Non-commercial study set-up checklist

Use the checklist below to work through the steps needed to set up a non-commercial research study in England. Steps can be completed in any order. Links to further guidance are provided. Once you have completed all steps, you are ready to start your study.

Further information if you have selected no:The IRAS ID is a study identifier used across the UK research landscape. It is available to all health and care researchers, including those that do not need to apply for research approvals through IRAS. An IRAS ID can be generated at any time, through IRAS, with only minimal details required. Further guidance is available on the IRAS help pages.

Further information if you have selected no:Contact your local Research and Development (R&D) office, or equivalent in your host organisation, to discuss the costs of your study and develop a budget. This will be required by your research funder. Visit our website for help costing NIHR applications.

Further information if you have selected no:A SoECAT (Schedule of Events Costing and Attribution Tool) helps you understand the costs of your study. An authorised SoECAT is required for many funding applications and for all studies applying for Research Delivery Network (RDN) support and/or which require payment of Excess Treatment Costs. You should use the Online SoECAT tool in CPMS to create a SoECAT. The tool will help you determine the type of SoECAT required and, once complete, provide you with an export that can be shared with funders and the Health Research Authority (HRA) as required. If a SoECAT is not required, an export of the question summary can be downloaded to evidence the outcome and support any funding applications. Further guidance can be found on the What is AcoRD? and SoECAT webpages.

Further information if you have selected no:Funding is available from many different sources depending on your subject area and study type. Information on NIHR funding for research can be found on our webpages.

Further information if you have selected no:If your study meets the eligibility criteria for the NIHR Research Delivery Network Portfolio the NIHR RDN can help you Plan, Place and Perform your study. How you apply for RDN support depends on your study type and the way you are applying for research approvals. For full details, including how to access support from other UK nations, visit our RDN Portfolio webpage.

Further information if you have selected no:If you are applying for research approval(s) through IRAS, guidance on the approval(s) needed for your study is provided within the system. You should check requirements with your local Research and Development (R&D) office, or equivalent in your host organisation.

Further information if you have selected no:Contact your local Research and Development (R&D) office, or equivalent in your host organisation, to discuss local requirements.

Further information if you have selected no:All research should be registered on a publicly accessible database. For clinical trials this is a condition of a favourable ethics opinion. It is good practice for all other studies. See the HRA web page for more info. Non-commercial studies included on the RDN Portfolio can apply for ISRCTN registration through CPMS; with free registration provided for studies with an interventional component. Visit our ISRCTN page for more details.