Discovery Program

Preparing ARC Grants

Research Office Mailing Lists

The Research-ARC mailing list is managed by the Research Office and used to communicate updates regarding grants and fellowships offered by the Australian Research Council (ARC). If you currently hold an ARC grant or fellowship, or intend applying for one, the Research Office strongly recommends subscribing to this list. Information about applying, changes to guidelines and conditions of award, progress report requirements etc. will be communicated via this list.

• Subscribe to the Research-ARC Mailing list (University staff and students only)

Documents

The ARC is required to publish Grant Guidelines and all associated scheme documents on GrantConnect, the Australian Government whole-of-government, web-based, grant information system. You will need to sign in or create a User Registration account in GrantConnect to access all relevant documentation for ARC applications.

Once you have signed in to GrantConnect, the essential documents can be found by searching for the relevant scheme under ‘grant opportunities’ (open schemes) or ‘forecast opportunities’ (upcoming schemes). As the ARC often updates documents after the scheme opens, it is highly recommended that you sign up for alerts by editing your profile.

If you encounter any problems accessing or downloading these documents please contact the Research Grants team.

University of Newcastle Documents

• University of Newcastle ARC Certification [Written Evidence] (DOC)
• ARC/NHMRC Grant Rounds Submission Procedures (PDF)
• Partner Organisation Letter of Support Template (DOC)
• ARC Rejoinder Guide and Tips (PDF)

RMS Access

RMS allows researchers requesting funding from the ARC National Competitive Grants Program to prepare and submit proposals electronically via the internet.

Each proposal is completed by researchers and consists of an electronic document generated from a combination of data entered directly into the proposal form, and PDF documents attached to the proposal form in RMS.

Note: The Admin Organisation will be The University of Newcastle

The RMS Information Page contains links to key documents such as:

• RMS User Management Guide
• Submitting a Proposal in RMS

All new applications as well as final reports will need to be submitted to RMS.

RMS minimum system requirements

RMS is compatible with the latest versions of Google Chrome and Microsoft Esge. Compatibility with different browsers or older versions of Chrome or Edge is not guaranteed.

Research Outputs/Publications

RMS auto-population of Research Outputs and ORCID

As part of the ARC’s commitment to integrating ORCID into RMS, it is possible to auto-populate research output data into ARC RMS profiles and application forms.

• User Guide (PDF)

Research Liaison Librarians

Research Liaison Librarians offer a number of specialist research services and resources, including advice and support for undertaking literature searches, systematic reviews, referencing, citation analysis, current awareness, promotion of research, and management of research data.

Contact your school’s Research Liaison Librarian to discuss your research needs.

Preparing ARC Budgets

Information on how to calculate salary costs for your budget can found on our Preparing Research Budgets page.

• 30% on-costs must be included in all salary requests.
• Indexation cannot be included.
• Salary increase due to increase in HEW step levels can be included.

Eligibility Matters

The ARC has developed an Eligibility Matters webpage which address some of the most common eligibility requirements for ARC schemes. It covers items including:

• Researcher Roles
• Fellowships/Awards
• Number of Applications, Funded Projects and Cross-Scheme Eligibility
• Organisational types
• Incomplete or Misleading Information
• Medical Research
• Submission of applications

Visit the ARC Eligibility Matters webpage for more details.

Eligibility and Compliance Checks

Research Grants uses an online booking process to manage optional Eligibility and Compliance Checks (E&C Checks) on applications for ARC Schemes.

In these checks, scientific content is not reviewed but rather, this check will look at your application to make sure it meets the grant guidelines and ensure that you won’t be ruled out due to an ineligible proposal. It is recommended that you also seek Peer Review of your application via your College and/or School where available.

A booking must be made within the allocated E&C Check period for each scheme. Applicants are strongly encouraged to commence their application in RMS ASAP after the scheme opens so they can book their preferred day for an E&C Check. Bookings without a RMS Application ID will be cancelled.

• Make an E&C Check booking

Written Evidence for ARC Projects - Certification

The University of Newcastle is required to obtain written evidence of all Other Eligible organisations included on applications under the relevant Grant Guidelines. Certification for individual participants is now requested in RMS as part of the application.

Download the Certification Proforma (DOC) and follow the guidelines on the first page for submission.

The completed ARC Certification Proforma is required for ALL Eligible Organisations listed in an ARC application.

Please attach and send ALL responses in ONE email to research-applications@newcastle.edu.au by the internal deadline (at least 10 business days prior to submission date).

