Grant scheme guide

Plain-English statement, required in every ARC grant application, explaining how the research could benefit Australia beyond academia. Still required for FT27, ITRP 2027 and DP28; the ARC will reconsider it as it designs the new schemes from 2027.

The ARC's main grant for investigator-led research by individuals or teams, in every discipline except medical research. DP28 drops the EOI stage and allows each Chief Investigator one application. No later round is scheduled; the new Breakthrough scheme is expected in 2028.

Four-year mid-career fellowship covering salary and up to $60,000 a year in project funding. FT27 may be the last round: the ARC's 2026 policy review ends salaried mid-career fellowships from 2027, and no FT28 round is scheduled.

Research partnerships between universities and industry, government or community partners, who contribute cash and in-kind support. LP26 was a single round, and the ARC's new grants model replaces Linkage Projects.

NHMRC's largest scheme: 5 years of salary (if required) and a research support package for one investigator's research program, at five Levels from Emerging Leadership 1 to Leadership 3. Scored 70% on track record and 30% on the proposed research.

Project grants for innovative health and medical research, assessed on research quality, innovation and creativity, significance and capability. Teams of up to 10 Chief Investigators, for 1 to 5 years.

Fixed $5 million over 5 years for a diverse, multidisciplinary team of 4 to 10 CIs tackling a question no single researcher could answer. From 2027 it is scored on research quality, synergy, team capability and consumer and community involvement, replacing individual track records.

Research partnerships with health policy makers and service providers to answer a question they need answered and put the findings into policy and practice. Applications are taken all year and reviewed in 3 cycles; partners must at least match the NHMRC funding in cash or in-kind.

Case study of the impact beyond academia of a unit's research, assessed on reach and significance. Universities enter it in the REF Submission system; Engagement and Impact is 25% of REF 2029.

Four-year fellowship, renewable for three more, for researchers and innovators establishing independence. Round 11 used the UKRI Funding Service questions, with impact assessed within Vision and Approach.

Usually 8-year award for mid-career researchers in any discipline who are ready to lead a bold, creative programme related to human life, health and wellbeing. Always open since August 2026, with shortlisting three times a year and then an interview.

Eight-year fellowship for early career natural scientists to build an independent research career in the UK or Republic of Ireland, with years six to eight subject to a mid-fellowship review. The proposal sets out a five-year plan within an eight-year vision.

The NIHR Advanced Fellowship has been replaced by the Postdoctoral Award: 2 to 5 years of salary, research and training funding for postdoctoral researchers from any health or care background. Cohorts open in April and October.

Part-funded partnership in which a UK knowledge base places a graduate Associate in a business to lead a strategic innovation project for 12 to 36 months. Rounds run several times a year, and each application needs a Knowledge Transfer Adviser's support.

Three-month collaboration between a UK knowledge base and a business to evaluate or develop an innovation concept, with a streamlined application. Rounds are occasional: AKT 6 closed in July 2026 and no AKT 7 has been announced.

The Impact section of Horizon Europe collaborative proposals: pathways towards impact, measures to maximise impact, and an optional summary canvas. From the 2026-2027 Work Programme experts score only the credibility of the pathways and the quality of the measures, no longer scale and significance.

Europe's leading individual research grants: Starting, Consolidator and Advanced. The proposal is a 5-page Part I, a 7-page Part II and a 4-page CV and track record.

Up to €10M over six years for two to four PIs tackling a question none could address alone. The 2027 call moved to February 2027 and uses a 5-page Part I, a 10-page Part II and a 4-page CV per PI, with a three-step evaluation ending in an interview of all PIs.

Mobility fellowship for postdoctoral researchers: a European Fellowship of 12 to 24 months at a host in the EU or an Associated Country, or a Global Fellowship of 24 to 36 months with an outgoing phase outside Europe and a 12-month return phase. Weighted 50% Excellence, 30% Impact, 20% Implementation.

Every NSF research proposal is reviewed on Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts, each necessary and neither sufficient alone. Since April 2025 NSF asks proposers to prioritise six statutory Broader Impacts goals and to keep participation activities open to all Americans.

NSF's most prestigious award for early-career faculty: five years of support for an integrated research and education plan. Still running under solicitation NSF 22-586, with NSF's 2025 priorities now applied to Broader Impacts.

NIH's standard investigator-initiated project grant. Since 2025 reviewers score two factors, Importance of the Research (Significance and Innovation) and Rigor and Feasibility (Approach), and check expertise and resources for sufficiency.

Two-phase award taking a postdoc from mentored research (K99, 1 to 2 years) to an independent faculty post (R00, up to 3 years). NIH replaces it with the KT1/R00 Career Transition to Research Independence Award from October 2027.

NIGMS funds an investigator's whole NIGMS-relevant research programme through one 5-year grant, reviewed on the programme's importance and the investigator's record rather than detailed aims. Separate NOFOs for Early Stage Investigators and for established and New Investigators.

CIHR's main open competition for investigator-initiated health research in any area, run twice a year. One global rating covers concept and feasibility; Spring 2026 funded 439 of 3,344 applications (13.1%).

SSHRC's main project grant for social sciences and humanities research, open to emerging and established scholars working alone or in teams. Scored on Challenge (40%), Feasibility (20%) and Capability (40%), with at least 3.0 out of 6 needed on each.

Four- to seven-year grants for formal partnerships between postsecondary institutions and partner organisations in the social sciences and humanities. Stage 1 funds preparation of an invited Stage 2 application; both stages are scored on Challenge (40%), Feasibility (30%) and Capability (30%).

NSERC's largest program: long-term operating grants for a researcher's program of natural sciences and engineering research rather than a single project. Rated equally on excellence of the researcher, merit of the proposal and training of highly qualified personnel.

Partnered natural sciences and engineering research with private, public or not-for-profit partners, submitted at any time. Covers Alliance Advantage (NSERC matches recognised partner cash 2:1) and Alliance Society (societal impact, NSERC pays 100%). Four equally weighted criteria.

Federal chairs that universities use to attract and retain researchers: Tier 1 for world leaders, Tier 2 for exceptional emerging researchers. Institutions nominate from their own chair allocation; individuals cannot apply.