This policy only applies to research grant applications.
You cannot resubmit a previously unsuccessful application unless you have been explicitly invited to do so. This includes unsuccessful applications previously submitted to another research council.
We have updated our resubmission policy to align with harmonisation of approaches across UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
We expect all applications to be quality assured by institutions, so they are highly competitive, with a genuine prospect of being funded. A resubmission of essentially the same work, without revisions reflecting further advances in the research or solely addressing assessor feedback, puts pressure on everyone involved in our expert review process, with limited chances of success.
We define a resubmission as any application that has been previously submitted to UKRI through any kind of funding opportunity and has been through the expert review process. If you apply through a funding opportunity and your application is not funded, you cannot resubmit it to any other funding opportunity unless explicitly invited to do so.
Applications that have been rejected or withdrawn prior to expert review are not considered as a resubmission.
If you submit an application to another research council, and it is judged to be out of their remit before undergoing expert review, you can submit it to NERC if it is within our remit. You cannot resubmit to NERC if your application to another council has been through the expert review process and was not funded, unless explicitly invited to do so.
To check if an application is in the remit of NERC, use the NERC remit enquiry form.
Invited resubmissions
Our invitation-only policy allows further development and improvement of applications that have the potential to be highly competitive and which have a genuine prospect of being funded. There is no guarantee that a resubmitted application will be successful, as it will be in competition with a new set of applications. We will try to invite some assessors who commented on the previously submitted application.
If you are resubmitting following an invitation you should identify your application as an invited resubmission.
Applications identified by us as uninvited resubmissions will be rejected.
What constitutes a new application?
It is the responsibility of the project lead to ensure that their application is not a resubmission, to the satisfaction of NERC. We cannot discuss whether a particular application will be treated as a resubmission before you apply. You should consult with your organisation before making an application you believe may be considered a resubmission.
We expect new applications to include one or both of the following:
- new or significantly modified aims and objectives
- an entirely revised methodological or analytical approach to a research question
Any application which does not meet either of these criteria will be judged a resubmission.
Your application may be considered a resubmission if it has any of the following:
- broadly the same title or application summary, or both
- overall aim of a new application and its high-level objectives broadly the same
- broadly the same research questions
- broadly the same resources required to carry out the research
- project leads and project co-leads on an application are amended (for example swapping of roles) while the content of the application is essentially the same
This is not an exhaustive list and none of these points in isolation will be used to define a resubmission.
Any decision regarding whether an application is deemed to be significantly different will be made by NERC and will be considered as final.
Last updated: 16 July 2025