New Investigator Research Grants - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions regarding the New Investigator Research Grant, including questions and answers regarding eligibility, funding and application process.
Last updated: 17 June 2011
- Eligibility
- Funding
- Applying for other funding
- Application process
- Additional questions
- Contact and guidance
Eligibility
Q1: Is there an age limit for the scheme?
A: There is no age restriction for the NIRGs. You may apply provided you fulfil the eligibility criteria. Please refer to the New Investigator Research Grant Annex.
Q2: What is meant by a senior post-doc?
A: An investigator who has between 3–10 years post-qualification research experience by the research board deadline date but who is not in their first lecturer post.
Q3: What is meant by between three and ten years post-qualification i.e. PhD, DPhil or MD, research experience?
A: Actual 'hands on' experience of working in a research role and not simply the period of time that has passed since gaining your qualification. Career breaks do not count and periods of part-time working should be combined to meet the minimum three year requirement i.e. working part-time at 50 per cent for three years would be counted as eighteen months research experience. It is expected that senior post-docs will be ready to become independent researchers within ten years of gaining their qualification. The NIRG aims to help them secure their first permanent appointment. Research work leading up to the award of your degree does not form part of the minimum three years experience needed. Clinical applicants should have a minimum of one year’s post-qualification experience.
Q4: From what date is the required post-qualification research experience measured?
A: From the award date of your qualification i.e. the date of graduation, not the viva.
Q5: Are first-time lecturers with more than ten years post-qualification research experience ineligible?
A: No. A lecturer has the opportunity to apply within three years from taking up their first appointment to help them establish their own independent research group.
Q6: I am a senior post-doc at one UK institution and wish to move to another and work full-time on the award. Can I apply for a NIRG to do this?
A: No. As a senior post-doc you must be applying to carry out the research at your current location with the support of your current institution. This is shown by them providing a statement of support which should include (among other information) a brief work history covering your time with the institution. A fellowship is a more suitable award for those wishing to move.
Q7: I have held a lecturer post abroad but I am in my first UK lecturer post. Am I eligible?
A: No. The scheme is for first-time lecturers only. A lecturer post abroad still counts and therefore you are not eligible.
Q8: I am a senior post-doc currently based outside the UK and want to apply for a NIRG asking for my full salary. The work will be conducted at a UK institute so can I apply?
A: The NIRG is not for senior post-docs currently working abroad who wish to return to the UK and who are seeking full personal support. You may be more suited to the MRC career development award, clinician scientist or senior fellowship schemes as they particularly welcome post-doctoral researchers who are abroad and are planning to return to the UK.
Q9: I am applying as a senior post-doc so need to be full-time on the NIRG. However, I am currently the co-applicant on one or more grants. Will this affect my eligibility?
A: Although 100 per cent of the salary for a senior post-doc applicant is requested on the NIRG the scheme does allow six hours a week for teaching, mentoring or for work not related to the NIRG. It is possible that the time spent as a co-applicant can be included within this allowance as long as no salary is sought from the other grants. However, if the total time committed to the other grant/s exceeds six hours a week you will not meet the criteria.
Q10: I am a senior post-doc currently abroad and have accepted my first lectureship at a UK institution. Would I be eligible for a NIRG?
A: Those returning from overseas to take up their first lectureship appointment can apply if they will be in post by the relevant submission deadline date and they fulfil the other eligibility criteria.
Q11: A first time lecturer has to be within three years in post to apply. To what date is this measured?
A: You need to be in post for no longer than three years by the research board deadline date for submission of applications. This will depend on which Board your research is aligned to. Also, the post must be at the same institute; a move to take up a lectureship at another institute will be seen as your second lectureship position and you will not be eligible to apply.
Q12: I completed my degree and took up my first lecturer post around the same time. This means that by the time I have the minimum post-qualification experience my length of time in post will also be three years. Does this mean I cannot apply?
