Under the Australian Research Council Act 2001, an application cannot be approved for funding if it does not meet the eligibility criteria in the relevant Grant Opportunity Guidelines. Depending on the scheme, the funding decision is made by the Minister for Education or the ARC Board. This page applies to Discovery Program and Linkage Program schemes. For schemes under the revitalised National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP), see the ARC Research Points page and the relevant Grant Opportunity Guidelines. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their application meets all relevant eligibility requirements. Researcher Roles Eligibility for a Chief Investigator (CI) or Partner Investigator (PI) role is determined by your employment status, not by level of involvement or full-time equivalent (FTE) on the project. Chief Investigators CIs must: Check the number of grants they currently hold (including with other Eligible Organisations) against the NCGP project limits, in accordance with the relevant Grant Opportunity Guidelines for each scheme. Reside predominantly in Australia for the duration of the project. Partner Investigators PIs must: Not meet the eligibility requirements of a CI under the relevant scheme’s Grant Opportunity Guidelines.* Secure cash, or in-kind contribution or other resources from their own organisation for the project. *For Discovery Indigenous 2027 (IN27) specific PI requirements, please visit the FAQs available on GrantConnect. Director Roles Some schemes include a Director role. A Director must meet the eligibility requirements for a Chief Investigator, as well as any additional requirements as specified in the relevant Grant Opportunity Guidelines. These may include employment by the Administering Organisation and responsibility for the project’s strategic direction and management. Please refer to the relevant scheme Grant Opportunity Guidelines for further information. PhD requirements Where a PhD is required, eligibility is based on the date of the conferral, not thesis submission or acceptance. Exemptions or significant career interruptions may apply. Researchers should consult the relevant scheme Grant Opportunity Guidelines for further details. Fellowships and Awards An ARC Fellow or Award recipient cannot hold more than one ARC Fellowship or Award at the same time. Concurrent fellowships from other Commonwealth agencies are also not permitted. Please note that some schemes have restrictions on the number of times an individual researcher can apply. Project and Application Limits Each NCGP scheme sets limits on the number or type of applications and projects a researcher may hold. These limits help ensure that researchers have the capacity to undertake their proposed and current projects. It is the responsibility of the applicant to determine if applying for, or holding, a project will affect an individual researcher’s eligibility for other ARC grant opportunities. Participants should refer to Grant Opportunity Guidelines and Grant Agreements for the relevant scheme project limits. There are no application or project limits for named participants on a Special Research Initiative grant. Organisational eligibility An application may only be submitted by an Eligible Organisation listed in the relevant Grant Opportunity Guidelines of each scheme. Type of Eligible Organisation The Eligible Organisation that submits the application will be the Administering Organisation and all other Eligible Organisations listed on the application will be Other Eligible Organisations or Collaborating Organisations, depending on the scheme. Partner Organisations Partner Organisation are national or international organisations (other than Eligible Organisations) that contribute cash and/or in-kind support to the project. For schemes that include Partner Organisations, the organisations need to consider if they meet the eligibility requirements under the relevant Grant Opportunity Guidelines of each scheme. Incomplete or Misleading Information Applicants must provide complete and accurate information. Providing false or misleading information to the Commonwealth may be a serious offence and may result in an application being found ineligible or not approved for funding. Examples include falsifying research records, plagiarism and misrepresenting qualifications. Medical Research Applications will be deemed ineligible for funding under the following schemes if they are primarily or substantially aimed at understanding or treating human disease or health conditions: Australian Laureate Fellowships Centres of Excellence Discovery Projects Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) Discovery Indigenous Future Fellowships Linkage Projects Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities Early Career Industry Fellowships Mid-Career Industry Fellowships Industry Laureate Fellowships Industrial Transformation Research Program* *Applications which address the ‘Medical Science’ industrial transformation priority must take the ARC Medical Research Policy into consideration. The definition of Medical Research can be found on the ARC website and within the Grant Opportunity Guidelines of the relevant schemes. The ARC’s Medical Research Advisory Group (MRAG) provides additional technical advice regarding medical eligibility for selected applications to the ARC’s National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP) Eligibility Committee. For more information, see: Medical Research Advisory Group Frequently Asked Questions. Experimental Development From 1 July 2024, ARC scheme documentation reflects the exclusion of experimental development, in line with amendments to the ARC Act 2001. The ARC Experimental Development Policy (Policy Statement on Experimental Development) outlines the ARC’s approach to experimental development. Submission of applications Administering Organisations must submit applications through the ARC Research Management System (RMS) unless the ARC advises otherwise. RMS is a web-based system used to prepare and submit applications, assessments and rejoinders. All applications must: meet the format, content and certification requirements set out in the RMS form and the Instructions to Applicants. be submitted by the scheme deadline advertised on the NCGP Scheme Calendar page. The ARC will not accept changes after submission unless it invites an applicant to provide them. Eligibility Matters for Research Grants Services clients The ARC provides grants administration services through Research Grants Services (RGS) to other Australian Government entities managing grant programs focused on the university and research sector. Eligibility processes for RGS-managed grants may differ from those under the ARC’s NCGP. Refer to the RGS website for further details. National Intelligence Discovery Grants (including National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Grants)