Frequently Asked
Questions

Time commitment varies by individual, but most participants spend 5–10 hours per week on course materials, writing assignments, and incorporating feedback. We recommend a minimum of 12 weeks to complete the program, though the self-paced structure means you can slow down or accelerate to match your lab's demands. The curriculum was designed specifically for researchers who can't pause their science to attend to professional development.

All participants must hold a PhD and have an employment status that allows them to submit NIH grants. The typical Lumos participant is a faculty-level researcher — assistant, associate, or full professor — with an existing publication record and some experience with grant funding. We are not the right fit for graduate students or postdocs who are not yet in a position to submit independently.

Yes. Your enrollment includes lifetime access to all video lessons, resources, templates, and future curriculum updates. Grant writing is a career-long pursuit, and we want the frameworks you build here to remain available every time you sit down to write — whether it's your next R01 or a mechanism you haven't considered yet. One payment, permanent access.

Our relationship doesn't end at submission. Once your grant scores are available, we offer calls to review your summary statement, help you understand reviewer feedback, and develop an initial plan for your rebuttal if needed. We're also open to exploring collaboration on resubmissions. The goal is to see your science funded — not just to check a box on program completion.

The core curriculum is built around the R01, K99/R00, R21, and R25 mechanisms, which represent the most common pathways for early- and mid-career investigators. The strategic frameworks — reviewer psychology, Specific Aims architecture, narrative logic — transfer across virtually every NIH mechanism, and participants regularly apply these skills to F-series, U-series, and DOD submissions as well.

A consultant writes for you — or edits your prose. Lumos teaches you to write with skill. The difference matters: a consultant's knowledge leaves with them. Lumos builds fluency that compounds across every grant you write for the rest of your career. You also benefit from peer accountability, structured curriculum, and feedback from investigators who have sat on both sides of the review table — not just editors polishing language.

We want you to be confident before you enroll. We encourage every applicant to email us with questions first — we'll answer everything before you commit. If you have concerns about fit, reach out before enrolling. For specific refund terms, please contact us directly at hello@lumosscientific.com.