You must first submit an outline two-page business case through the Joint Electronic Submission system (Je-S).
Applications can be submitted at any time, but there are rolling deadlines throughout the year that you need to meet for your proposal to be assessed by a meeting of our external panel.
We strongly recommend you first discuss with your host university and the appropriate contacts at EPSRC (see contacts below) how your proposal fits in with the scheme.
When adding a new proposal you should select:
- council: EPSRC
- document type: outline proposal
- scheme: EPSRC outline
- on the project details page, you should select ‘equipment business case outline’.
Your outline must include (in this order):
- name of principal investigator and host institution
- name and model of equipment
- vendor name and justification of your choice
- brief description of equipment and its functions and specifications
- cost of item and any associated maintenance and support costs. Please ensure the costs are as accurate as possible at this stage. The costs in a full proposal must be within 10% of the draft business case
- availability for use by the group managing it, by other groups at the institution, and by researchers at other institutions, including reasons for this balance of availability
- plans to support and maintain the equipment, including how the equipment may become financially sustainable after the end of the grant
- how this equipment will help to meet EPSRC, UKRI and regional strategies
- how the equipment fits into the strategy of your department and host institution
- contributions to cost, operation or maintenance from other sources including host organisation or project partners
- alternative options if your proposal is not accepted.
Find out more about making your outline business case.
You should attach your documents as PDFs to avoid errors. They should be completed in single-spaced 11 font Arial or similar sans serif typeface.
We recommend you start your application in good time. You can save completed details in Je-S at any time and return to continue your application later.
When you submit the application, it will first go to your host organisation for review. Please allow enough time for this in meeting deadlines.
If your outline business case is successful, we will send you detailed guidance on how to submit a full proposal.
See the Je-S handbook for full advice on completing applications.
Find out more about completing your application.
UKRI is implementing a standard method for inputting overseas costs on Je-S from 1 July 2021. This will enhance UKRI’s ability to report on overseas funding to:
- BEIS
- the Organisation for Economic Development (OECD)
- HMG
- other government departments.
It includes any costs incurred by organisations outside the UK, including:
- staff salaries
- travel and subsistence
- equipment
- overheads.
The ‘Other-DI Costs’ document is to contain the following data in the description box in this exact format: ‘Organisation; Country; Cost Category; Cost Description’.
For example: ‘University of Nairobi; Kenya; Other Directly Incurred Costs; Subcontracting of the production of samples’.