Application process

The University's internal approval process for research applications is outlined in the pages listed above. Please familiarise yourself with this process so that you are aware of the steps that need to be completed before you can submit an application.

It is also important to familiarise yourself with the application process of the funder to which you are submitting as early as possible. Different funders have different application processes and there may even be subtle differences for particular calls and competitions issued by the same funder.

It is often the case that these processes need to be strictly adhered to and a failure to do so could result in your application not being considered for funding.

The main research funders have online electronic submission systems that require registration; further details about these are provided on the electronic submission systems page.
Some other funders require an application form to be submitted by email.

Research funding is highly competitive and funders often receive more high quality proposals than they are able to support.

Writing and submitting proposals requires a lot of time resource for you, your colleagues and support staff, therefore you need to be confident that you can create a high quality proposal before you begin writing.

Funders are increasingly putting pressure on research organisations to manage the numbers of applications submitted and to improve quality control.

The University of Plymouth operates an institutional peer review process to help ensure submitted proposals meet high quality standards. This process is managed through Award Manager.

Peer reviewers have a responsibility to ensure that proposals are of high quality, meet the strategic aims of the University and the funder and represent good value for money.

The Research Councils, European Commission and other funders have measures in place to restrict re-submissions of rejected applications. Please check the funder’s rules before any re-submission.

The Research Councils use demand management systems, which include:

University of Plymouth is not currently subject to any cap on the number of applications that it can submit to NERC under the Pushing the Frontiers scheme, however we do run our own internal demand management process via internal sifts to ensure we do not slip under NERC's cap in future rounds. You should speak with your Head of School and Associate Dean for Research about being included in the internal sift process if you are interested in applying to this scheme. EPSRC also employs individual researcher sanctions, creating a 'cooling off' period for repeatedly unsuccessful applicants.