Independent guide. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or speaking for NIH or NIGMS. No registration, no official meeting business here.
TWD Programs GuideResearch training, explained

Program profile

Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA)

SEPA funds partnerships that bring biomedical research into classrooms and informal science settings. NIGMS took over the program in 2017.

By the TWD Programs Guide editors · Updated · 1 min read

Active, accepting applications Checked November 7, 2026

Mechanism
R25 (PAR-27-077, reissue of PAR-23-137)
Who it serves
Pre-K to grade 12 students and teachers, in and out of school
Today
Due dates from September 25, 2026 through May 25, 2029; announcement expires May 26, 2029.

Short answer

SEPA is an NIH R25 managed by NIGMS that funds pre-K to grade 12 science education projects, including courses, research experiences, mentoring, curricula and outreach. The current announcement, PAR-27-077, allows up to $250,000 in direct costs a year for up to five years, with due dates from September 25, 2026 to May 25, 2029.

What is SEPA?

SEPA is an NIH R25 research education grant, managed by NIGMS since 2017, that funds projects to increase pre-kindergarten through grade 12 students' understanding of biomedical research and interest in STEM careers. Projects can work in classrooms or in informal settings such as museums, libraries and after-school programs.

What does the current announcement allow?

PAR-27-077 was posted May 5, 2026 and replaces PAR-23-137.

Item Rule
Direct costs Up to $250,000 a year, excluding consortium F&A
Project period Up to 5 years
Indirect costs 8% of modified total direct costs
PD/PI effort At least 2.0 person-months a year
Activities Courses, research experiences, mentoring, curriculum or methods development, outreach

When are applications due?

September 25, 2026 has passed. Remaining dates are January 25, May 25 and September 25 each year through May 25, 2029. The announcement expires May 26, 2029.

Tips from program evaluation practice

SEPA reviewers look for a clear evaluation plan with measurable outcomes for students or teachers. Our program evaluation guide covers logic models and outcome measures that work for education projects as well as graduate programs.

Questions people ask

Can a school district apply for SEPA directly?

Yes. Independent school districts and public, private and charter schools are among the eligible organizations, along with universities, nonprofits, museums, local and tribal governments and others.

What indirect cost rate does SEPA use?

Indirect costs are reimbursed at 8 percent of modified total direct costs, the standard rate for NIH training-type awards, not the institution's negotiated research rate.

Sources

  1. PAR-27-077: NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) (R25)
  2. NIGMS: Science Education Partnership Award

This profile is an independent summary, not an official NIH or NIGMS description. Eligibility and deadlines are set by the current funding opportunity; read it before you apply.