Approval Timelines and IRB Process
Getting Started
- Complete CITI.
- Complete any project or lab specific training. If training needs to occur opportunistically during the study, ensure personnel are properly overseen. Training is considered an ongoing process.
- Plan for the review process to take up to 8 weeks. Review timelines are affected by total submission volume, see the chart below.
- Collaborate with your team to determine who will write the application and respond to any IRB comments
Preparing the IRB application
- Reviews common mistakes and questions document and Information on levels of review
- Applications with significant writing concerns will not reviewed until the concerns have been addressed (see common mistakes and questions).
- Anyone conducting exempt research should review the IRB Guidance on Exempt Research
- Completes and submits the application after ensuring appendices and any other supplemental materials, including recruitment and consent materials are complete and accurate.
IRB review
- The ORC conducts a prereview and distributes the application as noted below.
- Level III projects are assigned to an agenda and the PI is invited to attend the meeting.
- &²Ô²ú²õ±è;​â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹Requests for Level III review must be received by the ORC from a reviewer no later than 10 working days before an IRB meeting for inclusion. We cannot guarantee review by a particular committee.
- Comments are typically released within 3 working days of the meeting.
- PIs are invited to attend the meeting and should forward the invite to any other research team member that should be present.
- The researchers are asked to provide a very brief overview of the study and answer questions.
- Level II projects are reviewed by one IRB member and then the IRB Chair.
- ​​​​​​​Comments are typically released after Chair review.
- Most Level I projects are reviewed by one IRB member.
- ​​​​​​​Comments are typically released after member review.
- A small number of reviews may require a dynamic process that requires a deviates from the process.
- Address comments, if any, to secure an IRB determination. This step may require back and forth.
Important notes
- If you are a student, your faculty advisor must review your application prior to submission - they are the PI and only the PI can submit via Kuali.
- Projects that involve FERPA or HIPAA compliance (see IRB Help Section 6 and 3) or are conducted in international settings (see IRB Help Section 8 - 8.14) take longer to review (common comments).
- HIPAA review occurs on the third Thursday of each month.
- Protocols that are highly complex or incomplete take longer to review.
- Approval timelines are affected by the number of submissions received. See the chart below.
Post approval
- File amendment, continuing review, and event reports as needed, see the IRB help page for more details.
- Practice data stewardship by deidentifying information as soon as allowed by the research. Remove access from those that leave the study.
- File Close Out requests once all participant intervention and interactions are complete, including long term follow-up, and the data is deidentified.