MS Australia has been receiving an ever-growing number of applications. In order to ensure that we effectively use the limited funding envelope we have available, we have introduced the following changes.

• MS Australia’s application submission process is through this online Grant Portal.
• A researcher may only be named as Chief Investigator on one grant application within the calendar year. This limit does not apply to Incubator Grants, Postgraduate Scholarships or Targeted Call Grants. 
• A researcher may only be named as Chief Investigator, Co-investigator or Supervisor/Co-supervisor on no more than three grant applications within the calendar year. This limit does not apply to Incubator Grants, Postgraduate Scholarships or Targeted Call Grants. Additionally, this limit does not apply to Associate Investigator roles on any grant application, or Referees providing a recommendation for an application.  
• Maximum funding limits have been set for grants and stipends. See below.
• Please adhere to the page limits. If an applicant goes over the page limits, the application will be REJECTED.

GRANT TYPES AVAILABLE, OPENING AND CLOSING DATES AND MAXIMUM BUDGET RESTRICTIONS 

Please also check our website: https://www.msaustralia.org.au/annual-funding-opportunities/

MS Australia offers a range of project grants, fellowships, scholarships and travel awards to support any research relevant to multiple sclerosis (MS). Although eligibility requirements and conditions differ between awards, all applications must have a direct link to advancing our knowledge of MS or the treatment or management of MS.
 
Unless there is a very clear relationship to MS, your application will not be considered.
 
Grant Eligibility: Applicants must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident (permanent residency status to be confirmed by January of the year the grant is to start).
 
 MS Australia may vary the type of award offered in a given year.

* Opportunities also exist for MS Australia top-up funding for outstanding NHMRC funded Fellowships and Postgraduate Scholarships. Click here for more information. You must apply to both institutions separately.

 MS Australia offers the following grants:  

• Incubator Grant Round 1 and 2: This Grant-In-Aid funding is typically less than $25,000. 
• Postgraduate Scholarship Round 1 and 2: The Stipend Grant-In-Aid funding will be awarded in the range of $20,000-$35,000 p.a. over three years. 
• Project Grants: Grant-In-Aid funding is up to $250,000. Annual funding is likely to range between $50,000-$130,000 p.a. over a three year or less period. 
• Postdoctoral Fellowship: Stipend Grant-In-Aid funding will be awarded in the range of $40,000-$75,000 p.a. over three years.
• Senior Fellowship: This prestigious fellowship provides a full-time salary for a senior research fellow at an overall maximum total of $130,000 p.a. for five years.
• Paired Fellowship: This fellowship provides funding for a Senior Research Fellow and research time for a Clinical Fellow. Overall maximum total of pro-rated $250,000 p.a. for three years. This is typically apportioned as up to $150,000 p.a. for the Senior Research Fellow full-time, and up to $100,000 p.a. for the Clinical Fellow part-time.
• Ian Ballard Travel Award: This award is intended to enable recipients to undertake an international travel tour with the aim of extending and collaborating on their MS research specialty. Award is up to $25,000 and travel is expected to be completed within one year of award. Duration of travel is typically 8 weeks or less.

All MS Australia Grants fulfil the criteria to be classified as Category 1- Australian Competitive Research and Data Income, the criteria determined by the Australian Department of Education and Training is as follows:

1. Selection by a qualified panel
2. Well-defined mechanism for competition

To read more about how MS Australia actively fulfils these requirements please click here.

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION VIA THE GRANT PORTAL

1) Register

• Please create a user login and password on this site. Click the Sign-Up button on the top right of the toolbar, or on the right of the screen. 
• Your Grant Office will require a login to view your application before submission. They will need to create their own user id and password.

2) Complete your application in accordance with all instructions and please note the published opening and closing dates

• The portal will allocate an application number which should then be used as an identifier throughout all communications with MS Australia.
• You will be asked to create offline documents using the MS Australia pre-supplied templates and upload these to your application. Where you are required to upload a document, ensure that any figure and their legends are located together.
• You will also be asked to enter information directly into the portal application forms.
• Before submitting, please ensure that you have adequately described team 'membership' and 'ownership' to allow your co-investigators to view and edit the application. Refer to the right-hand column on the application front page. Membership is not automatically derived from the completion of the application. 
• Various formatting instructions are contained in either the template or the form associated with entering an application. Please comply with these strictly to ensure that your application will not be rejected for non-compliance.
• Any uploaded document MUST be in PDF format including any external referee letters.  The completed application will be available to you as a consolidated PDF at the end of the application. 
• Should an application be considered non-compliant, then it will be rejected
• During the submission process, we will be requesting a high-quality JPEG photo. This is for our records, and for use on our website if an application is successful. It will not be distributed to peer reviewers as part of the application process.
• Rebuttal completion: Project Grant and Fellowship applicants will be invited to view the textual content of their peer reviews and supply their rebuttal via the Grant Portal.
• Outcome communication: With the exception of Incubator Grant Round 1 and Postgraduate Scholarship Round 1, the outcome communication is likely to occur towards the end of November. Incubator Grant Round 1 and Postgraduate Scholarship Round 1 will occur earlier.

 Please direct any queries to the contact information below.