eGrants frequently asked questions

All applicants are advised to read through the eGrants user guides before completing an application form for the first time. Please note that all secondary applicants (coapplicants, sponsors, supervisors, research sponsors and mentors) and heads of department (or equivalent) will need to register with eGrants to contribute to or approve the application.

Details of the changes to eGrants functionality introduced 5 November 2012 can be found here .

Applicants

Is it compulsory to make an application through eGrants?
Yes, where a form is available on our system, submission of applications via eGrants is mandatory.

Can organisations overseas use eGrants?
eGrants is available for organisations based overseas, once they have registered with eGrants. Please note that registration with eGrants is not confirmation of an organisation’s eligibility, which may need to be assessed.

What if I cannot access eGrants easily?
Those who have limited or unreliable access to the internet should contact eGrants Support for further advice.

What forms are not available through eGrants?

Preliminary applications for the majority of Wellcome Trust funding schemes
some Technology Transfer grants
joint applications for Medical Humanities grants.

Can I use eGrants to submit joint applications?
Yes, for some schemes. Please see the relevant scheme webpage or contact eGrants Support for further advice.

How will I know if my organisation is registered with eGrants?
You can check the list of registered organisations . If the organisation that would be administering your grant is not registered, the Organisation Administration Department will need to contact eGrants Support to have the organisation set up to use eGrants.

How can I apply if I am not affiliated to an organisation?
If you are not affiliated to an organisation, please select ‘No Organisation’ when applying. This option only applies to applicants making an application to the Public Engagement schemes and some of our Public Health and Tropical Medicine schemes, such as the Master’s Fellowships. Once you have completed your application form, you will be able to submit your application form directly to the Wellcome Trust.

Can I make a preliminary application?
If you wish to submit a preliminary application, you can complete a preliminary application form on eGrants where one is available, or go to the relevant funding scheme webpage and download the appropriate Word form. This should then be sent to the relevant funding stream for consideration.

How long is the eGrants application process likely to take me?
Both you and the Administering Organisation will need to register with eGrants. If you are submitting a full application, you will need to take into account that all secondary applicants involved in your application must also be registered with eGrants.

Secondary applicants will need to agree to your request regarding their role in the application and provide the relevant details. The form cannot be submitted until all sections are completed. We recommend that you read the user guide [PDF 111KB] for secondary applicants to familiarise yourself with their role in the application process.

Your head of department (if applicable) will need to register and approve your application online, and the final submission to us will be by your Organisation Administration Department. You should also be aware that the Organisation Administration Department may return the form to you for amendments before submission to the Wellcome Trust.

What if my secondary applicant cannot access eGrants?
Please contact eGrants Support for advice.

Can I delegate access to edit my form to another individual, such as my research assistant?
You can delegate editing and completing your form to another eGrants user. Further details can be found in our eGrants User Guide . Delegates can be either partial or full account holders . (NB: You cannot select your Organisation Administration Department user as a delegate.)

Do I need to submit a signed copy of the application form as well as the eGrants version?
No, the workflow established for eGrants involves final submission by your Organisation Administration Department; therefore, a signed version of the form is not required.

How do I submit my application if I am not affiliated to an organisation?
At the beginning of the application process you will have selected ‘No Organisation’. Once you have completed your application form, you will be able to submit your application form directly to the Wellcome Trust from the ‘Application Details’ page. A signed version of the form is not required. Please see the eGrants User Guide for principal applicants for further information.

What happens to the notes on the application form once submitted to the Wellcome Trust?
Memo notes provide a useful means of communication between different users of the form (e.g. coapplicants, heads of department and principal applicants), but they are not submitted to the Wellcome Trust. Notes cannot be removed from a form once they are created.

How do I view the covering letter once it is created?
On the Application Details page for the relevant application, click the link after 'covering letter'. The covering letter is not assessed and any information pertinent to your application should be included in the application form itself, not the covering letter.

How do I change the title of my application?
On the Application Details page for the relevant application form, select the ‘update’ link next to the Title heading. Make sure to click ‘Save’ once changes have been made.

Where do I find the collaborator's form?
You can select collaborators online, provided they have registered with eGrants. Select 'collaborators' in the form to open the collaborators section. There you will be given the option to 'find user' or to add their unique reference number (which they must provide to you). Please note that this form should not be used in conjunction with Public Engagement forms.

