Research Support Office Good Practice Guide: How to apply for Research Council funding

Transcription

1 Research Support Office Good Practice Guide: How to apply for Research Council funding This guide provides advice and guidance for staff applying for Research Council funding. It is aimed particularly at applications for project grants, although much of the advice will also apply to other schemes. Contents Introducing the Research Councils Why make an application to a Research Council? What are the Research Councils looking for in an application? What will I need in order to apply? What will the Research Councils fund? Getting started Completing your application Tips for maximising success Common reasons for rejection How are proposals assessed? University approval and submission Results and next steps Getting further help Appendix: Help on using Je-S 1.0 Introducing the Research Councils There are seven discipline-based Research Councils in the UK operating under the umbrella of Research Councils UK (RCUK), which enables the Councils to work strategically and effectively across their subject divisions. The Research Councils are: Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Medical Research Council (MRC) Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) 2.0 Why make an application to a Research Council? The UK Research Councils fund internationally leading science in the UK. They aim to support research of the highest quality in order to maintain and enhance the competitiveness of the UK s research base. Proposals are assessed through a rigorous yet fair process of peer review so that only the very best are supported. It is precisely because of this focus on top quality science that receiving funding through the Research Councils has a certain amount of kudos and can signify to others that your research is leading-edge. Holding a Research Council grant, as with other research grants, allows you to bring in resources to pursue a particular set of research objectives or research questions. For example you could recruit a Research Assistant or Research Student to work on a project, buy equipment or consumables, or fund travel expenses associated with conferences or fieldwork.

2 Finally, from a financial perspective, the Research Councils currently pay 80% of the Full Economic Costs (fec) of a project, meaning that a greater amount of funding comes back to the University, School and the Individual when compared to some other funders. 3.0 What are the Research Councils looking for in an application? The Research Councils invite responsive applications for funding a project that has been identified by the applicant. Applications in all subject areas are welcome provided that they meet the Research Councils (broad) remit. From time to time the Research Councils will also publish priority areas for funding. Some of the Research Councils (e.g. EPSRC, NERC) publish their assessment proformas on their websites. Others (e.g. ESRC, MRC) publish detailed guidance of their criteria and assessment processes. In summary they look for proposals that can address the following criteria: Impact of the proposed work: Does the proposal address a timely problem using an appropriate approach? What is the contribution to the UK s world research standing? Is the proposal original/novel or incremental in its nature? What is the relevance to beneficiaries? Training: Does the proposal contribute to training and development of highly skilled researchers? Collaboration: Is any proposed collaboration appropriate and valuable? Applicant s capability: Are you able to carry out the proposed work do you and your team have the necessary skills and experience? Planning and Management: Are the timescales, methodology, management of risks and dissemination plans appropriate and well thought through? Resources requested: Are these appropriate and justified? Others: Some schemes may have other specific criteria e.g. potential contribution to knowledge transfer, justification of request for leave (AHRC research leave scheme). 4.0 What will I need in order to apply? A contract of employment at a UK University: To apply for a Research Council project, you will need to be a member of academic staff or a Research Councilfunded Fellow. Your employment contract must cover the lifetime of the project you are proposing (if it does not then the School will need to confirm that it will be extended if your application is successful). A good idea: You will need an idea for a project that is novel, timely, and relevant. Data/background: You should have enough background information or data to be able to make a convincing case for funding. Capacity: You should demonstrate that you have the ability to conduct the research through your track record (previous work undertaken, previous funding or published papers), or through collaborating with other colleagues with relevant skills. You will also need to demonstrate that you have the capacity to conduct the work if funded. 2

