Human Research Ethics Committees
Timeframes for Committee Review
All applications are triaged through a preliminary review process upon initial submission. Once your application meets the requirements for committee review we will place it in the queue in order of receipt.
We encourage applicants to plan ahead and submit their applications early to avoid having to adjust research plans. Due to the rolling number of applications for review we are no longer providing meeting deadlines and will allocate protocols to the earliest available meeting.
High Risk Application Review
The Human Research Ethics Committee assesses high risk applications. They meet on the last Friday of each month (except December). In order for your application to be tabled at one of the meetings listed, your application must clear preliminary review by the first day of that month.
To meet the requirements of preliminary review the ethics office will provide feedback on all submissions. Requested changes must be submitted in a revised applicaiton and may be subject to Indigenous Research Advisory Group (IRAG) or HREC Chair review prior to being listed for review at an upcoming meeting.
2024 HREC meeting dates
Meeting number | Preliminary reviewclearance date | Meeting Date |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | 01 November | 29 November |
2025 HREC meeting dates
Meeting number | Preliminary reviewclearance date | Meeting Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 January | 7 February |
| 2 | 3 February | 28 February |
| 3 | 10 March | 4 April* |
| 4 | 7 April | 2 May* |
| 5 | 5 May | 30 May |
| 6 | 2 June | 27 June |
| 7 | 30 June | 25 July |
| 8 | 4 August | 29 August |
| 9 | 1 September | 26 September |
| 10 | 7 October | 31 October |
| 11 | 3 November | 28 November |
*Dates adjusted due to public holiday
Medium Risk Application Review
Medium risk applications are reviewed by one of three Delegated Ethical Review Committees (DERCs):
College | Delegated Ethics Review Committee(DERC) |
|---|---|
College of Arts and Social Sciences College of Science College of Law | Humanities & Social Sciences DERC |
| College of Asia and the Pacific College of Business and Economics | CAP/CBE DERC |
College of Health & Medicine College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics | CHM/CECC DERC |
2024 DERC meeting dates (no submission deadlines)
Meeting number | Meeting Date |
|---|---|
| 22 | 07 November |
| 23 | 21 November |
| 24 | 05 December |
2025 DERC meeting dates (no submission deadlines)
Meeting number | Meeting Date |
|---|---|
| 1 | 16 January |
| 2 | 30 January |
| 3 | 13 February |
| 4 | 27 February |
| 5 | 13 March |
| 6 | 27 March |
| 7 | 10 April |
| 8 | 24 April |
| 9 | 8 May |
| 10 | 22 May |
| 11 | 5 June |
| 12 | 19 June |
| 13 | 3 July |
| 14 | 17 July |
| 15 | 31 July |
| 16 | 14 August |
| 17 | 28 August |
| 18 | 11 September |
| 19 | 25 September |
| 20 | 9 October |
| 21 | 23 October |
| 22 | 6 November |
| 23 | 20 November |
| 24 | 4 December |
Low Risk Application Review
Low risk applications or research projects which have already received prior approval from another NHMRC registered HREC are reviewed by the relevant DERC Chair out of session. They can be submitted at any time up until the 15th December of each year. From the 15th December, any new submissions will be considered in the new year.
Contact
- Enquiries relating to Human Ethics
- +61 2 6125 3427
- Send email
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