NIH’s All of Us


The All of Us (AoU) initiative, overseen by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is a precision medicine program that connects researchers, healthcare providers, technology experts, community partners, and the public. It aims to gather longitudinal data from diverse participants to create effective individualized treatments. Currently, around 600,000 participants have contributed electronic health records (EHR), completed surveys, provided physical measurements, and donated biospecimens 1–4.

All of Us’ one-of-a-kind dataset is stored on the Researcher Workbench, a secure, cloud-based platform where registered researchers can access data from surveys, genomic analyses, EHRs, physical measurements, and wearable devices. The data collected include standardized EHRs, biosamples for genomic sequencing, surveys on demographics and health behaviors, physical measurements, and health tracking data from wearable devices, with additional data contributed by partnered research studies 1,5,6.

Updated: October 29th, 2025

Overview

Overseen and supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the All of Us (AoU) initiative is a precision medicine program that connects researchers, healthcare providers, technology experts, community partners, and the public. It aims to gather longitudinal data from participants with diverse backgrounds, including age, ethnicity, lifestyle, and geographic location, to create effective individualized treatments for these groups. Participation is available at no cost to anyone living in the U.S. 1–3

Currently, around 600,000 participants have agreed to share their electronic health records (EHR), completed the first three surveys, provided physical measurements, and donated at least one biospecimen for biobank storage. This effort has resulted in researchers gaining access to over 473,000 electronic health records and 611,000 biospecimens 4.

The types of data collected include 5,6:

  • Electronic Health Records: The data is standardized following Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model (OMOP CDM) standards and is then compiled into eleven tables. These tables include information on basic demographics, visit details, conditions, device usage, labs, and procedures carried out by healthcare providers 7.

  • Biosamples And Bioassays (Genomics): Additional samples of blood, saliva, and/or urine are contributed by some participants for genomic sequencing assays.

  • Surveys: Each participant fills out core surveys that include questions about basic demographics, socioeconomic information, tobacco, alcohol, and recreational drug use, as well as overall health and daily activities. Participants can also choose to participate in five additional surveys on behavioral health, healthcare access, and family history 8.

  • Physical Measurements: There are three sources for physical measurements: electronic health records (EHRs), an in-person visit for baseline physical measurements, and self-reported height and weight.

  • Wearable Devices (Digital Health): Participants can choose to share health tracking data from wearable devices, such as Fitbit, which includes physical activity levels, heart rate, and sleep patterns.

  • Partnered Research Studies: Program partners can gather additional data and contribute it to the All of Us dataset, such as the Exploring the Mind study done in partnership with the National Institute of Mental Health.

Gaining Access

Do I Qualify?

All individuals seeking access can download aggregated and deidentified data 9. Any research using All of Us data must aim to positively impact public health and wellbeing while adhering to stringent ethical standards. The research must not cause harm, discrimination, mistreatment, or marginalization of any social groups, thus supporting inclusivity and societal benefit.

Typical Timeline

It typically takes one to two weeks to process applications, though it may take longer during busy periods such as grant submission months.

Step-by-Step Guide

No specific steps are required to access the publicly available data, which can be found on the Data Snapshot and Data Browser webpages 4,6.

Do I Qualify?

With the Registered Tier dataset, you can access individual-level data from electronic health records (EHRs), wearables, surveys, and physical measurements through the All of Us Researcher Workbench. Researchers affiliated with institutions that have signed the All of Us Data Use and Registration Agreement (DURA) can register for access for free 9.

Any research using All of Us data must aim to positively impact public health and wellbeing while adhering to stringent ethical standards. The research must not cause harm, discrimination, mistreatment, or marginalization of any social groups, thus supporting inclusivity and societal benefit.

Check the Registered Institutions page to see if your institution is listed and which access level you can attain. If your institution is not listed, you can submit a request form linked on the same page 10.

Typical Timeline

If your institution has an active DURA with All of Us at the preferred tier of access and you do not need an individual agreement, you can proceed with registering for a Workbench account and completing the training required for Registered Tier data access, which typically takes no more than a day. You will also need to set up 2-Step verification and verify your identity, with the time to complete these steps varying by researcher.

The following timeline infographic shows what to expect from a DURA application if your institution is not already registered. Refer to Access and DURA Support Questions for common questions about the application process 11.

Zoomable Image
The DURA application timeline varies, as institutions may experience different lengths of time during the application process. For additional questions, please contact aoudurasupport@vumc.org 11.