3 Time to write the application: Research Council applications may take several weeks of effort to complete, spread over a number of months. Make sure that you allow plenty of time to write a convincing application. 5.0 What will the Research Councils fund? Standard research grants cover the costs below. All costs must be appropriate to the project and well justified. 5.1 Directly-incurred costs Staff The cost of staff who will be employed solely to carry out work on the project, e.g. a Research Assistant, a visiting researcher. Named technicians and ALC posts can be included under directly incurred, any part-time staff will require timesheets. Travel Travel costs for the Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator and any RA to attend conferences, travel to attend project meetings or conduct fieldwork Other Consumables e.g. lab consumables or significant levels of office-based consumables (basic office consumables are covered by indirect costs), consultant's costs, student stipend and fees, dictation costs, equipment under 3k, recruitment costs, software, subject payments, publication costs. Equipment costs (for items above 3k) three quotes are required for items above 25k. (verbal quotes 25k- 99.9k, written quotes for items > 100k) 5.2 Directly-allocated costs These are costs that the University is already incurring, but which will be deployed onto the proposed project. They include: PI /Co-I time Academic staff working on the project will typically spend between 1 and 8 hours a week working on a project, the exact amount will depend on precisely what their involvement will be. Technical/Clerical/Administrative Support Timesheets are not needed for these posts. Access Charges for Large items of equipment Finance calculate rates for usage of large items of equipment or facilities. Animal costs. Estates charge A space charge for the project is calculated based on the total number of staff working on the project and the amount of time these staff will be based in the lab. 5.3 Indirect costs These are the costs of the central services of the University, which are apportioned back to the project based on the TRAC (Transparent Approach to Costing) methodology. The amount of indirect costs is based on the amount of staff time costed into the project. 5.4 Exceptions These are items outside of fec and are funded 100%: Project Students*, and equipment over 50K. * NB project students may only be included in applications to AHRC, EPSRC, ESRC, MRC (Centre grants) and NERC 3

4 5.5 Total costs The Research Councils currently pay 80% of fec. When setting up the award the Finance Department will make sure that all directly-incurred costs are covered before splitting the remaining funding between other headings, so you can rest assured that all the direct project costs will be available to you in full. 6.0 Getting started for applicants who haven t previously applied or who haven t applied recently Several of the Research Councils operate special schemes for first-time applicants who are new to the academic profession. These schemes all aim to review first time applicants with fair consideration to enable staff to become established with their first grant. First grants are accordingly only normally assessed alongside other first grants and are not in direct competition with more experienced applicants. AHRC Research grants (route for early career researchers): Applicants who are not already PIs on AHRC awards, and are either within 8 years of being awarded a PhD or within 6 years of first academic appointment may apply for grants of up to 200k (100% fec) over 5 years. From January 2007 AHRC moves to open calls. BBSRC New Investigator Scheme: For applicants within three years of their first academic appointment, who have not have held a research grant that included PDRA support costs previously (this does not include fellowships). Applications are assessed using the same criteria as for standard grants but focusing on potential rather than track record. There are 4 deadlines a year. EPSRC First Grant scheme: Apply at any time with no limit to the amount you may request. To be eligible you must be within the first 36 months of your first academic appointment. Applications to the First Grant scheme will be considered in competition with other FGS applicants, separately to standard grant proposals. ESRC First Grant scheme: Open to all academic staff within the first six years of their career (post PhD) who have not been PI before on a research council award, this scheme will provide up to 400k (100% fec) over 3 years. The call opens in October annually, with a deadline of January. MRC New Investigator Research Grant: For applicants who are in their first academic appointment or hold a senior research appointment. Applicants must have between 3 and 10 years post-phd experience. Applicants may request up to 600k (fec) over 3 years. Application deadlines are usually in January, May and September. NERC New Investigators Competition: Applicants must be within 3 years of their first academic appointment. Funding may be requested up to a total of 40k for directly incurred costs (i.e. RA, travel, consumables) + associated directly allocated and indirect costs. Closing date is 1 February 2008 annually. Applicants may apply once per annual competition. If you aren t eligible for the first grant scheme, yet don t have a track record of research council funding, there are a number of things you might do to increase your chances of being funded: Collaborate consider collaborating with a colleague who does have RC experience. This may help to convince the Research Council that your team has the capacity to carry out the proposed work. 4

