NIH ORCID + SciENcv Requirements for PIs, Co-PIs & Key Personnel
What You Need for Applications Due Starting January 25, 2026
NIH now mandates the use of Common Forms for Biographical Sketch and Current & Pending (Other) Support for applications due on or after January 25, 2026 (per NOT OD 26 018). These forms require creation and certification within SciENcv, and all senior/key personnel must have an ORCID iD linked to their eRA Commons account.
This guide will cover:
  • NIH requirements
  • ORCID iD creation
  • Linking ORCID to eRA Commons
  • Connecting ORCID to SciENcv
  • Generating correct NIH Common Forms
  • Where to find help
Glossary of Required Systems
ORCID iD
A persistent digital identifier that distinguishes you from other researchers.
eRA Commons
NIH's online portal for researcher credentials and proposal administration.
SciENcv
Tool that generates required NIH Common Forms, now linking data from ORCID and eRA Commons.
NIH Common Forms
NEW government- wide, standardized Biographical Sketch and Current & Pending Support forms (different from NIH's older "basic" forms).
Summary of the New NIH Requirements
For applications with due dates on or after January 25, 2026 to NIH and/or AHRQ,
You must:
  • Generate all forms in SciENcv, not manually
  • Use the following Common Forms (not the older NIH forms):
  • NIH Biographical Sketch Common Form
  • NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement (embedded in the NIH Biographical Sketch Common Form)
  • NIH Current and Pending (Other) Support Common Form
  • Ensure all senior/key personnel:
  • Have an ORCID iD
  • Have an eRA Commons account
  • Include an ORCID iD in their SciENcv documents
  • Personally certify all SciENcv documents (delegation is not allowed)
1. Create (or Request) Your eRA Commons Account
Accounts must be created by OSP. Submit a user request through the User Request Form on the OSP website.
2. Create Your ORCID iD (if you don't already have one)
Takes about 2 minutes:
01
02
Enter name, email(s), and password
03
Set visibility preferences
04
Confirm your registration email
3. Link Your ORCID iD to Your eRA Commons Account
Required for ORCID data to flow correctly into the NIH Common Forms.
1
Log into eRA Commons
2
Go to Personal Profile (PPF)
3
On the side bar , select "Create or Connect your ORCID iD"
4
Sign into ORCID and authorize
5
Verify your ORCID iD now appears in your eRA profile
4. Connect ORCID to SciENcv Account
SciENcv pulls from both systems.
Log in to SciENcv
Navigate to Linked Accounts (click on your email address in the top right > Account Settings > Linked Accounts)
Ensure ORCID is connected
Authorize ORCID sharing when prompted
Example:
5. Create the New NIH Common Forms in SciENcv
Once ORCID is linked:
1
Click Create New Document
2
Select the appropriate NIH Common Form type:
  • NIH Biographical Sketch Common Form
  • NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement (embedded in the NIH Biographical Sketch Common Form)
  • NIH Current and Pending (Other) Support Common Form
3
Choose data sources to import from:
  • External Source (select ORCID from dropdown)
OR
  • Existing SciENcv documents
4
Review and edit content
5
Personally certify each document by downloading the certified PDF for submission

Note: NIH will reject submissions that use outdated or non-certified forms.
Quick Checklist
Before submitting an NIH application, confirm:
✔ You have an ORCID iD
✔ You have an eRA Commons account
✔ ORCID iD is linked to eRA Commons
✔ You have logged into SciENcv
✔ ORCID is linked in SciENcv
✔ You generated the correct NIH Common Forms (not the basic NIH forms)
✔ You certified each SciENcv form by downloading