Participation on externally-led ARC applications

If you are participating on an ARC application being led by another university, you will need to provide the Project Leader (CIA) with a Certification form signed by the DVCRI delegate from the University of Newcastle. Many universities will have their own form, based on the ARC proforma. Please ask the CIA to provide this to you in advance with a deadline for its return. The University of Newcastle ARC Certification form (DOC) can be used if the lead university does not have their own form.

In addition, you will need to complete and then seek the signature of your Head of School (HoS) and College Assistant Dean of Research (ADR) on an Externally-led Application Coversheet. Please contact Research Grants to obtain this coversheet.

Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy

The ARC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy outlines the obligations that apply to individuals involved in ARC business including. Researchers are requested to provide this information as a named participant for ARC research funding (both CIs and PIs).

National Interest Test (NIT) Statement

All ARC applications require a National Interest Test (NIT) Statement. The purpose of the NIT is to explain the societal benefits (economic, commercial, environmental, social and/or cultural) of the proposed research beyond the academic community. The audience of the NIT is the general public - a different audience than the Application Project Summary, which is addressed to the applicant’s peers. Further information is in the Guidelines and Instructions to Applicants for each scheme.

The NIT is assessed by the ARC Chief Executive Officer prior to recommendation to the Minister. It will not be visible to Assessors or within the application PDF.

Please see the ARC webpage Articulating National Interest in grant applications for more details.

Submission Process

Please see the ARC Submission Procedure on the ARC Grants webpage and the Online Booking System User Guide for instructions on how to make a booking for an Eligibility and Compliance Check.

Once complete, the CI submits the final, submission ready application in RMS via the 'Submit to Research Office' button and forwards all associated documentation to research-applications@newcastle.edu.au on or before the internal deadline.

ARC Reporting and Eligibility

If you have a current ARC grant with outstanding reports, this may affect your eligibility for current ARC applications.

RMS now has improved functionality to detect and prevent applications from being submitted where any participant has not met their ARC reporting requirements or where project or application limits have been breached.

Please see the scheme-specific Grant Guidelines and the ARC Reporting Requirements webpage.

Access to Successful Applications

Research Grants can provide researchers with access to view successful applications where the lead Chief Investigator has provided consent.

Applications must be viewed in hard copy at the Research Grants Office.

How to Arrange to View a Successful Application

Contact the Research Grants team to request access to view successful applications for a specific scheme. Please include preferred date(s) and time(s) in your email.

Presentations

The Research Advantage team have developed a Resources Hub which provides recordings and slides of recent presentations.

Research Office contact:
research-applications@newcastle.edu.au

The Discovery Projects scheme provides funding for research projects that can be undertaken by individual researchers or research teams.

From 2024, the Discovery Projects scheme has a two-stage application process, commencing with an Expression of Interest (EOI). Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a full application.

The objectives of the Discovery Projects scheme are to:

• support excellent pure basic, strategic basic and applied research, and research training, across all disciplines excluding clinical and other medical research, that addresses a significant problem or gap in knowledge and represents value for money;
• expand research capacity in Australia by supporting excellent researchers and teams;
• foster national and international research collaboration;
• create new knowledge with economic, commercial, environmental, social and/or cultural benefits for Australia; and
• enhance the scale and focus of research in Australian Government priority areas.

The Discovery Projects scheme provides project funding of between $30,000 and $500,000 per year for up to five consecutive years.

For more information, please visit the Discovery Projects page on the ARC website.

Key Dates

Please subscribe to the Research Office ARC mailing list to receive up to date information on ARC funding opportunities.

For funding commencing in 2027

These dates are indicative only and may be subject to change

Applicants are strongly encouraged to commence their application offline so they can complete the application as soon as the scheme opens in RMS and book their preferred day for the Eligibility and Compliance check.

ARC Webinar Recording - How to Pitch an EOI

On 29 November 2023, the ARC hosted a Webinar: “How to Pitch an EOI” to support the introduction of the EOI process for Discovery Projects 25.

Access the webinar recording

If you have any questions about this scheme, please contact the Research Grants team.

Research Office contact:
research-applications@newcastle.edu.au

To be eligible for DECRA, applicants must have an award of PhD date on or between the grant opportunity eligibility dates listed on the ARC website, unless non-overlapping eligible career disruption(s) exist.

For more information, visit the ARC DECRA page.

Key Dates

For Funding Commencing in 2027

These dates are indicative only and may be subject to change

Please subscribe to the Research Office ARC mailing list to receive updates for this scheme.

University of Newcastle Scheme Documents

• UON Eligibility Exemption Request Form (DOC) - required if claiming a career interruption to meet the PhD timing eligibility requirements
• DE25 Administering Organisation Letter of Support (DOC) - Note that candidates from the College of Human and Social Futures (CHSF) are asked to liaise directly with your College Senior Research Manager rather than using this template.

