ACTION REQUIRED: Research Security Training Requirements for Federal Proposals

Several federal agencies have introduced mandatory research security training for senior and key personnel on federal grants as part of an effort to protect U.S. interests. Research security training completion is required prior to the proposal submission.

Required training modules are now available in UC Learning. Note that you will not be notified directly that the requirement is pending. To avoid delays in proposal submission, we strongly recommend completing the training as soon as possible if you plan to submit a proposal for a federal award this year.

ACTION: If you are a Senior/Key personnel member on a federal proposal, log into the UC Learning Center to complete Research Security at the University of California (SSO required).

Completion of the Research Security training by Senior/Key personnel on new proposals is already, or soon to be required by the Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation. Trainings are required annually, meaning within 12 months before submission.

Department of Energy (DOE): Effective May 1, 2025, all senior/key personnel must complete an annual training. Covered individuals added to DOE-funded projects must certify training completion within 30 days of joining the project.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): Effective July 8, 2025, applicants for USDA R&D or science & technology funding must certify that research security training has been completed not more than one year prior to the date of application and must recertify annually for the duration of the award.
National Science Foundation (NSF): Beginning October 10, 2025, all senior/key personnel listed on new NSF proposals must certify that they have completed research security training within the past 12 months.

Additionally, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will require completion of training for senior/key personnel for all proposals submitted on or after January 25, 2026.

If a grant proposal is submitted without key personnel meeting the research security requirement, proposals will likely be denied, and deadlines could be missed.

UC San Diego Requirement

UC San Diego requires all personnel to complete training as required by federal agencies. In anticipation of additional agencies adopting similar requirements, UC San Diego will require all senior/key personnel on all new federal proposals submitted on or after January 1, 2026, to complete the research security training.

The training is available now through the UC Learning Center: Research Security at the University of California. The course will take approximately 30-40 minutes to complete.

Additional information on how and when to certify completion at the time of proposal submission will be provided soon. The university’s Office of Contract and Grant Administration (OCGA) has implemented processes for DOE submissions.

The requirement does not affect existing awards and applies only to new proposals based on the specific agency dates listed above. However, PIs may be required to demonstrate completion of training when progress reports (such as NIH RPPRs) are submitted.

For details, updates, and resources, please visit the Research Security webpage maintained by the Office of Research and Innovation.

We appreciate your partnership in maintaining the integrity and security of UC San Diego’s research enterprise.

Corinne Peek-Asa
Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation

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