5 Submit a small grant Some of the Research Councils (e.g. ESRC) operate a small grant scheme, which they specifically encourage new applicants to apply to. The ESRC scheme has an upper limit of 100k, and applications are reviewed through a lighter touch process taking around 14 weeks (as opposed to 20 weeks for standard ESRC grants). Look out for managed programmes and attend programme launches From time to time the Research Councils announce calls on particular topics to address perceived knowledge gaps. If your research fits one of these areas this can be an opportunity to get involved. Speak to the programme, panel or committee contacts You can get useful advice about your application by consulting with research council contacts prior to submitting your application. They will be able to tell you whether your proposal fits with their criteria and give you guidance on other aspects of your application. 7.0 Completing your application GRANT DEADLINE SUMMARY (STANDARD, RESPONSIVE APPLICATIONS) AHRC: Open calls from January 2009 BBSRC: 4 deadlines per year EPSRC: Apply at any time ESRC: Apply at any time MRC: Board deadlines are normally in September, January, and May NERC: 1 st July and 1 st December annually. All Research Councils also issue calls for proposals on particular topics through their managed programmes. Increasingly these are cross-council initiatives involving a broad range of disciplines. All Research Council applications comprise an online form, and a case for support document. There are some differences between the Research Councils in the exact contents of the form and in the attachments required. All applicants will need to register with the Research Council s online submission system, the Joint Electronic Submission system or Je-S (MRC has its own Electronic Application and Assessment (EAA) system). Details of how to set up an account on Je-S and use this system can be found at Appendix 1. Contact RSO for help and support with using Je-S or the MRC s EAA. Full details are available via Je-S help or through the Research Council s funding guide, but the essential elements are summarised below: Online form: The online form will include information about the Principal and Coinvestigator, the budget, aims and objectives, the project summary, relevance to beneficiaries. You are also required to list other support sought or received for this or other research in the same field, and any related previous proposals submitted to that Research Council. Some Research Councils include additional sections such as staff duties, timetable and data collection (ESRC). 7.1 Advice on common form sections Objectives You are required to list the main objectives of the proposed research in order of priority, using a maximum of 4000 characters (inc. spaces). You should use objectives that you would wish the Council to use as the basis for evaluation of 5

6 work upon completion of any grant awarded. Objectives should be clearly stated. They should be achievable within the course of the project, whilst at the same time demonstrating a challenge to the applicant Summary This is the part of your application that will be read first and most often. The Research Council will use your summary to publicise their funded research to opinion formers and policy makers, the general public, and the wider research community. It is vital that the summary of your project does not contain any disclosures of Intellectual Property, as this could prejudice your abilities to patent work in the future. In your summary you should explain: the context of the research its aims and objectives its potential applications and benefits The summary should be written in a style that is accessible to a variety of readers, including the general public Beneficiaries (except for AHRC) Beneficiaries are those who are likely to be interested in or to benefit from the proposed research. You are asked to list any beneficiaries from the research and give details of how the results of the proposed research would be disseminated. State whether the research is likely to lead to patentable or otherwise commercially exploitable results. Wherever possible, the beneficiaries should consist of a wider group than that of the investigators' immediate professional circle carrying out similar research. Specific beneficiaries might be: researchers in other disciplines academic institutions companies, public sector bodies, charities and others who may use the results to their advantage policy makers Additional text summaries may be required by some of the Research Councils, for example BBSRC also require a technical summary, and a more detailed beneficiaries section. ESRC require you to complete a section detailing Staff Duties and a Communication plan and user engagement section. Full details can be found in Je-S help (accessible from the online form) or by contacting the Research Support Office. 7.2 Advice on Case for Support, ordered by Research Council The case for support is the document uploaded to your application which explains precisely what you intend to do, why this is important, and how you intend to conduct the research AHRC Research grants (Standard, Early Career Researcher and Speculative Routes) You are allowed 3000 words in Arial font point 12. You should aim to make the Case for Support as concise, specific and clear as possible whilst at the same time ensuring that the work to be undertaken is fully explained. You should include the 6

