Proposal Submission Requirements and Deadlines (For Students)

Please make note of all timelines/deadlines below. START EARLY!

 

It is important to start early as you make plans to submit a proposal for extramural funding. Proposals for research funding that require a detailed research plan, budget, and budget justification can take several months to prepare. Other proposals and fellowship applications may be less complex, but they all require ample time to prepare. You will need to develop a realistic timeline for writing, polishing, and submitting your application.

The submission process for graduate student proposals involves several steps, as outlined below. Please be aware that many proposals require review, approval, and submission by university officials, and these steps must be included in your overall timeline as you work on your proposal.

STEP 1: 

  • At least one month before the due date for your proposal, determine the kind of award for which you are applying: a monetary award that will be paid to you (the student applicant) or a monetary award that will be paid to the university. Read the funding agency guidelines to determine the type of award for which you are applying. Students will work with Business and Research Services (B&RS) analyst for proposal submissions.

STEP 2: 

  • The next step in the process (2A, 2B, or 2C) will depend on the kind of award for which you are applying. If you are applying for a monetary award that will be paid to the university, your proposal will require review and approval by several university officials and submission by a staff member in Sponsored Projects, which is part of UCI's Office of Research Administration. These steps take additional time, so please pay careful attention to the deadlines specified below.
    • A. For monetary awards paid directly to the applicant, you will submit the application yourself, following the agency submission guidelines.
       
    • B. For monetary awards paid to the university, please complete sections 1-6 of the Graduate Student Proposal Processing Form (click on the link to open this form).

      Save the form first to your computer and attach it in an email to the appropriate Social Ecology Business and Research Services analyst at least one month before the funding agency due date. If you have an electronic copy of the funding agency application guidelines, please include reference or link in your email.

      The B&RS analyst will advise you when you will need to submit specific documents for university review/approval. Typically, the Proposal Processing Form, and a near-final draft of your proposal should be ready for university review/approval a minimum of 5 business days before the application deadline. In some cases, 10 business days will be needed for the review/approval process (as explained in the instructions).  We will let you know how much lead time your proposal will need for the university review, approval, and submission processes. 
      We will assist you with the review and approval processes and will handle all communications with Sponsored Projects on your behalf. Please do not contact Sponsored Projects yourself.   Proposal submission requests received days before a proposal is due may not receive assistance.
  • C. The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) is a rare exception to Step 2B because applicants submit their applications directly to NSF even though the award is paid to the university.

STEP 3: 

  • If your proposal is funded, you and/or your faculty sponsor will be contacted, either by the funding agency or by the university. For monetary awards that are paid to the university, please see Research Awards and Grant Management (Post-Award) for more information.