Research Security Training Updated Requirements & NSF Deadline Change

The University continues to prioritize the security of our federally funded research portfolio. As previously announced, completion of the Research Security Training (via the UC Learning Center) is required for all key and senior personnel on active federal award projects and on any federal proposal submitted in 2025.

What you need to do:

If you are key or senior personnel on any active federal award or any federal proposal and have not done so already, log into the UC Learning Center and complete the training module: Research Security at the University of California. The module is self-paced and can be completed in approximately 30 minutes.
As we automate our processes, Research Security will be assigned in UC Learning Center as a required module for all those identified as key or senior personnel on active federal awards or federal proposals submitted in 2025 or later. If you do not complete the training by January 2026, you will be reminded that you need to complete it.
Complete the training before March 1, 2026, to avoid being locked out of Single Sign-On (SSO).

Below is a summary of the current requirements and an important update from the National Science Foundation (NSF):

Requirement	Who Must Complete	Completion Due Date
UC San Diego policy	All key/senior personnel on active federal awards (grant or contract)	By March 1,  2026 (otherwise SSO access may be blocked)
Department of Energy (DoE) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)	All key/senior personnel listed on federal proposals	Within the 12 months before proposal submission
National Institutes of Health (NIH)	All key/senior personnel	For proposals submitted on or after May 25, 2026
NSF update	All key/senior personnel listed on NSF proposals submitted on or after December 2, 2025(This date is an update of an earlier announcement.)	Within the 12 months before proposal submission

Key points to be aware of:

This training also fulfills NIH’s required training for disclosure of all research activities and affiliations in Other Support.
We anticipate that additional agencies (e.g., NASA, CDC) will adopt similar timelines in early  2026. Please stay tuned for future updates.
This will be an annual requirement that supports the secure conduct of federally funded research.

After completing the training, you can verify that your UCLC Training Transcript reflects your successful completion of the requirement.

If you encounter technical issues or have questions about your designation, please contact the Research Security Office at RCIResearchSecurity@ucsd.edu.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this critical requirement. Your cooperation helps safeguard UC San Diego’s research integrity and ensures uninterrupted access to campus resources.

Corinne Peek-Asa
Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation

University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093