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NHMRC Project Grants

Eligibility for Chief Investigators

Apart from the specific exclusions and other conditions noted below, NHMRC Project Grants are available to all researchers working in any field relevant to health. Normally a Project Grant should have no more than six Chief Investigators. The role and contribution of each Chief Investigator must be described on the Project Grant application form. PhD students may be included as Chief Investigators in exceptional circumstances if appropriate for the proposed research project. Unless salary funding is being sought on the grant, funding for a grant is dependent on the continuing employment of each of the Chief Investigators over the period of the grant.

Chief Investigator A
The Chief Investigator A must be an Australian citizen or hold permanent residency in Australia and must be based in Australia for the duration of the grant. The Chief Investigator A will normally take the lead role in the conduct of the research project.

Co-Chief Investigators (B to F)
Non-Australian researchers and researchers based overseas are eligible to apply for a Project Grant as a Chief Investigator, but not Chief Investigator A. Researchers based overseas may not draw a salary from a Project Grant.

Maximum Number of Grants and Applications
Individuals (excluding those who hold a NHMRC Program Grant) are limited to holding a maximum of six NHMRC Project Grants as a Chief Investigator. Hence, the maximum number of applications a Chief Investigator may submit for any funding year will be six, less the number of NHMRC Project Grants that are already continuing in that year. For example, if a researcher, at the time of submission of applications, holds three NHMRC Project Grants, one of which will finish at the end of the year, the researcher may submit up to four applications.

NHMRC Program Grant Investigators
Current Program Grant Chief Investigators
Full-Time Program Grant Chief Investigators
Chief Investigators on current Program Grants can hold one Project Grant and may not apply such that this may be exceeded. At least one Chief Investigator on such a Project Grant application must not be associated with any Program Grant. Chief Investigators on current Program Grants can therefore not be the sole investigator on a Project Grant.

Part-Time Program Grant Chief Investigators
A researcher can be a part-time Chief Investigator on two Program Grants. Where this is the case, the researcher will be considered a full-time Program Grant Chief Investigator for the purpose of determining eligibility to apply for and hold a Project Grant.

Where a researcher is a part-time Chief Investigator on one Program Grant only, the researcher is permitted to hold a maximum of two Project Grants and may not apply such that this may be exceeded. At least one Chief Investigator on such a Project Grant application must not be associated with any Program Grant. Chief Investigators on current Program Grants can therefore not be the sole investigator on a Project Grant.

Program Grant Co-Investigators
Co-Investigators on NHMRC Program Grants are permitted to hold one Project Grant and may not apply such that this may be exceeded. They may apply as a sole CI on a Project Grant. 

Program Grant Applicants
Researchers who apply for a Program Grant and who currently hold or are applying for one or more Project Grants must nominate, on the Program Grant application form, the Project Grant (continuing or application) that they wish to retain should the Program Grant application be successful. All other Project Grants and Project Grant applications will be relinquished or withdrawn from further peer review upon acceptance of the successful Program Grant. The Project Grant to be retained must include at least one Chief Investigator who is not a part of any Program Grant.

Researchers who currently hold or are applying for a NHMRC Program Grant must also refer to the current Program Grant Policy to determine their eligibility to apply for or hold concurrent Project Grants, in particular current Program Grant holders who are not part of a renewing team applying in the third or fourth year of their program.

Associate Investigators
An Associate Investigator (AI) is an investigator who provides intellectual input into the research and whose participation warrants inclusion of their name on publications.

AIs are ineligible to draw a salary from a NHMRC Project Grant. There are no restrictions on individuals who may be named as an AI on NHMRC Project Grant applications.