Application process FAQs

Eligibility for RSNA grants depends on your training level, institutional affiliation and project scope. Each grant is tailored to specific applicant profiles and the grant name often reflects who can apply.

General eligibility principles:

• Training-specific grants: Many research grants are designed for individuals at particular stages of their training.
• Faculty status: Grants like the Scholar or Seed Grant require applicants to hold a faculty or equivalent position by the award start date. A letter confirming your appointment may be needed if you're transitioning into a faculty role.
• International applicants: Some grants, such as the Research Seed Grant and Education Project Award, are open to international applicants and may be completed at their home institutions. Others require the work to be performed at a North American institution.

Still unsure which grant you qualify for? Contact the grants team at grants@rsna.org or call 1-630-590-7789 before beginning the application process.

It depends on how much time you can commit to your project and how long you’ve been in a faculty role.

The Research Scholar Grant is a great fit if you’ve been in a full-time faculty position for a while and are ready to dedicate a significant portion of your time to research. To apply, you’ll need to already hold a full-time faculty appointment and be within 5–8 years of your initial hire date. This grant also requires you to commit at least 20% of your effort to the project.

The Research Seed Grant offers more flexibility. You don’t need to be in a faculty role when you apply, as long as you’ll have one by the time the funding begins. There’s also no minimum effort requirement, which makes it a good option if your schedule is tight or you're just getting started.

If you're still unsure, contact the grants team for guidance. We’re happy to help you find the best fit for your goals!

Yes, you must be an RSNA member at the time of application. If you’re a non dues-paying member (such as a medical student or member-in-training), your scientific advisor or co-investigator must be a dues-paying member.

If you’re currently not a member, or your membership has expired, feel free to contact our membership department at membership@rsna.org.

No, you can only submit one research or education grant application per year.

No, you can reapply for any grant using a non-funded project as many times as you wish, as long as you remain eligible for that particular grant.

Most of our grants do not have limits. However, the Research Scholar Grant does have limits on the number of applications that can be submitted per department of participating institutions. See current policies and procedures manual for the most recent requirements. 

It depends on the grant:

• The Research Scholar Grant requires a minimum of 20% effort over two years.
• The Research Resident and Fellow Grants both require applicants devote 3.6 calendar months (or 30% effort) over a maximum two-year project.
• The Medical Student Research Grant requires 100% effort for an 8–10 week supervised project.

Yes, it is. RSNA provides $3,000 in funding to be matched by the institution where the research will be conducted. This helps ensure the institution’s commitment to the project and will provide everything necessary to make it a success.

While we encourage applicants to apply for funding in any area of research in the radiologic sciences, and all applications are reviewed on their own merit, the Foundation's Board of Trustees has identified a set of priority focus areas for the 2026–27 grant cycle to ensure that funding is directed toward the most pressing and high-impact challenges in imaging science.

The following Priority Focus Area Topics were selected based on emerging trends, unmet clinical needs and opportunities for transformative innovation across the field:

• Precision medicine: Theranostics
• Imaging in vulnerable populations
• Efficiencies in radiology and opportunities for improvement
• Personalized care in pediatric imaging
• Cybersecurity in radiology departments
• Increasing access and efficiency: Doing more with less

In addition to the listed priority areas, we invite innovative projects that may fall outside these categories, provided they align with our overall mission and meet our funding criteria.

Learn more

All grant applications are completed online using a series of text boxes, drop-down lists and user uploads. As you finish each section of the application it will be marked as “complete” in the table of contents, so you can easily track your progress. To view your full application for a final check before submitting, click the “Preview Application PDF” at the top of the table of contents page.

For the most part, you can. It’s not uncommon for grant recipients to receive multiple years of funding for the same or different grant programs.

You can technically receive all of the research grants over time (Medical Student, Resident/Fellow, Seed and Scholar). However, once you receive the Research Scholar Grant—whether it’s your first R&E Foundation grant, or not—you are no longer eligible for any RSNA research grant and will need to find funding through the NIH.

There is no limit on the number of education grants you can receive.

Yes, there are. Many sections have word and/or page limits, which are stated in the instructions for that section of that particular grant.

The detailed research/education plan is limited to two pages for the Medical Student Research Grant application and five pages for all other grants. Keep in mind, page limits include images, tables and other graphics, though additional pages may be used for references.

Try to avoid appendices unless absolutely necessary—they’re more common in education grant applications than research grants. Whenever you do use an appendix, do not use it to extend your detailed plan.

It is important you don’t exceed the stated page and/or word limits. Study section reviewers may refuse to review applications that violate these restrictions.

Yes, signatures are always required on grant applications. Just enter the names and contact information for your institution’s grant administrator, department chair and scientific advisor (if applicable). Then, download the signature page, obtain signatures and scan and upload everything back into the application. The uploaded document will automatically be incorporated into the finished application PDF.

We do not accept letters of support or recommendation with grant applications. However, if equipment or supplies for the proposed study will be provided by a source other than your department (such as a commercial company), please include a letter of intent or agreement from that source.

Similarly, if the study involves significant collaboration with individuals other than your scientific advisor, you’ll need to include appropriate letters of agreement.

For education grant applications, you’ll need to provide a letter from the department chair if the project will involve a significant amount of your time or departmental resources, including other personnel.

All letters must conform to the guidelines stated in the application, or they will be removed.

All links to the online grant application site will be deactivated the morning after the grant deadline.

Yes, you can make changes up until the application deadline. But, you must click "Update” on the sections you edit for your changes to be saved.

Yes, you will. Once you submit your application an online confirmation will appear onscreen letting you know your application has been received.

Yes, both funded and non-funded grant applications will receive a copy of the reviewers’ comments. We encourage you to use these comments as a teaching tool to improve your project approach and grant writing skills. 

We’ll notify you of the outcome of your application via email by June 5.

The R&E Foundation’s board of trustees strive to maintain a minimum funding rate of 25%.

All funding begins on July 1. 

A progress report is required halfway through the project, along with a final report after the project is completed; however, some grants require more frequent reporting. Due dates vary by grant type.

This happens all the time thanks to unexpected delays in obtaining IRB or IACUC approval, patient recruitment and other extenuating circumstances. You can easily request a no-cost extension to the terms of your grant.

Grants can be transferred from one institution to another, or from one investigator to another. All transfer requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Only Research Scholar Grant recipients are required to attend the annual meeting while receiving funding. All other grant recipients are encouraged to attend, but it is not required.

Rocio Ortiz
Coordinator, Grant Administration
rortiz@rsna.org
1-630-590-7789