General guidelines for applicants

Financial support

Salaries

Diabetes UK will pay salaries based on the scales in operation at the Institution in which the research will take place. Applicants should consult the appropriate administrative authority at their institution to determine the salaries to be requested. Applicants for clinical fellowships should refer to the specific guidelines on salaries for that scheme.

Known salary increments may be included on the application form but National Pay Awards may not. If the application is awarded institutes may invoice for the pay awards at the end of each year.

Research costs

All requests should be fully justified in the application. Diabetes UK expects all grants to be held in well equipped laboratories and as such will not consider requests for the following forms of support:

  • Research work not specified at the time of application
  • Retrospective funding for work already completed
  • ‘Top-up’ funds for current research projects
  • Overspending on grants made
  • Publication costs and public relations costs
  • Advertising
  • Stationery
  • Secretarial work
  • Travel*
  • Attendance at conferences**
  • Indirect costs, as specified by the Research Councils
  • Overheads of any description
  • Maintenance costs or access charges (eg building maintenance)
  • Staff development (eg training of staff)
  • Staff facilities
  • Financial services (eg accounting, auditing)
  • Routine care for patients
  • Databases (unless specifically required for the research project).
Inflation may not be included on research costs.

*If travel is an integral part of the research programme, financial provision should be sought in the initial application, otherwise support will not be provided.

**Diabetes UK grantees may apply for grants to attend the Annual Professional Conference held by Diabetes UK. This process is administered by the conference team and is advertised annually.

Applications to other funding bodies

Applicants may not apply for funding for the same research proposal from other funding bodies concurrently with Diabetes UK applications.

Eligibility

Grants may be held in any ‘not for profit’ organisation within the United Kingdom

Applicants should refer to the specific guidelines for each scheme for details of individual eligibility criteria. Applicants who are unsure of their eligibility are advised to contact the office.

Deadlines

Applicants are advised to refer to the specific scheme guidelines for deadlines.

All applications must be with the office by 12 noon on the day of the deadline. Late applications may not be considered.

How to apply

Applicants are advised to refer to the specific scheme guidelines for details of how to access the relevant application form.

The application form

Applicants are expected to submit:

  • One single sided, non stapled application with original signatures*
  • Five double sided, stapled copies
  • One electronic copy to be sent to research@diabetes.org.uk.

*All authors of the grant must provide their signatures on the original singed copy; this is to ensure concurrence of the content of the proposal by all named applicants.

Notes on the application form

When submitting electronic copies, please remove the initial guideline, FAQ and checklist pages.

The application form is a locked document; if you find writing in boxes creates blank spaces below the text please remove these spaces before printing. If you experience any problems with the form please do not hesitate to contact the Research department for advice.

What to submit

The following documents should be included with both electronic and paper applications:

  • Previous unsuccessful Diabetes UK applications that are relevant to the current proposal
  • Papers that are in press only. All other preliminary data pertinent to the application should be incorporated in the application form.

What not to submit

It is not necessary to include:

  • Relevant papers that are in the public domain. These are obtainable by peer reviewers and Committee members if required.

Administrative processes

Receipt of application

When applications have been received, a receipt will be sent via email to the Principal Applicant. If receipt is not sent within one week of the closing date, please contact the Research department at research@diabetes.org.uk.

Revision process

To ensure that applications are as full and complete as possible, members of the Research department may contact the Principal Applicant to request revisions or further information.

Applicants are advised to refer to the specific scheme guidelines for further details of the administrative processes for each scheme.

Assessment criteria

Applicants are advised to refer to the specific scheme guidelines for assessment criteria.