UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is changing the way we assess research grant applications. This is part of our wider programme of improvements to the funding process and in response to sector feedback.
We started introducing these changes across UKRI from 1 April 2025 and will implement them by the start of the financial year 2026 to 2027.
How we assess applicant-led and targeted mode applications
Your application for funding will be assessed by experts for excellence and, where applicable, impact. The method of assessment will depend on the funding mode applied to the opportunity.
In most cases the following assessment approach will be applied:
- applicant-led mode: applications will be assessed using expert review and moderating panels
- targeted mode: applications will be assessed using assessment panels
Full details of the assessment process used will be included in each funding opportunity.
Expert review
If there is an expert review stage, we appoint experts from the UK and overseas with recognised expertise in the relevant areas of research and innovation to review applications against published assessment criteria. This part of the process does not typically benchmark the assessment against other applications to the funding opportunity.
Moderating panel
Where the assessment process includes an expert review stage, a moderating panel is used to complete the assessment process. Panel members will assess and score based on the:
- information provided in the application
- reviews received from experts
- applicant response to the reviewer comments
The score agreed by the panel and based on how well the assessment criteria have been met will be used to group applications into tiers. Where tiers are not practical, applications will be ranked in priority for funding
Assessment panel
Assessment panels are used when there is no expert review stage.
Panel members assess the application independently against the assessment criteria, making an evidence-based judgement and scoring the application based on their expertise.
The panel will discuss and agree a consensus score using the scoring table. The score agreed by the panel and based on how well the assessment criteria have been met will be used to group applications into tiers. Where tiers are not practical, applications will be ranked in priority for funding.
Assessment is designed to be sensitive to different needs and cultures in the academic community, reflecting the need to support different types of research and innovation.
Prioritising applications for funding
Once applications have been scored at panel, applications will be prioritised using a tiered approach, or where not practical to do so, will be fully ranked.
Decisions based on tiers
We will use a tiered approach to make decisions, using assessment tools such as banding, randomised and strategic allocation so that the aims of the opportunity are met.
If a tiered approach is used, applications are assigned to one of three tiers:
- Tier 1, the highest quality, prioritised for funding
- Tier 2, highly competitive, selected by assessment tools and dependent on remaining budget
- Tier 3, not competitive enough to be considered for funding
If tiers are not practical, a ranked list is formed based on the order of overall score from highest to lowest. Funding will be allocated down the list until the budget runs out.
Getting feedback on your application
The feedback provided to applicants will be dependent on the assessment approach used. Typically, applications submitted to applicant-led opportunities will receive their expert reviewer comments as feedback. Applications discussed at an assessment panel, or an interview panel, will receive feedback provided by the panel.
Read further details about our principles of assessment and decision-making (PDF, 176KB).
How we assess Innovate UK applications
If you are a business applying for funding for an innovation project, you make your application to Innovate UK.
Your application is reviewed by independent expert assessors from business and academia in the relevant areas of technical and commercial expertise.
The Innovate UK funders panel makes the final assessment on which projects to fund.
Portfolio approach
We may also make funding allocations based on a portfolio approach spread across:
- scope areas
- categories of research and development
- project durations
- project costs, including demonstrating value for money
This is to ensure that funds are allocated across all the strategic areas of the competition. All successful applications must meet the required quality threshold.
How Research England allocates funding to institutions
Research England uses a different process. Most of its funding is allocated to eligible higher education institutions based on the Research Excellence Framework assessment.
The money supports the research they carry out and is not tied to any specific projects. The way funds are allocated is based on a formula that includes:
- number of research staff
- amount and quality of research undertaken
- amount of research and knowledge exchange income received
Performance is assessed periodically through the Research Excellence Framework, a research assessment exercise across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
This was last carried out in 2021 and has been used to determine grant awards from 2022 to 2023 onwards. The next exercise is due in 2029.
Last updated: 13 June 2025