7 following headings in your Case for Support: Research questions or problems, research context, research methods, project management, and dissemination and knowledge transfer. Full details are available in Appendix 1 of the AHRC Research Funding Guide BBSRC You must use Arial font with a minimum size of 11. You must also use single line spacing and margins of 2cm or greater The Case for Support should be a self-contained description of the proposed work with relevant background, and should not depend on additional information. It should have three parts (summarised from Je-S Help): Part 1A: Previous research track record (maximum two sides of A4) which should: Provide a summary of the results and conclusions of your recent work in the area covered by the proposal; indicate where your previous work has contributed to the UK's economic competitiveness or to improving the quality of life; and outline the specific expertise available for the research at the host organisation and that of any associated organisations. Part 1B: Statement on data sharing (maximum of one side of A4) which should set out how applicants will comply with BBSRC s published Data Sharing Policy. The policy, and detailed guidance notes, can be viewed at Part 2: A description of the proposed research and its content (maximum six sides of A4 for projects with one RA) together with an optional diagrammatic workplan (maximum one side of A4). Lists of references and illustrations should be included in the page limit and should not be submitted as additional documents or as an annex. The description should include the following sections: Background: Introduce the topic of research and explain its academic and wider context; demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of past and current work in the subject area both in the UK and abroad Programme and methodology: Identify the overall aims of the project and the individual measurable objectives against which you would wish the outcome of the work to be assessed; detail the methodology to be used in pursuit of the research and justify this choice; explain why the proposed project is of sufficient timeliness and novelty to warrant consideration for funding; describe the programme of work, indicating the research to be undertaken and the milestones that can be used to measure its progress. The detail should be sufficient to indicate the programme of work for each member of the research team. Explain how the project will be managed. References should appear in a list at the end of the Case for Support and be linked to relevant text EPSRC Case for Support (max 8 pages) should use a minimum font size of 10 point, a typeface such as Arial or Helvetica, Margins of at least 2cm and text justified on the left-hand side only. The guidance below is summarised from Je-S Help. The Previous Research Track Record (maximum 2 sides of A4) should: Provide a summary of the results and conclusions of recent work in the area covered by the research proposal; indicate where the applicant's previous work has contributed to the UK's competitiveness or to improving the quality of life; outline the specific 7

8 expertise available for the research at the host organisation and that of any associated organisations and beneficiaries. The description of the proposed research and its context (maximum 6 sides of A4 including references and illustrations) should include: Background: Introduce the topic of research and explain its academic and industrial context; demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of past and current work in the subject area both in the UK and abroad. Programme and Methodology: Identify the overall aims of the project and the individual measurable objectives against which you would wish the outcome of the work to be assessed; detail the methodology to be used in pursuit of the research and justify this choice; where relevant, describe the specific expertise provided by a Visiting Researcher; explain why the proposed project is of sufficient timeliness and novelty to warrant consideration for funding; describe the programme of work, indicating the research to be undertaken and the milestones that can be used to measure its progress. The detail should be sufficient to indicate the programme of work for each member of the research team. Explain how the project will be managed. Relevance to Beneficiaries: Identify the potential impact of the proposed work; show who is likely to benefit from the proposed research. If the benefits do not directly relate to wealth creation and/or to improving the quality of life, give details of other beneficiaries and explain their importance (other research workers are legitimate beneficiaries); indicate any collaborations with beneficiaries and explain their role in the project. Dissemination and Exploitation: Indicate the proposed dissemination and technology transfer routes and explain how the transfer of knowledge will take place to both beneficiaries and the general public; identify the mechanisms in place for identification, protection and subsequent exploitation of any exploitable results which may arise from the research (including details of any specific collaborative agreement, where relevant). You are also allowed to add a workplan (max 1 side A4) this is uploaded as a separate document for EPSRC applications ESRC This section must not exceed 6 A4 sides in the case of applications for less than 1m at (100% fec). You must use a minimum of font size 12 and number all pages. The Case for support document should include the following (taken from Je-S help): a. The introduction should set the aims and objectives of the study in context. It should briefly sketch the main work on which the research will draw, with references. Any relevant policy or practical background should be included. b. The detailed research questions to be addressed should be clearly stated. c. Give a full and detailed description of the proposed research methods. Particular care should be taken to explain any innovation in the methodology or where you intend to develop new methods. d. If the research involves data collection or acquisition you must demonstrate that you have carried out a datasets review, and explicitly state why currently available datasets are inadequate for the proposed research. The ESRC's datasets policy is in Research Funding Annex C. Please see the ESRC website for further information: 8

