Education & Research Training (EDUC8) Awards

Education & Research Training (EDUC8) Awards is sponsored by California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Provides funding for education and training programs in regenerative medicine for students across California.

Education & Research Training (EDUC8) Awards – CIRM Education & Research Training (EDUC8) Awards Preparing the Next Generation of Regenerative Medicine Professionals Application forms will be available in late 2026 and due in April 2027. Consultation requests are available now.

Photo Credit: Cal Poly Humboldt Supporting Comprehensive Training for Undergraduate Through Master’s Level Students The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has developed the Education & Research Training (EDUC8) Awards funding opportunity to equip students across California with the education, skills, and hands-on experience required to thrive in regenerative medicine and related careers.

EDUC8 enhances and updates the Bridges and COMPASS programs via a flexible umbrella grant mechanism, supporting diverse paths tailored to distinct trainees. EDUC8 Awards: Key Information A critical component of CIRM’s mission is to cultivate a skilled, adaptable workforce capable of meeting current and future scientific and technical challenges.

See key program information below: Funded programs are expected to achieve the following outcomes: Support coursework and training that builds understanding of stem cell biology, gene therapy, and regenerative medicine into degree curricula. Provide paid, hands-on internship experiences with academic, industry, clinical, and research host sites.

Foster mentorship, patient engagement, and community outreach to broaden perspectives and career readiness. Strengthen innovative recruitment and retention strategies to expand participation to a wide range of California communities and institutions. Contribute to the CIRM network by tracking alumni outcomes and disseminating knowledge and resources beyond the home institution.

Applicants may structure an EDUC8 Award as one of three paths, depending on their institution’s eligibility (see below): Target Trainees: Early undergraduates, exploring career possibilities Focus: Foundational coursework + short (e.g. summer) internships Target Trainees: Later stage undergraduates, certificate, and/or master’s students with specific interest in regenerative medicine Focus: Specialized coursework + extended internships Target Trainees: Institutions with eligibility and capacity to support both paths Focus: Individual + shared programming and resources Maximum award amounts vary by path.

Maximum award duration is up to five (5) years: COMPASS Path: Up to $3,237,000 Bridges Path: Up to $4,588,500 Dual Path: Up to $6,918,000 To be eligible for an EDUC8 Award, applicant institutions must: Be California public or private non-profit colleges or universities with relevant STEM or regenerative medicine degree or certificate programs Meet specific criteria based on the training path (COMPASS, Bridges, or Dual Path) as described in the Program Announcement Submit no more than one EDUC8 application per funding cycle Must include internship host sites that are located in California and provide meaningful research and mentoring opportunities.

Download the EDUC8 Program Announcement (PA) for more details regarding award eligibility, review criteria, and application information. Download Program Announcement (PA) How to Submit an Application: 1. Go to the Grants Management Portal 2.

After logging in, click on the Menu tab Select the tab labeled “Open Programs” under the section labeled “RFAs and Programs Open for Applications,” and click on the “Start a Grant Application” link for the selected program. 3. Complete each section of the Application Click on the appropriate link and follow the instructions.

Proposal templates can be located and submitted under the “Uploads” section. 4. To submit your Application Click on the “Done with Application” button.

After completing all the mandatory sections, the “Done with Application” button will be enabled. Note: Once submitted, you can no longer make changes to your application. 5.

To confirm submission of your Application Select the tab labeled “Your Applications” and check the table under the section labeled “Your Submitted Applications. ” Once the submission process has been completed, you will see your application number and project title listed. Application forms will be available in late 2026 and due in April 2027.

Consultation requests are available now via email to education@cirm. ca.

gov. CIRM Grants Policies, FAQs, and Primers Grants Administration Policy for Discovery and Education Projects Education & Training Program Resources Education and Training Programs Shared Resources Laboratories (SRLs) for Stem Cell-Based Modeling EDUC8 Application Resources EDUC8 Video Guide: Part I − Recorded February 2026 EDUC8 Video Guide Slides: Part I Slides – [PDF] EDUC8 Video Guide: Part II – Recorded February 2026 EDUC8 Video Guide Slides: Part II – [PDF] Who can apply to which path?

