Research Security Training

The Research Security Training course is available to the MIT community in the Atlas Learning Center [requires Touchstone]. 

To facilitate compliance reporting, key personnel must join a training group in the Atlas Learning Center:

• Go to the Research Security for Federal Funding training group
• When you join this training group, the course modules will be added to the required training on your My Training Needs page.

The training consists of four modules, which must be taken in order:

• Research Security 1: What is Research Security?
• Research Security 2: Disclosures
• Research Security 3: Manage and Mitigate Risk
• Research Security 4: Principled International Collaboration

When you have completed all four modules, you will receive a notice of course completion for your records.

Estimated time to complete all four modules: 1-1.5 hours

Federal sponsors (see below) may require covered individuals to take research security training within 12 months prior to proposal submission, new award, or award modification.

Those who have completed MIT’s four-module Research Security Training course are eligible to take MIT’s refresher course, Research Security: Refresher-NSPM33, to satisfy this requirement. This course will take 15-20 minutes to complete.

The refresher course can be accessed through the Atlas Learning Center in the Research Security for Federal Funding training group.

Pursuant to NSPM-33 and 42 U.S.C. sec. 19234 of the CHIPS and Science Act, agencies will begin to require all “covered individuals” who are engaged in federally funded research to complete research security training. "Covered individuals" are those who contribute significantly to the scientific development or execution of a research and development project, including:

• Principal Investigators (PIs) 
• Co-PIs
• Senior/Key research personnel 

These individuals have responsibility for the design, conduct and reporting of the research.

Please note, federal funding agencies have the option to add additional covered individuals, even on a project-by-project basis. Read the funding announcement and/or award terms carefully for any additional agency or project-specific covered individuals.

Proposals due to these sponsors will not be accepted by MIT Research Administration Services (RAS) unless the covered individuals have completed the training within the past 12 months. In effect, the training must be completed at least 5 full business days prior to the proposal deadline. 

• DOE: Covered individuals must certify completion of the research security training within 12 months prior to application, award, or award modification. Personnel joining an award in progress must complete training within 30 days.
• NIH: Effective May 25, 2026, covered individuals must certify completion of the research security training within 12 months prior to application submission. 
• NSF: Covered individuals, (including senior/key personnel,) must certify completion of research security training within 12 months prior to proposal submission.
• USDA: Applicants must certify that research security training has been completed within 12 months prior to the date of application and must re-certify annually for the duration of the award.

Covered individuals who are expecting a new award, or award modification, from DOE, NSF or USDA are encouraged to take the training as soon as possible in order to certify completion of the training at the time of award.

Senior/key personnel external to MIT can complete either of the following to fulfill the requirement:

• NSF SECURE Center Consolidated Training Module
• Training provided by another research institution that specifically fulfills the federally mandated NSPM-33 requirement.

Submit your certificate of course completion to ra-help@mit.edu to receive credit in MIT’s system of record.