9 e. The data, materials or information to be collected should be clearly stated, and the methods for achieving this explained. Where sampling is involved, the sampling frame, population and sample sizes, the sample design and arrangements for any pilot should be specified, and reasons given for the procedures adopted. Where access to people or archives is needed, indicate clearly the records, population or samples to be consulted. f. Any potential problems such as access, obtaining reasonable response rates, availability of records, materials or data, should be clearly stated, and proposed solutions identified. State what action you have taken to secure access. g. Clearly state the framework and methods for analysis, and explain the reasons for their choice. h. Indicate the expected outputs both academic and those orientated to (potential) users (articles, papers, datasets, events, etc). Where possible, describe the expected impact. Further technical information may be included in a technical annex (see below). Consult the ESRC guidance notes for further advice on writing a good application MRC You must use verdana 10 point font, and leave margins of 2cm on the left hand side and 1.5cm on other edges. The page limit for 3 years or less is 8, and 12 for over 3 years. The following sections should be included: Title; Importance; Scientific Potential; People and Track Record; Environment; Research Plans; Ethics and Research Governance; Data Preservation for Sharing; Public Engagement in Science; Exploitation and Dissemination. Full details are available in the Applicant s Handbook NERC You should use a minimum font size point 12 (Times New Roman or Arial) with margins of at least 1.5cm. The case for support should contain two sections: Part 1: Previous research track record (2 pages) should include a summary of the results and conclusions of recent work in the technological/scientific area that is covered by the research proposal; an indication of where your previous work has contributed to the UK's competitiveness or to improving the quality of life; and an outline of the scientific expertise available for the research at the host organisation and that of any associated organisation and beneficiaries. Part 2: A description of the proposed research (8 sides) addressing the following points: underlying rationale, scientific and technological issues to be addressed; relevance to users and the potential scientific, practical and socio-economic benefits; specific objectives of the project, including their potential relevance to UK and international research work in the field; methodology and approach; programme and/or plan of research; management of both project and resources, identifying the training and career development opportunities for personnel working on the project; long term stewardship of resulting datasets for potential re-use by other scientists; proposals for wider dissemination of results, including those relating to public engagement and user communities. 7.3 Other attachments Justification of resources (All) All Research Councils require a single side of A4 attachment to the proposal entitled Justification of Resources. (For MRC this is included in the electronic 9

10 form). This statement should be used to justify the resources required to undertake the research project and is a mandatory addition. Applicants should: 1. Explain why the indicated resources are needed, taking account of the nature and complexity of the research proposed. Note that it is not sufficient merely to list what is required. 2. Have regard for the breakdown of resources into the summary fund headings Directly Incurred, Directly Allocated and (where appropriate) Exceptions. 3. In some cases, such as investigator time, use of internal facilities and shared staff costs (all likely to be Directly Allocated costs), the basis of the costing need not be justified, but the need for the resources does need justification. 4. Try to be explicit about the need for the level of investigator time sought, bearing in mind the complexity of the research, the need to manage the project and supervise staff and any wider considerations such as collaboration or facilities usage. 5. Estates and indirect costs do not need to be justified. Contact the Research Support Office for an example of a Justification of resources section CVs Please refer to Je-S help for advice on content AHRC: 2 sides of A4, minimum font 10 for all applicants and named researchers BBSRC: 2 sides of A4 for all applicants and named researchers EPSRC: 2 sides of A4 for named research staff and visiting researchers only ESRC: 2 sides of A4 for all applicants and named researchers MRC: 2 sides of A4 for applicants and named researchers NERC: 2 sides of A4 for named research staff and visiting researchers only Technical Annex (ESRC only) This can prove a useful way of including additional supporting information for your proposal. Technical and some limited non-technical information specific to the project may also be submitted as an attachment. Technical information includes: glossaries of technical terms, charts, diagrams and tables that help to clarify key points within the proposal, statistical formulae, and supporting materials on methodological techniques (e.g. sampling methods, survey design). Non-technical information includes bibliographic details, summary approaches to any ethical issues and letters of support that are essential to the successful conduct of the research (e.g. access to datasets, or organisations). Copies of articles, working papers, or general letters of support should not be included. This attachment must not exceed 6 A4 sides Publications/Publication lists (ESRC and AHRC) ESRC: A bibliography for references cited in proposal (optional) AHRC : Summary publication/research output lists for each Principal Investigator/Applicant and any Co-Investigators or named postdoctoral researchers should be attached as separate documents. Each list of publication should cover major publications in the last five years and should be no more than one side of A4 paper and in a font no smaller than size 10. You should asterisk those of particular relevance to your current research proposal. 10