A: For this scheme it is more important to achieve your post-qualification experience so this over-rules the length of time in post criteria. If this situation applies to you then your time in post would be measured from when you have reached the minimum requirement for post-qualification experience which is three years for non-clinical applicants and one year for clinical researchers.
Q13: I am in my first lecturer post but am over the period in post limit due to maternity leave. Does this mean I am ineligible?
A: No. Maternity leave does not count when calculating the qualifying period so if you fulfil the other eligibility criteria you may apply.
Q14: I currently hold a fellowship or a CDA. Can I apply for a NIRG?
A: If the fellowship provides only your salary and a small amount for running costs i.e. up to £15k pa then you could apply providing you fulfill the other eligibility criteria. As a fellowship holder you must commit a minimum of ten hours a week to the NIRG. However, it is your responsibility to ensure that the terms and conditions of your fellowship allow the flexibility of applying for and holding other grant support.
Generally, if you hold this type of fellowship and you fulfill the eligibility criteria, you can apply for a NIRG to begin when the fellowship terminates but in certain cases approval may be given by your funding body to apply for a NIRG to start in the last year of the fellowship. For MRC fellowships this must be obtained from the research career awards section (fellows@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk) before proceeding with the NIRG application. Other funding bodies may give approval, depending on the terms and conditions of your fellowship, so you should contact your funder for guidance. Their approval must then be confirmed in the letter of support from your head of department (counter-signed by the Vice-Chancellor or equivalent) which is submitted with your NIRG. You must also ensure that you are eligible against the other criteria and can commit a minimum of ten hours per week to the NIRG
Q15: I am the principal investigator on an externally peer-reviewed grant but for less than three years. Does this make me ineligible?
A: No, you are only ineligible if the grant is for 3 years or more.
Q16: I have held a three year fellowship that was externally peer-reviewed. Would this make me ineligible for a NIRG?
A: Only if it was a senior fellowship which is seen as a substantial award and shows that you have already taken the first steps towards independence.
Q17: What happens to my NIRG application if it is not considered eligible for the scheme?
A: Your application will be rejected as a NIRG but you may then wish to submit the proposal as a research grant, with any necessary amendments, to the next available board deadline date.
Q18: I applied as a new investigator last year but was unsuccessful. Can I apply again?
A: Yes you can re-apply once more if you still fulfil the other eligibility criteria. If the proposal is based on your original grant you should have taken into account any comments or feedback received and explain how and why the case is now stronger. However you cannot re-apply unless there are at least twelve months between deadline dates or you are specifically asked to do so by the MRC.
Q19: I am currently employed as a post-doctoral research assistant on a grant. Can I apply for a NIRG?
A: Yes you may apply but, if awarded, the grant may not start until your work as a PDRA ceases as the NIRG is intended to provide support for new principal investigators. The proposed start date for your NIRG application should be realistic taking into account the period required to process the proposal.
Q20: Can my application include an industry partner(s)?
A: Yes, the MRC recognizes the value that such partnerships can bring. If you have an industrial partner(s), you will need to upload a completed MRC Industry Collaboration Agreement (MICA) Form and signed Heads of Terms within the ‘case for support’ of your Je-S application. Please refer to the MRC web site for further guidance on MICAs.
Funding
Q23: I am in my first lectureship appointment and within the time limit but I am on a contract so do not have a salary for some of the tenure of the NIRG. Can I apply through the grant for my salary to cover this period?
A: Yes. Under the rules of full economic costing you can request your salary to cover the period from when your contract ends but this can only represent the hours spent on the NIRG. If you wish to request your full salary then you may allocate six hours a week teaching, demonstrating or supervising research staff not funded by the proposal as per the criteria for the scheme. E.g. if you are on a 2 year contract and you start the NIRG after 1 year then for your first year you will have a salary from the Research Organisation and a proportion of time on the NIRG. In year 2, if you have no salary from the Research Organisation you will receive the full salary for the NIRG.
