Applying for Competitive Research Grants
The UQ Research Office (RO) Pre-Award team supports UQ researchers in preparing competitive grant applications. In line with UQ policy, all competitive research grant applications must be submitted through the RO, working closely with Faculties and Institutes to facilitate eligibility, compliance, and appropriate support for each application.
The Research Office applies internal deadlines and submission requirements (see sections 3 and 9 below for more information).
All applications for research funding at UQ must be accompanied by a UQ Funding Application Certification (FAC) form signed by your Head of School or Institute Director. Please be aware, some schemes have unique certification requirements and will have a bespoke FAC available on the UQ scheme website.
Download the UQ Funding Application Certification form (DOTX, 71.1 KB)
This is a general framework for Chief Investigators applying for research grants led by UQ. Your School/Centre/Institute may also have their own internal application processes.
For applications led by another institution with UQ participants, please see external application section below.
1. Find Funding Opportunities
See Find Funding page to find potential funding opportunities.
Decide whether the scheme is the right fit for you, and if it’s the right time to apply
There are several factors to consider before deciding to apply for a grant. Read the funder guidance, and speak to your local unit, peers and the Research Office to determine the following.
Does your proposed project/program meet the grantors objectives?
- Read the purpose/objectives and selection criteria in the guidelines
- Look at previously successful projects
- Researcher the broader vision/mission/motivations of the funder (often available on their website)
- Consider the location of the funder e.g. a QLD funder may be looking for benefits direct to QLD etc.
Are you likely to be competitive at this point in your career?
- Benchmark yourself against successful applicants.
Do you have the right partners and collaborators?
Do you have enough time to prepare?
- Some applications can be prepared quickly; others may take a year or longer to pipeline, organise collaborators etc.
- Consider the deadlines (internal and external) and requirements of the scheme to determine whether it is feasible for you to apply.
Restricted Calls
Check if the funding opportunity is a restricted call (i.e., accepts limited numbers of applications). This means that the funder wants the University to coordinate applications or preselect who can apply. If it is a restricted call, please contact the Research Office as soon as possible for further support.
2. Determine Eligibility
There are countless eligibility factors that may be included in the guidelines, look out for requirements related to:
- Career stage
- Field of Research
- Grants currently held
- Grants held previously
- Grants applied for
- Make sure that you meet the University's criteria for being a Chief Investigator (CI).
- For HDR students applying for external scholarships, the UQ Graduate School can assist you.
Career Disruptions
Consider whether Career Disruptions may bring you into the eligible window.
Career disruptions occur due to events such as relocations, parental leave, significant illness/injury or pandemics.
Funders often have very clear definitions and timeframes to assist someone determining whether career disruptions can be included as part of a grant application process. Often, they require the Research Office to hold some form of evidence.
The Research Office can assist you in interpreting these criteria and determine the nature of the evidence required. Please contact the Pre-award team should this be relevant to you when considering your application.
For more information about career disruptions see the Career Disruption page
3. Check your deadlines
There are a few deadlines you need to be aware of including:
- The funder’s deadlines (listed in the funder’s guidance documentation)
- Be aware that some funders may take a phased approach with multiple deadlines (e.g. minimum data or an expression of interest)
- Internal School/Centre/Institute deadlines (your organisational unit will share these with you)
- The Research Office also has a number of deadlines that you need to meet
Research Office Deadlines
The RO’s standard internal close date is 10 working days before the external deadline. Where an application is not submitted by the 10 working-day deadline, the RO will only undertake review for compliance with UQ policy and procedure (e.g. Administration of Research Funding - Applications, Grants and Contract Research Policy and Research and Consultancy Costing and Pricing Procedure) before submitting to the funder. The RO will not carry out any funder eligibility or compliance checks.
The standard RO internal close date does not apply to some schemes that are high-volume, of strategic importance, or those that have a minimum data requirement. These will have their own internal deadline which may be up to 4 weeks before the external deadline. These schemes include ARC, NHMRC, MRFF and others. If unsure whether this applies, please contact the relevant Research Office Pre-Award Team.
Various types of review are available through the Research Office, dependent on the type of scheme, and the timeliness in which an application is received by the Research Office. Please table below for an outline.
It is important to submit to the Research Office in a timely manner, especially in cases where an institutional letter of support is required, or it is a restricted call.
Even if the funding body allows direct online submissions, please notify the RO beforehand. It is important to note that individuals or units cannot make commitments on behalf of the University.