Step-by-Step Guide

a. Register for a Researcher Workbench Account 12

  1. Open the Researcher Workbench registration webpage and search your institution.

  2. If your institution already has a DURA in place for the required tiers of access, you can proceed. Otherwise, select the “My Institution Isn’t Listed” button to start the process of adding your institution.

  3. Click the “Create An Account” button, which will take you to the Workbench Log In portal. In the bottom-left corner, click “Create Account” again to start the registration process.

  4. Select your institution, enter your institution-affiliated email, and choose your role at the institution.

  5. Fill in the required fields and create a username associated with a new Google Account using the “@researchallofus.org” domain, including:

  • Your institutional mailing address

  • Your research background, experience, and research interests (displayed publicly)

  • Link to your your professional profile or bio page below (if available)

  1. You will then be asked 15 questions about your identity, such as race, gender, sexual orientation, level of ambulation, etc., which you have the option to complete.

  2. Once all fields are completed, submit your request. Activation of your account typically takes 1-2 hours to complete.

Important

A valid Virtual Private Network (VPN) must be used every time the All of Us Workbench is accessed. For Yale-affiliates, this will be the IST-provided VPN. Despite the protections offered by Yale’s on-campus YaleSecure network, All of Us mandates the use of a VPN when accessing their portal at all times.

b. Request Access to Registered Tier-Level Data 9,11

  1. Configure your active Workbench account with Google 2-step verification

  2. Verify your identity through Login.gov or ID.me. More details about this process can be found on the Identity Verification page. If you encounter any issues, refer to the troubleshooting guide or contact support at  11.

  3. Navigate to the “Data Access Requirements” page, located in the sidebar under your profile name.

  4. Complete our Responsible Conduct of Research training. You can find out more about the Responsible Conduct of Research Training process on the Registration and Account Questions page.

  5. Sign the Data User Code of Conduct (DUCC), which can be reviewed here under the “Data Use Policies” section 9.

Note

You must annually complete refresher training, re-attest to the Data User Code of Conduct, and update your contact information and institutional affiliation to maintain access.

c. Start a New Workspace to Analyze Data 13

Each time you want to access data, you will do so by creating a project called a “Workspace.” When opening a new Workspace, you will provide the billing account information and answer a series of research statement questions.

Caution

Some of these answers are made publicly available so the community can assess data use activities and report any concerns.

Tip

New account holders will receive $300 in computational credits and can create a Google billing account if additional credits are needed.

For example, you will be asked to provide:

  • Description of the project’s purpose, including a summary that explains the specific scientific question(s) you intend to study, the scientific approaches you plan to use, and the anticipated findings from the study.

  • Description of the various ways you intend to disseminate your research findings, such as publication in a peer-reviewed journal, conference presentation, personal blog, social media, etc.

  • Choose statements regarding how (or if) your research outcomes might align with the All of Us Research Program Scientific Framework.

  • Disclose underrepresented populations that will be a focus of your research study, and specifically evaluate the appropriate use of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population data.

If you need assistance or would like help assessing whether your study might become stigmatizing, you can request that the Resource Access Board review your study summary prior to conducting the research.

Once your Workspace application is submitted, you can access data within the tier of controlled access you have permission to use in the All of Us cloud computing platform. This virtual environment comes with preloaded computational resources and tools, including R/RStudio, Jupyter Notebook with R and Python kernels, Cromwell, SQL, SAS, and a command-line application called “Cloud Analysis Terminal.

Tip

Be mindful of the compute power and disk space you select, as these incur different charges on an hourly and monthly basis while the Workspace is active.

Do I Qualify?

The Controlled Tier is an optional extension to the Registered Tier, offering access to genomic data (short-read and long-read WGS, structural variants, genotyping arrays), previously suppressed demographic data from EHRs and surveys, and unshifted event dates. Researchers affiliated with institutions that have signed the All of Us Data Use and Registration Agreement (DURA) can register for free access 9.

Any research using All of Us data must aim to positively impact public health and wellbeing while adhering to stringent ethical standards. The research must not cause harm, discrimination, mistreatment, or marginalization of any social groups, thus supporting inclusivity and societal benefit.

Check the Registered Institutions page to see if your institution is listed and which access level you can attain. If your institution is not listed, you can submit a request form linked on the same page 10.

