American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowships

Scholarship Sponsored by American Cancer Society

Overview

Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF) support early-career investigators in research training programs to prepare them for independent careers in cancer research. Reviewers evaluate how the proposed fellowship will broaden the applicant’s research training and experience. The program is intended for candidates in postdoctoral positions at eligible U.S. institutions and aims to provide salary support and professional development resources. Applicants should consult the full grant policies for detailed program rules and institutional requirements.

Description: A mentored research fellowship that funds 2- or 3-year training plans designed to advance the fellow’s independence and research skills in cancer-related science.

• Supports transition to independent cancer research careers.
• Peer review focuses on training breadth and mentor support.
• Applicants must follow detailed grant policies and institutional rules.

Eligibility

Eligibility centers on the applicant’s position, degree timing, and lawful status. Candidates must be in a postdoctoral position at a U.S. academic institution or eligible non-profit and may not hold faculty or staff scientist appointments. Eligibility is based on the month and year the terminal doctoral degree was awarded and the application deadline, and applicants generally must have had their terminal degree for three years or less and/or three or fewer years of postdoctoral research training. Only one PF application may be submitted per funding cycle.

Eligibility: Requirements include institutional affiliation, immigration or citizenship status, postdoctoral appointment (not faculty), limits on years since terminal degree or postdoctoral experience, and one application per cycle.

• Must be in a postdoctoral role at an eligible U.S. institution or non-profit.
• U.S. citizens or non-citizens with appropriate lawful status at application time are eligible.
• Terminal degree awarded ≤3 years prior or ≤3 years of postdoctoral research experience.
• One fellowship application allowed per cycle; 2- and 3-year fellowships available.

Award Value and Terms

Awards are offered for up to three years with progressive annual stipends of $66,000, $68,000, and $70,000. Fellows receive an annual allowance of $4,000 to cover items such as health insurance, workshops, and meeting travel, and in the final year an additional $1,500 is available to support attendance at the ACS Postdoctoral Fellows Symposium or a domestic scientific meeting. Top-ranked fellowships may receive supplemental funding from special endowments at the discretion of the American Cancer Society. Fellows should budget with these standard stipend and allowance levels in mind when planning their training activities.

Award Value: Stipends increase each year of the award and include fixed annual allowances for professional and health-related expenses; select awards may be supplemented.

• Up to 3-year awards with progressive stipends ($66K, $68K, $70K).
• $4,000 annual allowance plus $1,500 additional in the final year for meeting support.
• Top-ranked fellowships may receive supplemental endowment funds.

Parental Leave

The fellowship provides a paid parental leave option to support births and adoptions. Fellows may elect between four and twelve weeks of paid maternity or paternity leave per year. The grant term is extended by the same number of weeks taken for leave, and stipend payments continue throughout the leave extension so fellows maintain continuous support. This policy ensures fellows can complete the full fellowship term while receiving stipend continuity during periods when research is paused for parental leave.

Parental Leave Option: Paid leave of 4–12 weeks per year, with extension of the grant term and continued stipend payments for the leave period.

• Paid leave is available for births and adoptions.
• Grant term extended equal to leave duration; stipends continue.
• Designed to preserve training time and financial support during leave.

Application Timeline

Application deadlines follow standard business-day rules: if a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, submissions are accepted the next business day. Applicants with extenuating circumstances should submit eligibility questions at least six weeks before the application deadline to grant.eligibility@cancer.org. Applicants are encouraged to review the full grant policies well in advance to confirm timelines, required materials, and institutional approvals. Meeting these timelines helps ensure complete and compliant submissions.

Application Timeline: Deadlines shift to the next business day if they fall on weekends or holidays; eligibility inquiries should be sent at least six weeks before the deadline.

• Deadline moves to next business day if on a weekend or holiday.
• Send eligibility questions at least six weeks before the deadline.
• Review grant policies early to prepare a complete application.