The ASH Scholar Award, first established in 1985, is ASH’s flagship career development program for hematologists in the US and Canada at the Fellow, Fellow to Faculty, and Junior Faculty stages. The 2026 cycle saw a record-breaking expansion of the program—ASH increased its commitment by $9 million and awarded 53 scholars in response to federal funding cuts threatening the research pipeline. This is directly relevant to oncology, as the program funds research on leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and other hematologic malignancies. The next LOI cycle (for July 2027 activation) is now open.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must be a US citizen, permanent resident, or Canadian citizen/permanent resident
- Must be an ASH member in good standing at the time of the LOI deadline
- Fellow level: PhD applicants within 6 years of terminal degree; MD/DO applicants with 4–6 years post-residency; must be in a fellow/trainee position
- Fellow to Faculty level: 6–11 years post-degree/residency; moving toward independence
- Junior Faculty level: holds an independent faculty appointment (Assistant Professor or equivalent)
- Must have at least 75% protected research time (exceptions considered with strong justification)
- Must not have successfully competed for a substantial award (e.g., NIH R01 or equivalent) as PI or co-PI before the application deadline
- Cannot hold multiple ASH awards concurrently
- Research must be hematology-focused (blood disorders, including malignant hematology)
Funding Details:
- Fellow Scholar Award: up to $100,000 over 2–3 years
- Fellow to Faculty Scholar Award: up to $125,000 over 2–3 years
- Junior Faculty Scholar Award: up to $150,000 over 2–3 years
- Payments made quarterly to the institution
- Up to 15% of award may be used for benefits (health/dental/retirement); indirect costs not allowed
- Award activation: July 1, 2027
Deadline:
- LOI (Letter of Intent) deadline: May 1, 2026 (submitted via ASH online awards system)
- Eligible applicants notified and invited to apply in early June 2026
- Full application deadline: August 3, 2026
Where to Go for Further Information: