ASH Research Training Award for Fellows

The ASH Research Training Award for Fellows (RTAF) is designed to encourage junior researchers in hematology, hematology/oncology, and other hematology-related training programs to pursue careers in academic hematology. The RTAF is open to both MD and MD-PhD researchers between zero and four years from completing residency as of the application deadline.

During this transition year of eligibility changes, if you are ineligible for the Scholar Award closing on May 1, 2026, because you have four or fewer years since residency, please consider applying to the RTAF instead. While the standard eligibility for RTAF is four or fewer years since residency, we will consider exceptions for applicants who are slightly over the four-year mark for this one cycle. The RTAF application will close in January 2027 with a start date of July 2027, the same start date as the Scholar Award. All other RTAF eligibility criteria must still be met.

Program Benefits

The award provides each recipient with $70,000 for a one-year period to guarantee protected time for clinical, basic, or translational research. Additionally, funding is available each year for up to four RTAF recipients to apply for a second year of support.

The funds give fellows in training more time to generate sufficient expertise to be competitive when applying for other awards, such as the ASH Scholar Award, which targets applicants with more extensive research experience and a record of past research success (e.g., publications). Awardees also receive $1,000 the year after their award to support attendance at the ASH annual meeting.

Key Dates

Application AvailableSeptember 1, 2025
Application DeadlineJanuary 15, 2026
Finalists InterviewedMarch 30-31, 2026
Award NotificationMay 2026

Application Information and Additional Resources

For more information on the eligibility requirements and the application process, please consult the links below:

Supported Research

Applicants must submit proposals to conduct research in hematology. Proposals that fall within any of the categories discussed below are encouraged:

  • Basic Research
  • Translational Research
  • Patient-Oriented Clinical Research
  • Outcomes-Based Research

For additional details on eligible research categories, please consult the Research Definitions page.

ASH Virtual Office Hours

ASH is offering virtual office hours for prospective award applicants and mentors. Speak with a volunteer leader one on one about grant writing tips and gain invaluable insight about what award may be the best fit for you from a diverse network of mentors.

Office hours are held in English and Spanish (where available). Sign up for a session today to provide ample time to prepare your application before the award deadlines in the new year!

Questions?

For questions about the ASH Research Training Award for Fellows, please contact awards@hematology.org.

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Which Early Career Award Is Right for You?

Every one of ASH's award programs for early-career hematologists offers valuable opportunities to grow in your field. But it can be hard to know which is the right fit for your goals. Use this Early Career Awards Pathway to narrow down your options.

An Unprecedented Investment

Since 2025, ASH has more than doubled its level of support for awards, career development opportunities, and mentorship programs as part of the #Fight4Hematology campaign. This unprecedented investment of $25 million to date into hematology research awards – above and beyond ASH’s traditional funding levels – brings ASH’s total award funding across 2025-2026 to nearly $50 million, supporting 3,500+ awards.