EPSRC standard research grant, Nov 2023: responsive mode

Document research last revised 2026-08-13.

Grant Name

EPSRC standard research grant, Nov 2023: responsive mode

Last Updated

7 October 2025

Individual Eligibility

EPSRC standard eligibility rules apply. Applicants should also meet UKRI's current individual eligibility requirements for the relevant Funding Service role.

International Collaboration Requirement

International applicants, project partners and collaborators may participate where relevant. Under the UKRI and Research Council of Norway Money Follows Cooperation agreement, a project co-lead (international) may be based at a Norwegian institution.

Research Category

Discovery-led research across engineering and physical sciences

Critical Technologies

EPSRC particularly welcomes research addressing artificial intelligence (AI), engineering biology, future telecommunications, semiconductors and quantum technologies.

Critical Technology Requirement

Applications addressing critical technologies should demonstrate complementarity with existing funding, including relevant strategic initiatives and UKRI strategies.

Remit Requirement

The majority of the research must fall within the EPSRC remit.

Eligible Projects

Discovery-led research projects relevant to EPSRC, including small short-term projects through to multi-million-pound research programmes.

Equipment Limit

Equipment can be requested up to £400,000 per item.

Equipment Quotes

Quotes do not need to be submitted with the application, but applicants should retain quotes for equipment costing more than £138,000, as EPSRC may request them at post-panel stage before releasing funds.

Third-Party Contributions

Direct and in-kind contributions from third-party project partners are encouraged.

Research Organisation Funding

Host organisations must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities, including research facilities and staff training and development.

Subcontractors

Not specified

Je-S

Applications cannot be submitted through the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.

Application Process

The project lead completes the application through the UKRI Funding Service. The completed application is sent to the research office for checking, after which the research office submits it to UKRI.

Lead Submission Rule

Only the lead research organisation can submit an application. Applications cannot have more than one lead organisation.

Core Team

Available roles include project lead, project co-lead (UK), project co-lead (international), researcher co-lead, specialist, grant manager, professional enabling staff, research and innovation associate, technician and visiting researcher. Only one person can be listed as project lead.

International Project Co-Lead

The project co-lead (international) role is only available under the UKRI-RCN Money Follows Cooperation agreement or the UKRI-IIASA agreement. EPSRC does not otherwise accept international project co-leads.

Thematic Area Alignment

Applicants must select the EPSRC thematic area most closely aligned with the application, based on where the majority of the novelty in the research lies.

EPSRC Thematic Areas

Artificial intelligence (AI); digital security and resilience; energy and decarbonisation; engineering; healthcare technologies; information and communication technologies (ICT); manufacturing; mathematical sciences; physical sciences; and quantum technologies.

Critical Technology Signpost

Applicants applying under the critical technologies signpost should add 1 after the selected thematic area letter, with no space.

Vision and Approach

Maximum 6 sides of A4, single-spaced, 11-point Arial or equivalent sans serif font, with margins of at least 2cm. An additional one-page A4 diagrammatic workplan may be included.

Vision and Approach File

Must be submitted as a single PDF of no more than 8MB.

Vision Criteria

The research should be of excellent quality and importance, have potential to advance understanding or generate new knowledge, be timely, and have potential impact on research, society, the economy or environment.

Approach Criteria

The approach should be effective, appropriate and feasible; identify and manage risks; use a clear methodology where applicable; build on previous work where relevant; maximise translation into outcomes and impacts; and demonstrate access to appropriate facilities, infrastructure and equipment.

Project Plan

A project plan including milestones and timelines should be provided as a Gantt chart or similar, using the additional one-page A4 allowance.

Applicant and Team Capability

Maximum 1,500 words, including up to 1,000 words for R4RI modules and, if needed, up to 500 words for Additions.

R4RI

Applicants should use the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format to demonstrate relevant skills and contributions of the applicant and team.

R4RI Areas

Contributions to new ideas, tools, methodologies or knowledge; development of others and effective working relationships; contributions to the wider research and innovation community; and contributions to broader research or innovation users, audiences and wider societal benefit.

References

Maximum 1,000 words. References must be included in the dedicated references section rather than elsewhere in the application.

Project Partners

Project partners may be from industry, academia, the third sector or government organisations in the UK or overseas, including organisations based in the EU.

Project Partner Contributions

Applicants must provide the organisation name and address, contact name and email, type of contribution and monetary value. Contributions may be direct cash or indirect/in-kind contributions such as expertise, staff time or use of facilities.

Project Partner Letters

A single PDF containing letters or emails of support from named project partners must be uploaded. The file must not exceed 8MB.

Project Partner Support

Letters should confirm the partner's commitment, explain the value, relevance and possible benefits of the work to them, and describe the additional value they bring.

Facilities

Maximum 250 words. Applicants requiring facilities must follow the facility's normal access procedures and obtain prior agreement where required.

Sensitive Information

Applicants can indicate whether sensitive information needs to be shared confidentially with UKRI rather than with assessors.

Resources and Cost Justification

Maximum 1,000 words. Applicants should provide high-level costs and justify significant resources rather than provide a detailed line-by-line breakdown.

Resources Requiring Justification

Project staff; significant fieldwork or collaboration travel; equipment costing more than £25,000; exceptional consumables; facilities and infrastructure costs; and resources costed as Exceptions.

Ethics and RRI

Maximum 500 words. Applicants must identify relevant ethical or responsible research and innovation considerations and explain how they will be managed.

Peer Review

At least three independent peer reviewers are invited to assess each application against the published criteria.

Reviewer Nomination

Applicants cannot nominate reviewers through the UKRI Funding Service. Research councils select expert reviewers.

Applicant Response

Applicants can respond to reviewers' comments if their application receives enough support.

Panel Assessment

Applications receiving sufficient reviewer support, together with reviewer comments and the applicant response, are sent to the appropriate prioritisation panel. The panel scores and ranks applications against the assessment criteria.

Responsive Mode Panels

Engineering, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences.

Panel Frequency

Panels are expected to run quarterly after September 2024.

Closing Date Policy

EPSRC does not publish closing dates for individual rounds. Applicants should apply when the application is ready rather than wait for a deadline.

System-Generated Closing Date

A closing date may appear in the Funding Service approximately 28 months after publication because of system requirements. Applicants should not wait for this date.

Processing Period

UKRI states that applications will be processed throughout 2024, 2025 and 2026.

Application Amendment Rule

UKRI will not return applications for amendment. If an application is withdrawn before peer review or office-rejected due to substantive errors, a new application must be submitted.

Publication of Outcomes

EPSRC will publish outcomes of the funding opportunity. If an application is successful, some personal information will be published on UKRI Gateway to Research.

Important Notes

The scheme has no fixed grant-value or project-duration limit. Applicants should request the resources required to deliver the proposed research programme. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and assessed through EPSRC responsive mode panels rather than fixed submission deadlines.

Current Status Check

Open

Official Last Update

7 October 2025

Application deadline in source document

Open - no closing date

Official source

Read the funding authority guidance