11 7.3.5 Work plan/ gannt chart BBSRC allows an additional page in the Case for support for an optional diagrammatic work plan. EPSRC allow you to upload a workplan as a separate document. 8.0 Tips for maximising success Allow plenty of time Make sure you address the funder s priorities Ensure that you meet all the rules and regulations (RSO can help here) Make sure that you are up to date with the literature in the field Ask a colleague to peer review your proposal (and allow them time to do this thoroughly) Look at previously successful applications Consult the relevant research council contact and heed their advice Ensure that your objectives are ambitious yet achievable Anticipate any potential stumbling blocks that reviewers may have with your ideas and address these up front 9.0 Common reasons for rejection The following list has been assembled from various sources of feedback Failure to be specific about what you intend to do Lack of clarity about how research aims and objectives will be achieved Failure to adequately link research methods to research questions/objectives Failure to demonstrate skill or competence to carry out the work Inability to make an impact on the UK research base Projects that seem to know the results before conducting the work Poor dissemination/user engagement (ESRC) Key references missing from bibliography Costings inadequately justified or unrealistic 10.0 How are proposals assessed? Some of the research councils carry out a first sift of applications and reject incomplete or poor quality applications before sending them out to review. It is essential therefore that you ensure your proposal adheres closely to the application guidance in terms of format, content and eligibility. Use the RSO to help with this. The Research Councils rely on peer review to evaluate research proposals. You are allowed to nominate one or more reviewers of your own choosing these should be people who know your work well, but are not in the same institution. Additionally the Council will send your proposal out for peer review to two or more of their own reviewers. The reviewers use a pro-forma to comment on all aspects of the proposal, including scientific merit, relevance to beneficiaries, capabilities of the applicants to conduct the work, and value for money. For some Research Councils (BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC (over 1m)) applicants have the right to respond to reviewers comments. It is important to take care when making this response, and seek advice of colleagues, as this response will contribute to the 11

12 final assessment. It is advisable to use this response even if there are no particular issues to respond to - in this case you can take the opportunity to summarise the key strengths of your proposal! A panel or committee of experts meets at the Research Council to consider all applications in a particular round. The research councils operate different systems of scoring, but essentially proposals are discussed individually, and ranked according to their relative merits University approval and submission Applicants should complete the Research Grant Approval form available from the Research Support Office. Aston operates a two stage submission for Research Council applications made via Je-S. Once you are happy that your form is complete, you should select submit from the document menu. This will send the application to the RSO, and you will no longer be able to edit your form. (If you find that you have mistakenly submitted the form to us too early it can at this stage be returned to you). The RSO will then take the application out of the submitter pool of the Je-S system, check it is complete and costs are accurate, and submit onto the Research Council before the deadline. At this point we are not allowed to recall applications Results and next steps Results are announced between 14 weeks (ESRC small grants) and 4-5 months after submission. If you are successful Please pass a copy of your award letter to RSO, who, with Finance, will ensure that the award is accepted and set up. You will be issued with an account code by Finance that will allow you to spend on the project according to the agreed budget. For recruitment of new staff you will need to complete a green form, which is available from Personnel. If you are unsuccessful Try to get as much feedback as possible from the Research Council, as this may prove helpful in developing a future application. You may be able to revise and resubmit the application to the same funder, or consider other funders that support research in your area. Contact your RDM for advice on this, and don t give up! Funding can be very competitive, and even the most experienced researchers face rejection on some occasions Getting further help: Contact the Research Support Office for further advice on submitting an application. Your contacts are as follows: Kevin O Reilly, Research Grants Officer (K.D.OReilly@aston.ac.uk) Eric Bourguignon, Research Development Manager for SEAS (eas.bourguignon2@aston.ac.uk) Jane Crier, Research Development Manager for ABS (from July 08) Karen Woodhall, Research Development Manager for SEAS (from August 08) Sally Puzey, Head of Research Support Office providing support for LSS (S.A.Puzey@aston.ac.uk) 12