The nominated collaborator then needs to log into their eGrants account to 'agree' to your request. Alternatively, you can upload a signed collaborator form [Word 73KB] under 'additional information'. Applications for a Sir Henry Dale Fellowship should use this collaborator form [75KB].

Which parts of my application form do collaborators get to see?
Collaborators are restricted from viewing applicant’s CV details and details of the project. Collaborators can only view:

principal applicant’s contact details
project title
research summaries details
collaborators’ information.

Collaborators are no longer able to email themselves a copy of an application form.

How do I find my unique reference number (URN)?
This can be viewed in the top right hand corner of the Your Details page.

I need to assign my head of department (or equivalent) to approve the form, but their name doesn't appear on the head of department list. What do I need to do?
Your head of department (or equivalent) will need to register with eGrants. Your Organisation Administration Department’s Super User will then have to give him or her the status of 'Head of Department' before you can assign him or her to your form. If your organisation has opted out of this approval stage, there will be no need to assign a head of department (or equivalent). Please contact your Organisation Administration Department for further information.

I've assigned my head of department (or equivalent); what do I do next?
Once the form has been fully completed, you will need to go to the Application Details page. Click the ‘Submit to Head of Department’ button to submit your application form.

I cannot submit my form to the Head of Department/Organisation Administration Department; what do I do?
Check that each section on the form has a green tick beside it confirming that the mandatory questions have been answered, including those for any secondary applicants.

How do I select a secondary applicant?
All secondary applicants must register with eGrants. Select the appropriate Applicants Details page in the form (e.g. 'Coapplicant'), where you will be given the option to 'find user' or to add their unique reference number, which they must provide to you. The nominated secondary applicant will receive an automated email to ask them to log into their eGrants account to agree to your request.

Is there any way I can view a copy of my form offline?
Yes. Once you have created a form, you can use the email/print functionality to email yourself a copy of the form or download and print the form as a PDF.

To see what a form looks like, you can also view sample copy application forms by clicking the ‘Sample Application Form’ link.

Administering authorities (Organisation Administration Departments)

What are the benefits of eGrants for my organisation?
Organisation administration departments (OADs) have control over the workflow and final sign off of full application forms; they are a key contact for the Trust and have the ability to monitor applications in progress.

You can maintain your own list of head of department approvers (if required) and there are automatic email notifications when applications are ready for approval.

Do all applications need to go through the head of department (HoD) stage?
The OAD user can select to bypass the HoD approval stage for all applications administered by the organisation (i.e. have a single-stage approval process, where completed forms are sent directly to the organisation for approval rather than going through the HoD approval stage). You can change this under Your Details once you have logged in.

Can I edit an applicant's form?
Once the applicant's form is complete and has been passed for approval, the OAD can edit their form before the final submission to the Trust.

Can organisations still submit paper applications after they have registered electronically?
Not where the application form is available on eGrants. Please see joint applications and exceptions.

Can OADs create a dummy application form?
Although there is no specific functionality for OAD users to create new application forms, it is relatively simple to create test forms by setting up a test user as described below:

1. Register with eGrants as a 'dummy user'. When registering, we suggest that you:

clearly identify the account as a dummy user (e.g. using surname of 'Dummy')
enter the minimum information required to create the dummy user's account
select your own organisation as the host organisation
enter an email address that does not already exist on the eGrants system - this email address will be used for automatic notifications (e.g. to notify whether coapplicants have accepted their role or that a form has been submitted), so a real email address should be used.

2. Once registered, the dummy user can create new forms from the Applications page. When creating new forms, ensure that you select your own organisation as the administering organisation.

3. If you wish to test the approval process, you can assign the dummy user as a head of department using your OAD account. A principal applicant can select themselves as the head of department approver for their own forms for testing purposes. If your institute has opted out of the HoD stage, the form will be sent to the OAD account.

4. Please do not submit any dummy forms to the Wellcome Trust.

5. The dummy user can delete any unsubmitted forms where he or she is the principal applicant for the form.

Could you please clarify exactly who receives emails at the following stages?

