ARC Discovery Indigenous

Key dates for ARC Discovery Indigenous 2026

Applications open in RMS: 20 November 2024
Notice of Intent due to UQ Research Office: 30 January 2025
Requests Not to Assess due to UQ Research Office: 3 February 2025
Full applications due to UQ Research Office: 6 February 2025
Full applications close with ARC: 20 February 2025
Anticipated Rejoinder period: 23 May 2025 to 6 June 2025
Anticipated announcement: 17 to 30 September 2025

Overview

The Discovery Indigenous scheme supports excellent basic and applied research and research training programs led by Indigenous Australian researchers as individuals and teams. The scheme seeks to develop the research expertise of Indigenous Australian researchers, support and retain established Indigenous Australian researchers, and expand Australia’s knowledge base and research capability.

How to apply

All researchers intending to submit an ARC IN application for funding in 2026 are required to submit an internal Notice of Intent. NOIs will be collated centrally and distributed to Faculties and Institutes in order to provide maximum support to the UQ research community.

Submit UQ Notice of Intent.

Step 1. RMS updates and scheme reading

Update your full profile in RMS ‘Person Profile’. If any team members are new to RMS and need a login/password, start early.
Familiarise yourself with the key Australian Research Council (ARC) and UQ documentation. It is especially important to familiarise yourself with ARC's Grant Guidelines and Instructions to Applicants documents.

Step 2. Completing the application

Log into RMS, create an application and make sure UQ is listed as the Administering Organisation.
Use the UQ templates available below to draft your documents to be uploaded to your application in RMS.
Complete the application in RMS.
When ready for review, ensure all online components are complete and valid, generate a whole application PDF for your records and select 'Submit to Research Office' in RMS.

Step 3. UQR&I internal review and feedback

To initiate review, email UQ Research Office at arc-discovery@research.uq.edu.au. Please note that RMS does not alert the Research Office when you create or submit an application in RMS.
Include your completed UQ Application Certification Form and UQ Pending and Newly Funded ARC grants form (found below) in your email.
If you are lodging a 'Request Not to Assess' (RNTA), please complete the 'Request Not to Assess' form in RMS and then submit to the Research Office for review by the date stated in key dates above. Instructions for creating a RNTA will be made available on GrantConnect.
UQ Research Office will review your application and provide you with feedback.

Step 4. Final submission

When your application is complete and fully compliant, the UQ Research Office will submit the application to the ARC through RMS.

Readership and researcher support

Before applying, we recommend you:

Contact your faculty or institute research manager for advice on peer readership programs.
Join the UQ R&I Mailer to stay up to date with round developments.
Access the UQ R&I Grants Library, a helpful resource of past successful proposals.
If offered, attend UQ R&I information sessions and access PowerPoint presentations from presentations and slides.

Key documents

ARC

Before applying, please review the full suite of documents available from Grant Connect (GO7338), the Australian Government grants information system (login required).

UQ

Templates

Additional resources

UQ library resources and support

Metrics, Impact and Engagement
Researcher identifiers and profiles
Metrics for grant writing: listen to recorded workshop
How is your research performing: listen to recorded workshop

Rejoinders and rebuttal

In the ARC assessment and rejoinder process, proposal comments from external assessors will be made available to applicants, who may be given the opportunity to submit a rejoinder.

To assist researchers to prepare rejoinders, UQ R&I has prepared a Rejoinder Tip Sheet and FAQ document (PDF, 439.1 KB).