Typical Timeline

Controlled Tier access is an addition to the Registered Tier level and requires a signed agreement and permission from your institution before completing the training, which may vary for applicants. The additional training modules are not expected to take more than a day to complete.

Step-by-Step Guide

a. Register for a Researcher Workbench Account and Complete Registered Tier-Level Access Requests 9,11,12

You will first need to complete the steps to gain Registered Tier access, listed in the previous tab. If you have not completed these, please go back to those steps before proceeding.

Important

A valid Virtual Private Network (VPN) must be used every time the All of Us Workbench is accessed. For Yale-affiliates, this will be the IST-provided VPN. Despite the protections offered by Yale’s on-campus YaleSecure network, All of Us mandates the use of a VPN when accessing their portal at all times.

b. Request Access to Controlled Tier-Level Data 9,11

  1. If you have not, log into your All of Us Workbench account and navigate to the “Data Access Requirements” page, located in the sidebar under your profile name.

  2. Ask your institution to sign an agreement and grant permission for you to access the Controlled Tier.

  3. Once approved, you will proceed with the additional training modules specific to the Controlled Tier.

  4. To complete the process, you need to sign the Data User Code of Conduct (DUCC), which can be reviewed here under the “Data Use Policies” section 9.

Note

As stated before, you must annually complete refresher training, re-attest to the Data User Code of Conduct, and update your contact information and institutional affiliation to maintain access.

c. Start a New Workspace to Analyze Data 13

Each time you want to access data, you will do so by creating a project called a “Workspace.” When opening a new Workspace, you will provide the billing account information and answer a series of research statement questions.

Caution

Note that some of these answers are made publicly available so the community can assess data use activities and report any concerns.

Tip

New account holders will receive $300 in computational credits and can create a Google billing account if additional credits are needed.

For example, you will be asked to provide:

  • Describe the purpose of the project with a summary explaining the specific scientific question(s) you intend to study, the scientific approaches you plan to use, and the anticipated findings from the study.

  • Provide a description of the various ways you intend to disseminate your research findings, such as publication in a peer-reviewed journal, conference presentation, personal blog, social media, etc.

  • Choose statements regarding how (or if) your research outcomes might align with the All of Us Research Program Scientific Framework.

  • Disclose underrepresented populations that will be a focus of your research study, and specifically evaluate the appropriate use of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population data.

If you need assistance or would like help assessing whether your study might become stigmatizing, you can request that the Resource Access Board review your study summary prior to conducting the research.

Once your Workspace application is submitted, you can access data within the tier of controlled access you have permission to use in the All of Us cloud computing platform. This virtual environment comes with preloaded computational resources and tools, including R/RStudio, Jupyter Notebook with R and Python kernels, Cromwell, SQL, SAS, and a command-line application called “Cloud Analysis Terminal.

Tip

Be mindful of the compute power and disk space you select, as these incur different charges on an hourly and monthly basis while the Workspace is active.

Publications

This section presents a selection of PubMed articles that utilize the dataset and are authored by individuals affiliated with the Yale School of Public Health. These articles are provided to inspire researchers and students to use the data in their own work.

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References

1.
Us, A. of. Research program overview. National Institutes of Health (2024).
2.
Us, A. of. Participation. National Institutes of Health (2023).
3.
Khoury, M., Mayo, K., Schully, S. & Ginsburg, G. From all of us research to all of us in the real world. National Institutes of Health (2022).
4.
Us, A. of. Data Snapshots. https://www.researchallofus.org/data-tools/data-snapshots/ (2025).
5.
Us, A. of. Data sources. National Institutes of Health (2025).
6.
Us, A. of. Data browser | all of us public data browser. (2023).
7.
Us, A. of. Data methods. National Institutes of Health vol. 381.
8.
Us, A. of. Survey explorer. National Institutes of Health.
9.
Us, A. of. Data access tiers. National Institutes of Health.
10.
Us, A. of. Registered institution. National Institutes of Health.
11.
Us, A. of. Getting started – user support. National Institutes of Health.
12.
Us, A. of. Register – all of us research hub.
13.
Us, A. of. Create workspace. Researcher Workbench.
14.
Us, A. of. All of us research program. National Institutes of Health.
15.
Us, A. of. All of us research hub. National Institutes of Health.
16.
Us, A. of. All of us research program protocol. National Institutes of Health (2024).
17.
Us, A. of. All of us publications and articles catalog. National Institutes of Health.