An applicant must be a California public university or college, or a private, non-profit academic institution that offers regenerative medicine-relevant biology or STEM certificates and/or degrees. To apply to the COMPASS path, institutions must have an accredited Bachelor’s degree program in the above-mentioned disciplines.

To apply to the Bridges or Dual Path, institutions must not have a CIRM funded Major Facility nor Shared Research Laboratory under Proposition 71. What is the award amount and duration?

The maximum duration of an EDUC8 Award is five years, and the total award amount (including indirect costs) will be capped at different amounts depending on the selected path: COMPASS Path: Up to $3,237,000 Bridges Path: Up to $4,588,500 Dual Path: Up to $6,918,000 What costs can EDUC8 funds cover? Direct project costs include trainee stipends, program administration funds, and trainee administrative support funds (TASF).

The TASF may include tuition and fees, research-related expenses, program-related trainee travel, advanced techniques course fees (Bridges only), and discretionary assistance funds. EDUC8 funds may also support indirect costs of up to 10% on eligible expenses. Please refer to the CIRM Grants Administration Policy for Discovery, Translation, and Education Projects for additional allowable and unallowable costs.

I am a student interested in applying for an internship. Can I submit an application? The EDUC programs are supported by grants that CIRM awards to eligible institutions, which are colleges, universities, or other organizations that provide appropriate courses and activities.

Interested individuals would apply directly to an institution that has an EDUC award. Each EDUC8 program will have a different application process with its own set of requirements. For more information about our existing EDUC programs, you can find information on our Education and Training Page .

My lab can host interns. Should I apply for an EDUC8 award? Laboratories that are interested in hosting trainees can potentially partner with an institution that is applying for (or already has) an EDUC8, EDUC2, EDUC3, or EDUC4 award.

It is the responsibility of EDUC program directors to ensure that any lab that will host a trainee has appropriate resources, environment, subject matter, and mentors to supervise students at the targeted EDUC program level. Are non-California institutions eligible for EDUC8? To be eligible for EDUC8, both the applicant organization and all proposed internship hosts sites must be located in California.

Are community colleges eligible for EDUC8? Community colleges with certificate, associate’s, or bachelor’s degree programs in a biology/STEM related discipline may be eligible to apply for a Bridges path, provided they have partnerships with appropriate sites that can host trainee internships as described in the program announcements.

Community colleges with bachelor’s programs in biotech-related fields may also be eligible to apply for a COMPASS path or Dual path. What is the difference between this new funding opportunity and the previous Bridges and COMPASS funding programs?

EDUC8 was developed as an umbrella mechanism to update and improve CIRM’s Bridges and COMPASS programs, thereby sustaining their value while extending their capacity to meet the evolving needs and technical demands of the regenerative medicine field. EDUC8 can support a Bridges path, a COMPASS path, or both paths- depending on your institutions’ educational infrastructure and resources.

What kind of research or activities can an internship cover?

Internships may focus on regenerative medicine-related research or research and development (R&D)-adjacent skill sets such as project management, clinical trial coordination, process development, etc. Internships that provide multidisciplinary exposure and/or foster the development of hybrid skillsets are encouraged, for example combining molecular biology research with project management opportunities.

Additional disciplines of interest include but are not limited to imaging, data science, statistics, regulatory affairs, science communication, policy, or science consulting-related experiences. Internship research is expected to be a full-time activity for which the trainee is compensated with a stipend and appropriate academic credit (determined by the applicant institution).

What is the difference between trainee stipends, trainee administrative support funds (TASF) and program administration? Stipends are allowances provided directly to trainees to offset their living expenses, enabling them to participate full time in their training program.

In contrast, TASF funds are maintained by the institution but allocated for support on a per trainee basis, to offset costs associated with a trainee’s program such as tuition, course fees, supplies for the internship host lab, etc. Program administration is a fund to support administration costs for general activities such as outreach, trainee selection, program activities (patient engagement, community outreach), etc. Who can I contact with any questions about the EDUC8 funding opportunity?

Email education@cirm. ca. gov for questions or to request a consultation.