NSF RECR Requirements
Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research Institutional Plan - NSF
Applicability
NSF RECR requirements apply to all faculty, senior personnel, undergraduates, graduates, and postdoctoral researchers who receive salary or stipend support from NSF to conduct research. These requirements also apply to students receiving scholarships, tuition remission, and/or stipends from NSF while enrolled in an academic program that includes a requirement to conduct research (e.g., as part of a Research Methods course or Capstone project), even if that research is not directly supported by NSF. This requirement also applies to individuals at any tier of a subaward and to award transfers. Contact the Office of Research Integrity with questions about applicability.
Requirements
People who are subject to the requirements for RECR training are expected to complete core training appropriate to their educational level, as noted below. The Principal Investigator or Project Director for each NSF award may identify additional optional training requirements based on the type(s) of research to be conducted.
RECR Core Training Requirements by Personnel Level — NSF (PAPPG 24-1)
| Training / Education Component | Undergrads | Graduate Students | Postdocs | Faculty / Senior Personnel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CITI RCR: Discipline-Specific Course | ✓ (before support begins) | ✓ (before support begins) | ✓ (before support begins) | ✓ (before support begins) |
| CITI RCR: Advanced Topics Course | — | ✓ (within 60 days) | ✓ (within 60 days) | ✓ (within 60 days) |
| UT Policy RE0001 – Policy and Procedures on Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarly Activities | — | ✓ (within 60 days) | ✓ (within 60 days) | ✓ (within 60 days) |
Note: Due to new research security requirements with RECR training, NSF-funded personnel who may have completed the training prior to December 2025, may need to retake the training when receiving new NSF awards to ensure compliance with the new training requirements.
Components marked 'before support begins' must be completed prior to the start of NSF funding for that individual. All other required components must be completed within 60 days of the date NSF support begins.
Responsibilities
Principal Investigators
The Office of Research Integrity will contact Principal Investigators at the time of NSF award notification to discuss whether the RECR training requirement applies to the award. If it does, Principal Investigators must: 1) complete the mandatory RECR training themselves within the applicable timeframe, 2) provide a list of senior personnel and trainees who will be supported by NSF funds and require RECR instruction, 2) update the list if NSF support is provided to new individuals over the course of the project, 3) indicate the date that NSF support will begin for each individual, and 4) identify any additional RECR training to be provided beyond the core components, and the timetable for delivery.
Faculty, senior personnel, and trainees
Faculty, senior personnel, and trainees who will be involved in conducting research while receiving support from NSF must: 1) complete the mandatory RECR training themselves within the applicable timeframe, and 2) complete optional or refresher RECR training as assigned.
The Office of Research Integrity
The Office of Research Integrity will verify that all researchers and trainees have completed required RECR training and maintain records of completion for each federally funded project that requires RECR training.
Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program)
Please note that if you do not have a CITI Program account, you will need to register as a new user and associate yourself with UTC in order to access the courses. Click "add courses" once you have registered and complete the questionnaire to generate applicable courses.
For step-by-step instructions on how to register with CITI and add the RECR courses to your curriculum, please view the CITI Tutorial – RECR.