NIH Common Forms in SciENcv:

By Pamela Shaw, Research Policy Librarian 

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) introduced a requirement for all applications dated on or after January 25, 2026 to use the NIH Common Forms for the biographical sketch and the Current and Pending Other Support (CPOS) documents. Applicants are required to use NIH’s National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) online SciENcv tool to create these documents. Now that the Common Forms in SciENcv have been in place for a few months, we at Galter want to share updated guidance hear how the transition is going for our users. 

Leniency Period 

Although this requirement is already in place, the NIH recognized that there were problems with user accounts in SciENcv. As a result they announced a “period of leniency”, allowing applicants to submit the older form biosketch or CPOS through May 2026. Don’t wait to start using SciENcv, though. Northwestern Sponsored Research recommends switching to the Common Forms now if you haven’t already. When older format documents are submitted during the period of leniency, NIH will issue a warning, but the application will be accepted. After the leniency period is over, applications using old format documents will be rejected.  

Problems That Arise When Using SciENcv  

Multiple user accounts: This is the most common issue that causes errors or incomplete information in SciENcv – especially when trying to link your ORCID to your NCBI account. If you suspect you have multiple NCBI accounts, you must contact info@ncbi.nlm.nih.gov to ask the NCBI staff to merge your accounts. The body of your email needs to include your NCBI username, your eRA Commons username (if applicable), your ORCID ID and any email addresses that may be associated with your account(s). Also indicate if you have previously used an NCBI account for submitting sequences or other molecular data. It can take anywhere from a few days to weeks for accounts to be merged.  

Troubleshooting: There were many errors related to users’ SciENcv profile data early in the deployment of the Common Forms that the NCBI has since addressed. While SciENcv continues to improve, some challenges remain. Together with Northwestern Research Administration personnel we have compiled a set of solutions and workarounds available on the troubleshooting page of our SciENcv GalterGuide. If you have discovered a solution for a SciENcv error that is not on our troubleshooting page, please share it with us. We will add it to our guide and give you proper credit for the solution. We extend our gratitude to all the administrative personnel who have provided us with tips and solutions. 

Additional NIH Requirement: MFTRP Certification 

All individuals designated as senior or key personnel are required to certify annually to their participation or non-participation in a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program (MFTRP) by uploading a certification statement to section G.1 in the progress report (RPPR). However, if you have submitted a Common Form NIH biosketch or CPOS with the RPPR, those documents include this certification, so you do NOT need to upload a separate statement in section G.1. Note: If you use the old NIH biosketch and other support document during the period of leniency, you must upload a separate MFTRP certification to the RPPR. 

We are here to help 

Galter Library has a dedicated guide for using SciENcv, and we have a Galter class on SciENcv, too. If you are having trouble creating your Common Forms in SciENcv, don’t hesitate to contact us at ghsl-ref@northwestern.edu or contact the Research Policy Librarian Pamela Shaw directly.