You should ensure that your application follows all the Funding Service submission requirements detailed in the funding opportunity.
Any application which does not follow these rules will be rejected. The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) will not return any applications for amendment.
Reasons for rejection
Project leads and staff
A project lead or project co-lead named on more than the maximum permitted number of applications. The decision about which applications to reject will be made by NERC.
Involvement of a UK project lead in an application submitted to the National Science Foundation (NSF), under the NERC or NSF lead agency agreement, counts as a submission as project co-lead to the next NERC ‘Pushing the frontiers’ grant round.
A project lead or project co-lead who is ineligible or who is based at an ineligible organisation.
Researchers (including researcher co-leads) not employed at the same organisation as a project lead or co-lead.
Finance
Application exceeds the maximum financial limit specified for the funding opportunity.
International
Applying as part of an application with international partners recognised by NERC (for example, FAPESP in Brazil or NSF in the US) without either submitting the required additional documents, or without contacting the lead agency in advance, where required.
Facilities
Requesting facility use where permission to use the facility has expired (not applicable to all facilities and permission length varies between facilities).
Demand management
An organisation submitting more applications than permitted under demand management guidelines. Applications submitted over and above the permitted number will be rejected based on a last submitted, first rejected approach.
Remit
Application is not within NERC’s remit.
Resubmission
The application is a resubmission of a previously unsuccessful application. Unless the project lead has been explicitly invited to do so by NERC.
Last updated: 7 August 2025