Submission Process

Submit your application as soon as it’s ready!
The IRB meets to review full board applications only once each month during the academic year. These deadlines are the latest dates you can submit an application for each month’s meeting. But many proposals don’t need review by the full committee—they’re processed and approved throughout the month on a rolling basis. In most cases, review takes about two weeks.
We review minimal risk proposals year round, on a rolling basis.
If your research involves risk or involves a “vulnerable population” (e.g., children), it will require review at a meeting. For an application to be considered, the complete and final version must be submitted at least one week before the committee meets. Incomplete, draft, or partial applications received by this date will be considered to have missed the deadline. The IRB does not meet during the summer.
Steps to Approval
Step 1: Complete ethics training
- Access the Social and Behavioral Research Course (see instructions).
- Valid for 2 years for students and 4 years for faculty/staff (note: NIH certificates also acceptable, although Axiom Mentor has an automatic connection to CITI, so NIH certificates will need to be manually uploaded within Axiom Mentor).
Step 2: Submit application
- Complete the online application on Axiom Mentor. See the Quick Start Guide and log in to Axiom Mentor. You may also want to consult the Reference Guide to the Questions Asked on the New Protocol Application.
Step 3: Review
- IRB staff determines the level of review and conducts a pre-review of your protocol; IRB chair/staff corresponds with PI until proposal is complete.
- Minimal Risk: IRB staff, IRB member, and/or Chair reviews, usually within one to two weeks.
- Full Board: Full IRB meeting, monthly meetings with decisions ~1 week after the meeting.
- Revisions as necessary submitted in Axiom Mentor on your original application–do not submit a new application.
- Formal approval letter to PI follows when project is approved.