Q21: I have a fellowship which pays my salary and small amount of running costs (i.e. no more than £15k pa) but this will terminate before the proposed end date of the NIRG. Can I apply through the grant for my salary to cover this period?
A: Yes, although as with the question above it can only represent the hours spent on the NIRG. If you wish to request your full salary then you may allocate six hours a week teaching, demonstrating or supervising research staff not funded by the proposal as per the criteria for the scheme.
Please note. Before applying for a New Investigator Research Grant, it is your responsibility to ensure that the terms and conditions of your fellowship allow the flexibility of applying for and holding other grant support.
Q22: Can I apply for funding of more than three years?
A: Yes, but you cannot exceed the £600k financial ceiling.
Q23: I’ve prepared my application but the total cost exceeds the £600k FEC limit. Can I reduce the time I spend on the NIRG to below that required and therefore bring the figure within the financial ceiling?
A: No. To be eligible you must be able to spend a minimum of ten hours a week on the NIRG if you are a first-time lecturer or full-time if you are applying as a senior post-doc. If the cost of carrying out your proposed work for three years exceeds £600k you should either review the non-salary requests you are applying for or consider submitting a research grant as an alternative where the financial ceiling does not apply.
Q24: Can I apply for funding for less than three years?
A: No. The NIRG is designed to support new investigators in developing their research careers and it is felt that a project for less than three years would not be substantial enough to do this.
Q25: If the NIRG application included salary costs and the applicant subsequently takes up a permanent lecturer position, can the salary costs be vired to other areas?
A: Yes. We actually see this as a positive incentive for applicants to aim for an established post as soon as possible. You will have to spend a minimum of ten hours per week on the NIRG but any excess salary originally requested can be vired. However, the transfer of funds between headings are only permitted within and between directly incurred costs and exceptions.
Q26: I would like to apply for funds to support a student on the NIRG. Is this allowed?
A: MRC studentship awards are made directly to the institution so you may not request funding for a studentship through a NIRG. However, a student who has registered for their degree part-time can work on the NIRG during the period not spent on their studies. No funds requested through the NIRG may be used to support the students study time.
A student supported by another funding body i.e. BBSRC can work on the proposal but salary, estates and indirect costs cannot be requested. It is also your responsibility to ensure with the funding body that this is within their terms and conditions.
Q27: The research I plan to undertake involves a trial. Is this permitted?
A: Due to the special considerations required by trial grants the MRC has a separate scheme through which to apply. However, there may be some instances where a phase one trial can be included in the NIRG research plan. For guidance you should contact the clinical trials manager.
Applying for other funding
Q28: Can an applicant to the NIRG scheme be applying concurrently for other peer reviewed funding (for example, project grant, funding from another Research Council)?
A: Yes, applying for funding from any other major funder/award making body for example, other Research Council’s, health departments, charities etc would not make an individual ineligible to apply for a NIRG providing it is not the same as the proposal being submitted to the NIRG scheme.
However, should the applicant be awarded funding from another source prior to the award decision being made on their NIRG proposal, it may be that the funding they accept from another source subsequently makes them ineligible to hold the NIRG. The MRC reserves the right to decide whether funding awarded since the submission of a NIRG proposal has made an applicant ineligible.
As in Q32 below, if this other funding is achieved after the NIRG has been awarded, then the MRC would not prevent the applicant from holding both sources of funding.
Q29: Can someone holding a NIRG apply for a research grant?
A: Yes, provided it is to support different work to that supported on the NIRG. The only requirement would be that if the original NIRG application was based on the applicant requesting all of their salary and they were then successful in obtaining additional research funding, the MRC would expect to see their salary costs reduced in line with the reduction in their time spent on the NIRG. As in Q28, the award holder would be allowed to vire the excess salary costs to other areas within and between directly incurred costs and exceptions.
Q30: I fulfill the eligibility criteria for both the NIRG and the MRC career development award. Can I apply to both schemes?