13 Appendix 1: Help on using Joint Electronic Submission (Je-S) Setting up an account If you do not already have an account, you will need to request one personally from Je-S. To do this, go to the login page at and click on Create Account. To be an applicant on a Research Council proposal you need to make sure you request a registered account. There are different types of account for students and fellowship applicants. Once you have requested your registered account Je-S will contact RSO for confirmation that you are an eligible applicant. The registration of your account will usually be complete within 2 days. You can start using the account immediately to fill in a new form, but you won t be able to submit until registration is completed by Je-S. If you don t know your username or password, you can request a reminder from the login page (click on the red link below the login box If you have forgotten your login details click here ) Confirming personal details When you first log in you will see the Assigned document summary screen. Click on the button that says "my details". Here you can change your details and save this record (you can also add all the equal opps data in this screen). You must have confirmed your details within the last 12 months to be allowed to submit, or for you to be selected as a referee on other proposals. You can also change your username and password by clicking on login details. Starting a new document Once you have an account you can start to prepare a form: To do this click on "Add new document" from the Assigned document summary screen, confirm "Yes" (you are sure you want to!). This gives you the option of creating a form for AHRC, BBSRC, NERC, EPSRC or ESRC, with further choices about the type of grant you are applying for. You are then invited to complete some initial details about the project (which you can add to/amend later) and then save this as a record. Once this is completed you can go in and edit your form at any time through the document menu. You also have the option to copy a previous proposal rather than starting a new one: Follow the instructions as above, but when you get to the Add new proposal screen, where you are asked for title etc, click on copy an existing proposal at the top. Document editing "Document data" on the left hand side allows you to edit each section of the form. "Document Actions" allows you to upload attachments, validate the document and submit (The submit command sends an alert to RSO that an application is awaiting their attention) "Document Import/Export" Allows you to create and then print a PDF of the form "Document Management" allows you to add an editor, viewer or submitter of your form (provided that they are registered on Je-S) To add an editor Click on "User access privileges" (in the "document management section" on the right of the screen). Next, click on "Add editor" Click on "select" (to the right of the 13

14 name section)then search for the name of the person you wish to add. If they are registered they will come up on the list. You then need to click on their details to add them. There are 3 levels of access: "view only", "view and edit", or "View, Edit and Submit ". When adding RSO staff we recommend that you give view and edit staff to allow costs to be uploaded. HELP! You can obtain help on any part of the form you are using by clicking on the Help option at the top right of the screen. This help document will contain information about what you should enter in each section as well as what attachments are needed. RSO staff can also advise you on how to use Je-S to complete your form. Please get in touch if you are stuck and we will endeavor to help you out! If you are unable to resolve your query via RSO, Je-S can be contacted as follows: Je-SHelp@rcuk.ac.uk Phone: +44 (0) Staffed Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm UK time (excluding Bank holidays and other holidays) Submission Aston operates a TWO STAGE SUBMISSION PROCESS. You should click on submit when you are satisfied that your proposal is complete. This will send an alert to RSO that your proposal is awaiting approval and onward submission to the Research Council. RSO staff will carry out a final check of your proposal, and, once they have a completed Research proposal approval form they will then submit on to the Research Council. NB the published deadline time is always 4pm on the day of the deadline. This is the time that your application must have been submitted by RSO to the Research Council, not the time by which you must submit the proposal to RSO. Please make sure you allow plenty of time before the deadline we recommend 1-2 days where possible, but we will always work with you flexibly. Research Support Office, Aston University,