Investigator Grants

Investigator Grants support the research programs of the highest-performing researchers at all career stages.

Investigator Grants provide flexibility to pursue important new research directions as they arise, adjust their resources accordingly, and to form collaborations as needed, rather than being restricted to the scope of a specific research project.

Key scheme information:

Funding duration of five years.
Provides a combination of funding for salary contribution and research support.
Two categories: Emerging Leadership (EL) (≤10 years post-PhD), and Leadership (L).

Back to:

National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Grants and Tenders

Eligibility

Career stage

Researchers may be eligible to apply if they have an award of a PhD (or equivalent) at a:

Emerging Leadership (Early and Mid-Career Researchers less than 10 years post-PhD pass date):
- EL1 level (0-10 years)
- EL2 level (0-10 years)
Leadership:
- L1 level
- L2 level
- L3 level
The Chief Investigator ‘A’ (CIA) must consider the Statements of Expectations within the grant guidelines. It is the responsibility of the CIA to determine the most appropriate Level to apply for and submit an application at a Level commensurate with their research experience and profile. Applicants must discuss the level in which they are intending to apply with their College Dean of Research before submission of the application
At the time of acceptance and for the duration of a grant, the CIA must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen (with Special Category Visa), or a permanent resident of Australia.
It is the responsibility of the CIA to determine their eligibility to apply.

Other considerations

NHMRC expects (but does not mandate) that Emerging Leadership and Leadership applicants will hold a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Equivalent level qualification or research experience is considered.
Applicants for the Leadership category must reside in Australia 80% of the fellowship and ELs must reside 50% of the fellowship.
Recipients cannot concurrently receive a salary from other (non-NHMRC) funding sources in excess of 20% of the value of the Investigator Grant salary.
Limits apply to the number of NHMRC grants that a CI may concurrently apply for and/or hold under both NHMRC Investigator and Ideas Grant schemes. Please review the specific grant guidelines for more information and the NHMRC Eligibility Tool.

Application timeline

Specific dates are published on ResearchLink or the NHMRC calendar.

	Milestone	What is required
8 weeks before deadline	Applications open in Sapphire	Applicant to start Sapphire application. Notify nhmrc@flinders.edu.au that they are applying. Engage College-based Research Development and Support (RDS) as needed and discuss your Application Category/Level Justification.
4 weeks before deadline	Minimum Data in Sapphire	Applicant must have lodged minimum data in the Sapphire system to continue with their application.
4 weeks before deadline	Compliance review deadline for RDS	Submit your application to Sapphire and the NHMRC grants team in RDS will check your eligibility.
2 weeks before deadline	Completed application in Sapphire	A completed application must be lodged in Sapphire so that the NHMRC grants team can make final checks and submit.
2 days before deadline	Sapphire certification deadline	Applicant must certify the application in Sapphire to submit their application to NHMRC.
Deadline for submission 4:30pm	Applications close in Sapphire	All applications will be submitted in Sapphire by the NHMRC grants (RAOs) team before the NHMRC deadline.

Application process

Before applications open

Discuss your plans to apply for an Investigator Grant with your College Research Support team and notify the RDS NHMRC grants team to ensure that you receive information about upcoming rounds, grant development and review.
Attend Researcher Training and Development information sessions run throughout the year (see information about upcoming sessions and recordings of previous sessions here).
Register on GrantConnect to obtain all of the NHMRC documents and updates.
Create or update your NHMRC Sapphire account, including your "my profile" data for application submission.

When applications open

Review your eligibility to apply/hold an Investigator Grant using the NHMRC Eligibility Tool and most recent grant guidelines.
Begin your NHMRC Investigator Grant application in Sapphire and complete minimum data prior to the deadline.
Submit a ResearchNow application to obtain College approval for the submission of your application and to discuss the appropriate category and level that you wish to apply for. For assistance, please contact your College Research Support team.
Meet the RDS internal review deadlines to ensure that your application satisfies the NHMRC eligibility requirements and to ensure that you have time to consider compliance reviews and incorporate feedback.
The RDS NHMRC grants team submits your application on behalf of the University to the NHMRC through Sapphire.