You can submit to any of the available deadlines in the year.
We do not expect you to submit more than two applications at the same time. We encourage you to focus on application quality, not the number you can submit. Read our guidance for applicants about multiple applications.
Applying through Je-S
You must apply through the Joint Electronic Submission (Je-S) system.
For more information, please read the Je-S how to apply guidance (PDF, 191KB).
We recommend you start your application early. You can save completed details in Je-S at any time and return to continue your application later.
When applying, select ‘new document’ then:
- council: MRC
- document type: standard proposal
- scheme: research grant
- call/type/mode: Research boards Jan 2023 submissions.
After completing the application, you must select ‘submit document’. This will send your application to your host organisation’s administration.
You can find advice on completing your application in the Je-S handbook.
Your host organisation’s administration is required to complete the submission process. You should allow sufficient time for this between submitting your proposal to them and the funding opportunity closing date.
You should give your administrative department sufficient notice that you intend to apply.
MRC must receive your application by 20 September at 16:00.
You will not be able to apply after this time. Please leave enough time for your proposal to pass through your organisation’s Je-S submission route before this date.
Indicate that the proposal is a research grant
Select the ‘grant type’ option from the proposal document menu, within the Je-S proposal form. Within the section, select the radio button adjacent to the ‘research grant’ option and select the ‘save’ button.
What to include with your application
In addition to the Je-S application, you will also need to include the following mandatory attachments:
- a CV for each named researcher, including investigators and named researchers. Each CV should be no more than two sides of A4
- publications (up to one side of A4 per named person)
- a case for support. If your application duration is:
- 36 months or less, your case for support must not exceed eight sides of A4
- 37 months or more, your case for support must not exceed 12 sides of A4
- a justification of resources (up to two sides of A4)
- a data management plan (page length can vary). See section 2.2.7 of our attachments guidance. You must use the available data management template.
If your research includes excess treatment costs of studies involving human participants you will need to include a Schedule of Events Cost Attribution Template (SoECAT). For details and access to the SoECAT form see the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s information on excess treatment costs.
If there will be a researcher co-investigator on your project you will need to include a statement of support for Researcher Co-Investigators (RCoI). This should be no more than two sides of A4 or equivalent on headed paper or a PDF of an email.
Optional attachments include:
- covering letter – this can be up to two sides of A4 using a sans-serif typeface (Arial or equivalent) and font size of 11pt
- letters of support – each letter can be up to two sides of A4 or equivalent on headed paper or a PDF of an email.
You can find full details of what to include in mandatory and optional attachments in section 2.2 attachments guidance.
Guidance for applicants
Our MRC guidance for applicants will:
- help you check your eligibility
- guide you through preparing a proposal
- show you how to prepare a case for support
- provide details of any ethical and regulatory requirements that may apply.
Industrial partner information
If you want to include one or more industry partners as a project partner, you must also complete the project partner section in Je-S.
Each project partner must provide a project partner letter of support, a maximum of two pages on headed paper or a PDF of an email. The letter must:
- be an integral part of the application
- focus on the proposal it accompanies which includes the requirement to include a project partner letter of support.
Full details of the content the project partner should include in their letter of support, are provided in section 2.2.6 of the MRC guidance for applicants.
MRC industry collaboration framework
If your application involves the collaboration of one or more industrial partners, you should review the information published within the MRC industry collaboration framework (ICF) to decide if you should submit your application under the ICF.
After reading the ICF information, if you decide that your application will include industry collaboration, you will need to include the following within your application for each collaborating industry partner:
The completed ICF form should be uploaded to the Je-S attachments section using the ‘MICA form’ document type. Please type ‘Industry Collaboration Framework form’ in the description box.
The company letter of support must use the available template and be uploaded to the relevant project partner entry you are required to add to your Je-S application.
Research disruption caused by COVID-19 pandemic
You have the option to include a one page annex to the case for support. You can use it to provide additional information explaining any disruptions you have encountered to previous or current research, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (where relevant to your pending application).
For further information relating to the annex, please see the MRC guidance for applicants (section 2.2.3.6).
