NHMRC Synergy Grants

The NHMRC Synergy 2026 round is now closed. Applications are under assessment.

Key dates for NHMRC Synergy Grants 2026 (for funding from 2027)

Proposals open in Sapphire: 4 February 2026
UQ Research and Innovation (UQ R&I) Notice of Intent (NOI) close: 26 February 2026
Minimum data requirements in Sapphire: 4 March 2026
Applications due to UQ R&I: 4 March 2026
Applications close with NHMRC: 1 April 2026
Proposed peer review Stage 1: May/June 2026
Proposed peer review Stage 2: June/July 2026
Anticipated notification of outcomes: October 2026

Overview

Synergy Grants support outstanding multidisciplinary teams of investigators to work together to answer major questions that cannot be answered by a single investigator.

The intended outcomes of the Synergy Grant scheme are:

multidisciplinary research that addresses major problems in all areas of human health and medical research, from discovery to translation, and
highly collaborative teams of diverse researchers including by gender, career stage and cultural background, working together to address major problems in human health.

How to apply

Step 1. Early development discussions

Researchers contemplating an application into the 2026 Synergy Grant round are invited to contact the UQ R&I Major Initiatives Team (majorinitiatives@research.uq.edu.au) for early discussions about competitiveness and strategy.

Step 2. Submit an internal notice of intent (NOI)

All researchers intending to submit a 2026 NHMRC Synergy Grant must also submit an internal NOI. These will be collated centrally and distributed to Faculties and Institutes in order to provide maximum support to the UQ research community.

Step 3. Register for Sapphire, update your profile, create an application

Applications are submitted via Sapphire. All team members (Chief Investigators and Associate Investigators) must therefore have a Sapphire account with an up-to-date profile:
- If you already have a Sapphire account, log into Sapphire and review / update your profile.
- If you do not have a Sapphire account, please register for Sapphire. Note that requests for Sapphire accounts / activations are not instantaneous, so we recommend you register as soon as possible.
Create an application in Sapphire. Invite collaborating investigators to be participants by adding them to the Research Team on Sapphire.

Step 4. Complete the application

Log into Sapphire and complete the application sections.
Upload all relevant attachments and ensure all investigators have accepted their invitations.

Step 5. Notify UQ R&I that your application is ready for internal review

Review your application and ensure all sections are complete.
Certify your application to RAO in Sapphire. TO do this, select 'Certification' from the left-hand menu within the application and follow the steps to submit the application to the Research Office. Application errors will be signalled and can be corrected at this stage.
To initiate internal review, email your completed UQ Certification Form (see UQ Resources below) to UQ R&I at nhmrc@research.uq.edu.au.
UQ R&I will review your application in accordance with your NOI (eligibility and compliance +/- grantscraft) and provide feedback.

Step 6. Certify your application to RAO for submission

Certify your application to RAO in Sapphire.
With your approval, UQ R&I will submit your application to the NHMRC.

Readership and researcher support

Before applying, we recommend you:

Familiarise yourself with the framework for Applying for Competitive Research Grants at UQ.
Contact your faculty or institute research manager for advice on peer readership programs.
Subscribe to 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.
Read the UQ R&I Grant writing advice and strategy website for tips on preparing your application

Key documents

NHMRC

The NHMRC documentation will be available below and from GrantConnect, the Australian Government grants information system.

Additional information on the NHMRC Synergy Grants scheme can be found on the NHMRC’s website