Welcome to the NREF Grant and Fellowship Portal.

As a premier funder of neurosurgical studies, the Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation (NREF), philanthropic arm of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), focuses on providing fellowship funding in basic neuroscience and neurosurgical programs in North America.

Here’s the NREF Grant & Fellowship Application Schedule for the coming year:

2026-27 NREF Research Fellowship Grant & Young Clinician Investigator Award

Application Open:          September 1, 2025

Deadline Date:              November 1, 2025  

Award Notification:        April 15, 2026

2026-27 NREF Clinical Fellowship Grants

Application Open:          September 1, 2025     

Deadline Date:              November 1, 2025       

Award Notification:        April 15, 2026

 2026 NREF Medical Student Summer Research Fellowship 

Application Open:          September 1, 2025   

Deadline Date:              November 1, 2025      

Award Notification:        April 15, 2026

2026 AANS/CNS Cerebrovascular Section Traveling Fellowship

Application Open:          September 1, 2025    

Deadline Date:              November 1, 2025  

Award Notification:        April 15, 2026

2026-27 SNS Neurosurgeon-Scientist Training Program (NSTP) - Year 1

Application Open:          October 1, 2025    

Deadline Date:              December 15, 2025

Award Notification:        April 15, 2026

2026-27 SNS Neurosurgeon-Scientist Training Program (NSTP) - Year 2

Application Open:          October 1, 2025    

Deadline Date:              December 15, 2025

Award Notification:        April 15, 2026

After you begin the online application, your work will be saved and you will be able to access the application as often as you like. Once your application is submitted, however, the application or any part of it cannot be modified or deleted through the online system.

If you find that you need to make an important change after the application is submitted, please contact us directly by calling NREF at 847.378.0500 or by email at info@nref.org. A staff member will be in touch with you if there are any questions about your grant application.

Thank you for your interest in NREF Grants and Fellowships.