A: If you do qualify for the NIRG and the CDA you can apply to both but not with the same application. Each proposal must be for a separate piece of work. If both applications were successful you could only accept one, as a NIRG and CDA cannot be held concurrently.
Application process
Q31: Is an intention to apply or an outline required?
A: No, an intention to apply or an outline proposal is not required for this scheme.
Q32: What is meant by the internal process the application has gone through prior to submission?
A: This means any internal review or selection process which an HEI has in place for NIRG applications. It is not mandatory for this to take place, but if there is one we would expect to see evidence of it. When the scheme was first introduced a quota was set of three applications per HEI, which has since has been removed. However, the MRC wishes to know whether there is still a process of internal assessment prior to the submission of applications. The MRC also wishes to know what process was followed to gain commitment from the head of department (or other appropriate person) that the applicant will be considered for a permanent position at the end of the award period.
Q33: What should the Head of Department HOD/Vice Chancellor VC letter of support say?
A: The letter should confirm your present employment (for first-time lecturers the date of your appointment should be included) or post-doc position and verify that you will have the necessary laboratory space to carry out the research proposed in the NIRG. We would also expect to be given brief details of your work history with the HEI, or some indication of why you were appointed at the institute if you have recently moved there to take up your first lectureship, and how they intend to support your future research career with them. If you are asking for your full salary it should indicate whether the HEI has committed to provide a permanent post at the end of the award or not. The degree of commitment will be a factor considered by the Board.
Q34: How do I submit the letter?
A: The signed, scanned letter from the HOD/VC must be attached to your Je-S submission as a PDF separate from your case for support. Please note that any application submitted without the statement will be rejected. Please ensure the letter is signed by the Vice Chancellor (or equivalent) and the HOD/HOS.
Q35: The research grant guidance notes for completing the case for support say that collaborator letters are no longer required. Is this true for NIRGs?
A: No. Although the MRC wish to reduce the number of annexes for a research grant as an exception NIRG applicants may submit collaborator letters with their proposal. The letters should be kept to a minimum and grouped together as one PDF.
Q36: I would like to submit manuscripts with my NIRG proposal. Is this possible?
A: No. Manuscripts either in press or submitted to journals are no longer required and should not be included with the application.
Q37: I wish to apply with a co-applicant. Is this possible?
A: No. The NIRG scheme is for sole applicants only. However, you may have named collaborators and a letter from each can be submitted with your EAA grouped together as one PDF. A joint letter will be acceptable from those collaborators named on your grant who are at the same institution.
Q38: I submitted a proposal to another scheme but it was not supported. Can I submit this as a NIRG?
A: You can submit a NIRG based on a declined proposal from another scheme but it would have to be modified taking into account any comments or feedback you received on the original proposal.
Additional questions
Q39: During the application process will I be able to respond to reviewer comments received on my NIRG?
A: To manage the number of proposals we receive there is a triage process in operation which allows the boards to focus on those applications which are more likely to be funded. Applicants whose grants do not get through triage will be given their anonymised comments as feedback only. Applicants whose proposals are short-listed will have the opportunity to respond to any comments we have received. This response is then forwarded to the board.
Q40: Following submission of my NIRG I now have additional information which I would like to present. What should I do?
A: Nothing. Your application may not be supplemented past the submission deadline.
Q41: I am not sure if the work I propose is within the remit of the MRC. Who should I contact?
A: If you wish to discuss whether your research would be under the remit of the MRC you should seek advice from the programme manager whose area of responsibility is closest to your research. You will find a breakdown of the boards on the MRC website which lists all the programme managers and their research area; Infections & Immunity Board; Molecular & Cellular Medicine Board; Neurosciences & Mental Health Board; Population & Systems Medicine Board.
Q42: Do the NIRGs target particular research areas?
A: No. The NIRGs do not target specific research areas. Applications across the whole of the MRC remit will be considered.
Contact and guidance
If you have a question that is not answered on this page then please contact
Contact: New Investigator Research Grants
Email: grantsMRC@ssc.rcuk.ac.uk