How to apply for ethical review
Find out more about how to submit a human ethics application for review, the deadlines to do it by, and how to get help from the Research Ethics, Integrity and Biosafety team.
All human ethics applications must be lodged online using the Swinburne Ethics Review Management (ERM). For detailed instructions see the ERM human ethics user guide [PDF 3.7MB].
Application process
- Go to the Swinburne Ethics Review Management website.
- Click ‘Log in’ in the top right-hand corner of the menu bar and enter your Swinburne email address and password.
- Select ‘Create project’ from the left-hand sidebar, add in the Project Title and select the appropriate application form.
- Complete the application — you can invite your collaborators to review and work on the form too.
- Create and attach relevant additional documents as requested in the form.
- Obtain the sign-offs requested in the form.
- Submit the application form by the relevant deadline.
- Respond to any queries posed by the ethics committee.
- Ethics approval will be granted once all outstanding queries are satisfied.
Already have ethics approval from a non-Swinburne Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC)?
For applications that have already received ethical approval from an NHMRC-registered Australian HREC please select the Human External Approved/Transferred application in the ERM system and complete that form. You will be required to provide evidence of the approval and copies of all documents that they approved.

Human ethics user guide
Deadlines and application help
Make sure you submit your application to the correct review body.
Swinburne University Human Research Ethics Committee (SUHREC) review
The SUHREC committee reviews research that is not low-risk and/or involves vulnerable population groups and/or significantly sensitive issues.
SUHREC submission deadlines 2022 | SUHREC meeting dates 2022 |
---|---|
Friday 3 June |
Friday 17 June |
Friday 1 July |
Friday 15 July |
Friday 5 August |
Friday 19 August |
Friday 2 September |
Friday 16 September |
Thursday 29 September |
Friday 14 October |
Friday 4 November |
Friday 18 November |
Friday 25 November |
Friday 9 December |
Swinburne Human Ethics Sub Committee (SHESC) review
The SHESC sub-committee reviews research that is negligible or low risk and does not involve vulnerable population groups and/or sensitive issues.
SHESC submission deadlines 2022 | SHESC meeting dates 2022 |
---|---|
Monday 9 May | Friday 20 May |
Monday 23 May | Friday 3 June |
Monday 30 May | Friday 10 June |
Tuesday 14 June | Friday 24 June |
Monday 27 June | Friday 8 July |
Monday 11 July | Friday 22 July |
Monday 25 July | Friday 05 August |
Monday 01 August | Friday 12 August |
Monday 15 August | Friday 26 August |
Monday 22 August | Friday 02 September |
Monday 29 August | Friday 09 September |
Monday 12 September | Friday 23 September |
Monday 26 September | Friday 07 October |
Monday 10 October | Friday 21 October |
Monday 24 October | Friday 04 November |
Monday 31 October | Friday 11 November |
Monday 14 November | Friday 25 November |
Monday 05 December | Friday 16 December |
Note: Additional SHESC dates to be advised.
Human research ethics assistance
Drop-in sessions postponed
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, drop-in sessions are currently postponed until further notice. Future dates will be available as soon as possible.
Do you need a hand preparing your human research ethics application or have any questions you’d like to ask? The Research Ethics, Integrity and Biosafety hosts sessions for research staff and students to:
- discuss ethics requirements for research
- get help preparing ethics applications
- discuss the committee’s feedback on ethics applications that have already been reviewed
- get help submitting modification requests or annual reports
- raise any other queries about human research ethics.
Sessions are held in the Office of Research Ethics, Integrity and Biosafety, SPS building, level 1 and there is a limit of three appointments available per session. To make an appointment to attend please email resethics@swinburne.edu.au. Staff and students are also welcome to ‘drop-in’ but preference will be given to those who have made a booking. If the time/day doesn’t suit you, please contact the team to arrange an alternative time.
Want to know more about requirements for ethics review?
Find out what research requires ethical review and what level of review is required, or whether your research is exempt from needing a review.