IRB Meeting Schedule and Submission Deadlines

Please refer to the schedules and deadlines below for when submitting your application.

Students, if you plan to graduate in a given semester, you must apply during the semester prior to the one in which you plan to graduate.

After the IRB reviews your application and issues a decision, you must submit any requested modifications within 6 months of the notification. Otherwise, the IRB with automatically withdraw your application, and you will need to re-apply.

Full Review

We recommend that you apply at least 3 months prior to the start of your project for full review. If you are involving prisoners in research, please allow more time, as there are special requirements which must be met according to federal regulations.

Researchers will usually receive a decision letter within 1 week of the meeting date (depending on review volume).

If after review, your initial application is granted "deferred" status, this means that your modifications will need to be reviewed as full at a future convened meeting, based on submission by the appropriate deadline. If your initial application is granted a "modifications required" status, this means that your modifications will be reviewed outside of a meeting by a smaller number of reviewers. Review of modifications outside of a meeting usually takes 1 week (depending on review volume).

NOTE: We highly recommend that you submit your application sometime prior to the deadline, rather than waiting until the last few hours on the deadline day. Please keep in mind that applications received after the close of business on the day of the deadline will be held for the next meeting cycle, without exception. Also, there are certain types of research for which the IRB must invite a consultant in a particular area of expertise. This often involves additional time. Please plan accordingly.

Expedited Review

We recommend that you apply at least 2 months prior to the start of your project for expedited review.

The turnaround time for expedited review is normally 3 weeks for the review of initial applications, annual/continuing review applications and requests for revisions to previously approved research. Deadlines are each MONDAY by 4:30 PM. Applications received after the deadline will be subject to the following week's submission cycle. Decision letters will be uploaded into IRBNet by the Monday three weeks following the initial submission deadline (except where noted).

Turnaround for review of modifications requested by the IRB is usually 1 week.

NOTE: Please plan ahead, especially during holiday periods. While we will make every effort to adhere to the below schedule, application handling and review time are affected by current volume, as well as by staff vacation time. As all researchers are equally important to us, the Board reviews on a first-come, first-served basis and makes every effort to process and review in as timely a fashion as possible.