Grant Arrangements (PhD Studentships)

Grants are given for periods up to but not exceeding 3 years and are intended to cover stipends, fees and the incidental costs of research training. Awards will follow the MRC minimum stipend for pre-doctoral students.

Incidental costs of research training may include consumables and essential small pieces of equipment. The cost of attending one scientific conference annually may be included (providing a full breakdown is given).

The Head of Research should appoint, for each research student, one or more supervisors, who will be responsible for agreeing the project to be undertaken, reviewing progress with the student and ensuring that training is successfully completed within the stated duration of the project. Progress reports will be required at 6 monthly intervals from the student / supervisor and failure to comply with this may delay payment of the grant.

Payments are made quarterly in arrears on receipt of an invoice from the Institution concerned (i.e. for a grant starting in October, the supporting Institution can expect to receive the first payment the following January).

Travel Scholarships

Travel scholarships are designed to assist an individual to gain further scientific or clinical skills or to participate in collaborative research. Applicants must first identify a host Institution and elicit a letter of invitation from that institution. They should then submit a proposal to the IRT describing how they will benefit from the research / new skills acquired.

Full costings as well as a copy of the letter of invitation, any institutional support offered and an estimate of the duration of the proposed visit should be provided. The IRT may pay all or a contribution towards the associated costs.

Applications for other Research Projects

In the first instance the Secretariat should be contacted and / or an outline proposal submitted for initial approval. A scientific and financial risk assessment should also be supplied. Depending whether the IRT is interested in pursuing research in the requested area and whether it considers the benefit to infertile patients justifies the amount requested, the applicant will be encouraged to submit a detailed proposal.