult with your institution’s grant officer.

U.S. citizen
Permanent resident
Pending permanent resident (must have filed Form I-485 for permanent resident status and obtained an I-797C Notice of Action that the application has been received by USCIS and case is pending)
E-3 Visa - specialty occupation worker
F-1 Visa – student (for predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows only)
G-4 Visa - family member of an international organization employee
H1-B Visa - temporary worker in a specialty occupation
J-1 Visa - exchange visitor (pre- and postdoctoral fellowships only; all other awardees must obtain an H-1B or equivalent by the proposal due date)
O-1 Visa - temporary worker with extraordinary abilities in the sciences
TN Visa - NAFTA Professional
DACA - Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

Eligible Countries:

United States

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: American Heart Association

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 7272 Greenville Ave. Dallas, TX 75231

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