When the principal applicant submits a full application - all parties are notified (i.e. principal applicant, head of department if applicable, OAD and secondary applicants).
When the head of department approves a full application (if applicable) - the OAD and principal applicant are notified.
When the OAD submits the full application - all parties are notified (i.e. principal applicant, head of department if applicable, OAD and secondary applicants).

What is the difference between OAD Super Users and OAD Standard Users?
Super Users have more functionality than Standard Users in that they can assign eGrants users within the organisation as heads of department, set up and maintain additional OAD accounts, maintain organisation contact details, and select to bypass the HoD approval stage for all applications administered by the organisation.

Secondary applicants and heads of department (or equivalent)

Does my organisation have to be registered with eGrants for me to be a coapplicant or collaborator on someone else’s grant?
No, your organisation does not have to be registered.

How do I release my details if I am a secondary applicant on the grant?
Once you receive the email asking you to release your details, you need to log into eGrants, go to the Applications tab and click on the relevant application. Then click the 'Agree to be…' button.

How do I change my personal details on my home page?
Once logged in, click on the 'Your Details' tab. Once on the Your Details pages, click on ‘Edit Details’.

Are heads of department (or equivalent) approvers able to submit forms to the Wellcome Trust?
No, they can only approve and submit the forms to the Organisation Administration Department, who will then submit the form directly to the Trust.

How do I register as a head of department (or equivalent)?
You will need to register on eGrants and then let your organisation's Organisation Administration Department Super User know, so they can give you head of department (or equivalent) status. Please see the eGrants User Guide for Heads of Department for further information.

If I am approving an application as head of department (or equivalent), do I need to complete all the details requested in the registration form?
Not if you are simply approving the application as head of department. For this you can register using a partial account . If you become involved in an application in the future as a principal applicant, coapplicant, sponsor, supervisor, research sponsor or mentor, you can upgrade to a full account.

Can Organisation Administration Departments act on behalf of heads of departments (or equivalent) in their absence?
Yes, they can approve forms on behalf of the head of department.

Can the head of department delegate their account to another individual (e.g. their personal assistant, or another head of department or equivalent)?
Yes, heads of department can delegate their account to someone within their organisation who is registered with eGrants. (NB: You cannot delegate to an Organisation Administration Department user.)

Delegate users

What are the functions of a delegate user?
A principal applicant may wish to allow a research assistant to edit their application, or a head of department may wish to give their personal assistant or another head of department access to their account. Delegates can be either partial or full account holders.

How do I become a delegate user?
You will need to register with eGrants. The head of department or principal applicant will then select you as a delegate through their eGrants account.

Registration and account types

What is the difference between a partial account and a full account?
The full account option should be selected if you expect to be involved in applications as a principal applicant, coapplicant, sponsor, supervisor, research sponsor or mentor. Partial account users are required to enter fewer details but can interact with eGrants only as a head of department approver, collaborator or delegated user.

Can I upgrade to a full account at a later date?
If you are likely to be involved in an application in the future - as principal applicant, coapplicant, sponsor, supervisor, research sponsor or mentor – you can upgrade to a full user account.

How do I upgrade to a full account?
1. Click on the 'Your Details' tab to open the Your Details page.
2. Click on the 'Edit Details' button, which can be found at the top left corner of the page.
3. Click on 'Upgrade to Full Account' next to 'Account Type' to expand your personal details from partial account to full account.

Additional help

Does the word limit of my application form include characters?
No, the system does not count characters (e.g. commas) or symbols as part of the word count. For most text boxes within eGrants, there is a word counter to give you an indication of the number of words entered.

How do I change the on-screen font size?
Go to the toolbar, select View > Text size and select the size of text (from largest to smallest).

I have emailed myself a copy of my eGrants form, but the ‘Additional Information’ section does not seem to be included. Why is this?
When emailing your form, eGrants automatically converts your form into PDF format. However, the ‘Additional Information’ section is only converted to PDF format upon final submission to the Wellcome Trust.

Are there any additional guidance notes available?
Yes, you can access further help and guidance through the help section of eGrants .

Contact information

Who should I contact if I have a query?
You can contact eGrants Support by telephone between 09.00 and 17.00, Monday-Friday (excluding bank holidays) or by email:
T 020 7611 8700
E egrants.support@wellcome.ac.uk.