Apply for the ASH Graduate Hematology Award

Universal Graduate Award Competitive LOI Components

Please submit your strongest, most competitive Letter of Intent. Following review, only a select group of applicants will be invited to submit a full application.

• Completed form in online award system
• Project Summary (700 words or less)
• Applicant Biosketch (SciENcv common form and supplement)

Full Instructions can be found here.

If invited to submit a full application, applicants can choose to apply to the ASH Graduate Hematology Award or both the ASH Graduate Hematology Award and the HIP Graduate Student Award in the main application round. If an applicant wants to apply to both awards, only one application needs to be submitted. ASH will duplicate your application if needed.

Program Benefits

The award provides an annual $40,000 honorarium for a two-year period (for a total of $80,000) that can be used for tuition/salary/honorarium (no more than 70%), research, training-related expenses (including health insurance), and travel to the ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition.

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.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the following criteria in order to qualify:

• Any visa, citizenship and/or U.S. work authorization restrictions applicable to receiving the ASH Award are the responsibility of the applicant.
• Be planning and committed to conduct the relevant research project in the United States or Canada or Mexico.
• Be an ASH member or pending member as of the application deadline.
• Be enrolled in a graduate-level course of study and have passed their competency exam (comprehensive exams, qualifying exams, or preliminary exams) by the July 1 award start date at a school or institution in the U.S., Canada, Mexico leading to a PhD degree.
• Applicants must plan to pursue an investigative career in hematology research and be doctoral students with two years remaining in their PhD program as of the award start date. Applicants may submit a formal exception request for the time-based eligibility requirement to awards@hematology.org. Please include the expected graduation date and a justification for the exception in the request.
• Propose research focused on a hematologic condition or biological process.
• Have clear and documented support of an established ASH member mentor in good standing for the duration of the award term.
• Provide a document from an institutional leader who has the authority to ensure that at least 65% to 75% (approximately 2,704 – 3,120 hours of protected time devoted to research over the two-year time period) of the applicant's full-time professional efforts will be devoted to research during the funded period.
• Eligible applicants may not hold other ASH awards during the AGHA award term.
• Students pursuing a master's as their terminal degree are not eligible.

Application Process

The AGHA application, as well as all supporting documents outlined below, must be submitted through the ASH online awards system in the universal graduate application.

All applications must include the following:

• Applicant NIH Biographical Sketch
• Institutional Commitment Letter from Department Chair/Dean or someone with authority to sign the letter
• Mentor NIH Biographical Sketch(es)
• Mentor Letter(s) of Support
• Applicant Career Development Plan and Personal Statement
• Research Proposal

Full instructions can be found here.

Evaluation, Selection, and Notification

Applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• A focus on hematology research
• The applicant’s qualifications and experiences; factors to be considered include, but are not limited to, the potential for future independent investigation and commitment to a career in hematology research
• Quality of the mentor and the plan for mentor-applicant interaction and career development.
• The significance, feasibility, and originality of the proposed hypothesis, research, and methodology.
• Availability of institutional resources to support the proposed project.
• While not an excluding factor, consideration will be given to insuring a balance between PhD and MD/PhD programs

There is no limit to the number of applications that an institution and its affiliates may submit. However, no more than one award will be granted for any given institution. For this purpose, ASH’s definition of “medical school” encompasses all affiliate institutions (e.g., University of Washington would include the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle Children's Hospital, etc.).

Terms and Conditions

All awards will be activated on July 1 and will conclude on June 30 of the final year. Payment will be made to the appropriate financial officer for the institution as indicated on the proposed budget form.

As a condition of acceptance of the ASH Graduate Hematology Award, it is required that:

• All funds must be used for the research project specified in the application submitted to ASH in strict compliance with the budget included with the application or any subsequent budget approved by the Society.
  • Indirect costs (e.g., facilities and administration costs) are not allowed.
• Any visa, citizenship and/or U.S. work authorization restrictions applicable to receiving the ASH Award are the responsibility of the applicant.
• The award recipient must dedicate at least 65% to 75% (approximately 2,704 – 3,120 hours of protected time devoted to research over the two-year time period) of his/her full-time professional efforts to research during the funded period.
• AGHA recipients cite support from the American Society of Hematology in any publication describing research conducted during the period of the award.
• Award recipients complete program surveys during and after the award period, which ASH will use to measure the effectiveness of the program.

Reallocation
Students may request a reallocation of funds from one expense category to another. This written request must specify the dollar amount, which categories are impacted, and a justification as to why this change is necessary. 

All reallocation requests must be sent to awards@hematology.org.

Changing Mentors
Please contact awards@hematology.org if you need to change mentors. This must be approved by the Chair of the Awards Committee.

Final Reports
A final written report (not to exceed three pages) is expected within 60 days of the end of the award period.

AGHA recipients, along with the financial officers from their institutions, must also submit a financial report detailing how the funds were used over the two-year period. This report must be submitted within 60 days of the end of the award period.

Both final reports must be sent to awards@hematology.org.

Unused Funds
Any funding not spent by the end of the award term must be returned to the Society when submitting the final report. A check made out to “American Society of Hematology” must be sent to the address listed below:

American Society of Hematology - ASH - Administration
P.O. Box 37580 (Truist Lock box ID: 9478)
Baltimore, MD 21297-3580

Have a Question?

If you have any questions, please contact awards@hematology.org.