College Contacts

Please contact the following key staff within your College regarding your interest in the DECRA. Colleges can also assist with preparing your Statement by the Administering Organisation (SAO). It is recommended you inform the College contact as soon as possible if you intend to apply as each College may have their own deadlines for aspects of the application process including preparation of the Letter of Support.

Eligibility Exemption Requests

A DECRA Candidate must have been awarded a PhD on or before 1 March 2020, unless non-overlapping career interruption(s) exist in order to be eligible to apply.

Career Interruptions

All ARC Fellowship candidates who claim career interruption to meet the eligibility criteria must have an Eligibility Exemption Request approved by the DVCRI. See Key Dates for submission deadlines. The allowable career interruptions, and the period allowed for each are in Table 6 of the Grant Guidelines for the Discovery Program (2023 edition).

The ARC accepts the following types of career interruptions:

• disruption due to international relocation
• caring responsibilities
• Disability
• Disaster management and recovery
• Limited or no access to facilities and resources – such as through workplace interruptions
• Medical conditions
• Non-research positions, not concurrent with research employment
• Parental leave
• Unemployment

Please contact Research Grants for further information and timing of Eligibility Exemption Requests.

Presentations

The Research Advantage team have developed a Resources Hub which provides recordings and slides of recent presentations.

Further Information

For further information on this scheme, please contact the Research Grants team.

Research Office contact:
research-applications@newcastle.edu.au

The ARC Future Fellowships scheme supports excellence in research by supporting excellent mid-career researchers to undertake high quality research in areas of national and international benefit.

Future Fellowships provides four-year fellowships to outstanding Australian mid-career researchers. In addition, the ARC may award the Administering Organisation up to $60,000 of non-salary funding per annum which may be used for personnel, equipment, travel and field research costs directly related to the Future Fellow's research.

To be eligible, the Future Fellowship candidate must, as at the grant opportunity closing date:

• Have an award of PhD date on or between 1 March 2011 and 1 March 2021; or
• Have a PhD award date with an allowable period of non-overlapping career interruptions that would be commensurate with an award of PhD date on or between 1 March 2011 and 1 March 2021.

Future Fellowships will encourage proposals from researchers working in areas of national priority. Preference will be given to Australian researchers.

For further information, please visit the ARC Future Fellowships page.

Key Dates

For Funding Commencing in 2026

Please subscribe to the Research Grants ARC mailing list to receive updates for this scheme.

Documents

University of Newcastle Scheme Documents

• Eligibility Exemption Request (DOC) - required if claiming a career interruption to meet the PhD timing eligibility requirements
• FT Administering Organisation Letter of Support (DOC)
  • Candidates from the College of Human and Social Futures (CHSF) are asked to liaise directly with your College Senior Research Manager rather than using this template.
• Rejoinder Guide and Tips (PDF)

College Contacts

Please contact the following key staff within your College as soon as possible regarding your interest in the Future Fellowship. Colleges can also assist with preparing your Statement by the Administering Organisation (SAO). Each College may have their own deadline for aspects of the application process including preparation of the SAO.

Eligibility Exemption Requests

Career Interruptions

All ARC Fellowship candidates who claim career interruption to meet the eligibility criteria must have an Eligibility Exemption Request approved by the DVCRI. See Key Dates for submission deadlines. The allowable career interruptions set out, and the period allowed for each are at B15 of the Future Fellowships Instructions to Applicants for funding commencing in 2025 and can be found at the Eligibility and Career Interruption Statement on the ARC website.

The ARC accepts the following types of career interruptions:

• Disruption due to international relocation
• Caring responsibilities
• Disability
• Disaster management and recovery
• Limited or no access to facilities and resources – such as through workplace interruptions
• Medical conditions
• Non-research positions, not concurrent with research employment
• Parental leave
• Unemployment
• Primary carer of a dependent child

Further Information

For further information regarding the Future Fellowships, please contact the Research Grants team.

Research Grants contact:
research-applications@newcastle.edu.au

The Discovery Indigenous scheme supports research projects led by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researcher, and builds capacity for higher degree research and early career researchers.

The objectives of the Discovery Indigenous scheme are to:

• support excellent basic and applied research and research training by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers as individuals and as teams;
• support national and international research collaboration;
• enhance the scale and focus of research in Australian Government priority areas; and
• support and retain established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers in higher education institutions.

For more information, please visit the Discovery Indigenous Scheme page on the ARC website.

Key Dates

For funding commencing in 2026

Please subscribe to the Research Office ARC mailing list to receive updates for this scheme.

Further Information

For further information regarding this scheme, please contact the Research Grants team.