Please note, your local organisational unit will have their own procedures and timelines for review.
| Review Type and Description | Example checks | Timelines/Requirements | |
| Major Schemes (High-volume or strategic grants e.g. NHMRC, ARC, MRFF) | All Other Schemes | ||
UQ Compliance
Alignment with UQ Policies & Procedures: Administration of Research Funding - Applications, Grants and Contract Research Policy and Research and Consultancy Costing and Pricing Procedure |
| All applications must be checked for UQ compliance. An application cannot proceed if it does not pass these checks. | |
Grantor Eligibility & Compliance Compliance with the grantor’s eligibility requirements. An application may be ruled ineligible by the grantor if these aspects are not thoroughly checked. |
| Available from the internal deadline (specified on the scheme website or in a mailer) until the external deadline. | Available for applications submitted to the RO at least 10 working days before the grantor’s deadline. |
Grantscraft Optional additional feedback informed by the guidelines; analysis of previous grant rounds; and intel from grantors, panel members and successful applicants. |
| Available from the internal deadline (specified on the scheme website or in a mailer) until the RO advises grantscraft is no longer available (usually within 10 working days before scheme close). | Available for applications submitted to the RO at least 10 working days before the grantor’s deadline. |
Scientific/Field specific readership Readership from peers or local units providing feedback on the scientific content/feasibility/methodology of the research. | Not available through the Research Office. Please check with your local unit for guidance on timelines. | ||
4. Find your Toolkit/Locate Resources
- Check that you have access to the funder's grant application portal
- Sign up to the Research Office Mailer
- Seek examples of successful proposals
- Check if the Research Office has a website for this scheme to access templates, budget tools, and resources
5. Inform
Contact your School/Centre/Institute/Faculty
You'll need to contact your School/Centre/Institute/Faculty and let them know that you want to apply for funding as soon as possible. They'll be an expert source of advice and support.
This is particularly important if there are cash commitments required as part of your grant application. Your organisational unit will need to be consulted as early as possible.
They will be required to sign off on support of your application (via the Funding Application Coversheet) before your application is submitted.
They'll also let you know of any organisational unit requirements and University policies that you need to be aware of.
Contact the Research Office
Contact the Research Office Pre-Award Team to advise of your intent to apply. This could be via email, or a formal Notice of Intent may be available for high volume or strategic schemes (see scheme website).
Contacting the Research Office early will enable us to send you any relevant information, requirements or templates.
6. Prepare your proposal
You should start preparing your proposal as soon as possible. While you're preparing your proposal, you should also consider:
- Whether there are any risks associated with your project and how you are going to mitigate them
- Any Conflicts of Interest
This is important for your proposal’s feasibility, and ensuring your proposal is within UQ’s risk appetite.
For more general guidance on preparing a proposal, see the grant writing advice and strategy page.
Letters of Support
You'll need to read the funder's guidance and check whether you need a letter of support from the University.
Please contact the Research Office Pre-Award Team if an institutional letter of support is required. Organising signature on your behalf can take some time so the earlier you send a draft to the Research Office the better.
If you're not sure who needs to provide the letter, speak to your School/Centre/Institute/Faculty or the Research Office.
The below generic template can be used as a starting point. Please note that some funders will have specific requirements for the letter e.g. specific text must be included, a particular format must be used, you are limited to a certain number of pages. If you are applying into a major scheme, a bespoke template may be available on the scheme website.
7. Cost and price your project
It's important to start your costing as early as possible as this may impact the scope of the project.
See Budget preparation for further advice in costing and pricing your proposal, as well as UQ’s Costing and Pricing tool.
Cash Contributions
Some schemes will require cash and/or in-kind contributions.
For some strategic schemes, UQ may have a set cash contribution model in place. UQ cash will generally be dependent on matched contributions from your Faculty/Institute/School/Centre, and a pre-determined return on investment from the grant funds. Cash contributions can take time to organise, contact your organisational unit and the Research Office as soon as possible.
If cash contributions are required from project partners, start these conversations early.
See Cash Contributions page for more information.
8. Seek approval from your Head of School/Director
All applications for research funding at UQ must be accompanied by a UQ Funding Application Certification form signed by Head of School or Institute Director. Your School/Centre/Institute/Faculty will have their own procedures for organising signature.
Download the UQ Funding Application Certification form (DOTX, 71.1 KB)
9. Submit to Research Office for review
An application is considered submitted to the RO when the relevant Pre-Award team has received an email including:
- A complete application draft (via email or through an online portal)
- A Funding Application coversheet signed by yourself and your head of department (strategic/high volume schemes may have their own form)
- A Costing and Pricing tool (if applicable)
- Any other required attachments (e.g., budgets, letters of support)
- For major schemes, specific submission requirements will be detailed in the mailers or on the scheme website.
10. Feedback and External Submission
You will receive feedback from the Research Office in the form of an email, an annotated checklist, or a marked-up document.
For miscellaneous schemes you will receive a maximum of three rounds of feedback: initial review, re-review, and final checks. For major schemes, review may be more iterative.
After review, you will have a chance to make changes prior to submission to the grantor.
Your application will not be submitted to a grantor without your notice/approval.
11. Successful Award of Funding
If you have been successful, you will need to enter the research agreement process.
Externally led applications
The Research Office does not review externally led grant applications. However, we are available to assist with letters of support or certifications when these are required by the funder.
If you are participating on an externally led application that requires certification or a UQ letter of support, please contact the Research Office early. Please be aware that signatures can take some time to organise.
To organise signature, the Research Office will require a complete and signed Funding Application Coversheet. Please be aware that some funders have bespoke requirements for certification and will require a different FAC. In such cases, the form will be available on the scheme website or from the lead organisation.