Research Security Training
Research Compliance
The Research Security Training provides information on risks and threats to the global research ecosystem — and the knowledge and tools necessary to protect against these risks. The training discusses the key concepts of research security, disclosure, risk management and mitigation, and international collaboration.
Training and Certification Requirements
Funding agencies may have specific training requirements (see your agency's policies for details).
National Science Foundation (NSF)
As of October 10, 2025 NSF requires all Principal Investigators (PIs)/proposers and individuals identified as senior/key personnel to complete research security training prior to the submission of a proposal. NSF proposals submitted before October 10, 2025 do not need to complete the training before submission.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Starting May 25, 2026 NIH will require PIs/proposers and individuals identified as senior/key personnel to complete research security training prior to the submission of a proposal. The training is optional for proposals submitted before May 25, 2026.
All WWU PIs and individuals identified senior/key personnel as must have completed the CITI Research Security course in the last 12-months at the time the Proposal Routing Form (PRF) is initiated for an NSF or NIH projects after the above dates. PIs must attach valid Research Security course completion certificates to the PRF. The PI and senior/key personnel are responsible for ensuring their certification is up-to-date and current throughout the duration of the research project.
Frequently Asked Questions
For NSF and NIH proposals the following individuals must complete research security training in the 12-months prior to submission:
- PI
- Senior/key personnel (for definition of "senior/key personnel" see NSF Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
For NSF proposals submitted on or after October 10, 2025: The training must be completed before the proposal is submitted to the agency. A valid training certificate(s) (no older than 12-months) must be attached to the Proposal Routing Form (PRF) at form initiation.
For NIH proposals submitted on or after May 25, 2026: The training must be completed before the proposal is submitted to the agency. A valid training certificate(s) (no older than 12-months) must be attached to the Proposal Routing Form (PRF) at form initiation.
WWU has partnered with the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) to provide a free online regulatory training course in Research Security for our researchers.
The course we accept for NSF projects is called "Research Security Training (Combined)." The CITI program also offers a "Refresher" course for those who have previously taken the "Basic" course. A refresher course is required every 12 months.
If you have completed this training with another institution, affiliate your profile with WWU to document it.
The CITI Responsible Conduct of Research training is not the same as Research Security training.
If your proposal submission deadline is before May 25, 2026 research security training is not required at time of submission.
Updated 9/29/2025
NSF Projects: No, currently a valid certificate is only required for submission.
- Note: The Research Security Refresher course is not currently in the WWU curriculum for user access. It will be available summer 2026. Questions about the refresher requirement(s) should be directed to researchintegrity@wwu.edu.
Refer to How to Register for CITI Trainings Instructions for a detailed explanation.
Review the Adding a CITI Course page for instructions (screenshots included).
In many cases, yes. The steps on the How to Register for CITI Trainings page will assist you if you have mistakenly chosen the wrong institution, your institution has changed, or you have an affiliation with more than one institution and need to transfer module completion credit.
If you would like to receive credit for modules previously taken, the certain requirements must be met.
Refer to instructions on the How to Access CITI Course Completion Certificates page.
Reminder! Make sure to save your Completion Certificate(s) as a PDF. We do not accept other formats.
Completion certificates should be attached to the PRF for your project.
Not sure how to attach a PDF to an eSign form? Check out EAS' FAQ that includes how to attach documents to an eSign form.
In accordance with Section 10634 of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (42 U.S.C. § 19234), each individual identified as a senior/key person must certify that they have completed the requisite research security training that meets the requirements specified in Item 2 of NSF's Important Notice No. 149 Updates to Research Security Policies dated within 12 months prior to proposal submission.
Updated 12/5/2025
Research security training is not required for NIH proposal submissions until May 25, 2026. WWU Research Compliance staff will continue to monitor NIH notices, and we will update researchers if there are updates for NIH projects.
- 12/2/2025 notice "Research Security Training Requirements for NIH" (NOT-OD-26-017) sets requirement date as May 25, 2026.
- 9/11/2025 notice "Implementation of NIH Research Security Policies" (NOT-OD-25-154) was rescinded on 9/29/2025 with "Update: Recission Notice re: Implementation of NIH Research Security Policies" (NOT-OD-25-161).
How do I find the correct course for the Research Security requirement?
You can add the Research Security course to your WWU affiliated CITI account using our Add a CITI Course instructions (includes screenshots specifically for Research Security course).