How to apply for animal ethics approval

In New South Wales, you must obtain animal ethics approval before using any live non-human vertebrate or cephalopods in scientific research or teaching activities.

Do I need to let the university know if I am on an Animal Research Authority at another Institution?

Yes. if you are listed as an investigator on an Animal Ethics application at another institution, you do not require a duplicate approval from SCU, but you are required to submit the application - Notification of Work Conducted at Another Institution.

Will your project involve work interstate or overseas?

If your project involves animal work conducted interstate or overseas, you must contact the Animal Ethics Office before starting an application to confirm any additional approval requirements.

Contact us

If you have any questions as to whether your project requires approval, it's always best to check. Contact the Ethics Office for guidance and support - they’re here to help you navigate the process.

Preparing a thorough application ensures compliance with the Animal Ethics Code and helps the Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) review your project efficiently. Follow these steps to get started:

Step 1: Understand the Requirements

Step 2: Plan Your Project Carefully

  • Explore IRMA – create a coversheet and questionnaire to help you consider the information required by the AEC and develop an understanding of how these fit with the principles of the Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes (the Code).
  • Optional: Discuss your project with the AEC early. They are always happy to assist with early project ideas, provide guidance on considerations, identifying potential issues, and making suggestions to help you meet the principles of the Code and the best outcome for the animals!
  • Visit the Training and Support Resources available on this webpage.

Step 3: Write in Plain English

  • Avoid excessive technical jargon – reviewers come from diverse backgrounds.
  • When listing all technical terms in questionnaire, provide a clear definition.
  • Expand out all acronyms.
  • Your summary must include:
    • The problem your project aims to address
    • The knowledge gap that currently exists
    • How your proposed work will address or fill that gap 

Step 4: Detail Your Procedures

  • Describe procedures step by step, as if walking the committee through them.
  • Clearly outline all potential impacts on animals.

Step 5: Justify Your Project

  • Explain why animal use is necessary and how it benefits human, animals or the environment.

Step 6: Submit for Pre-Review

Applications must be submitted 2 days prior to the agenda closing date for a pre-review. This gives you the opportunity to revise your coversheet and add additional information before the meeting. 

  • Using overly technical language that non-specialists cannot understand.
  • Failing to expand acronyms and define scientific terms clearly.
  • Underestimating animal numbers by calculating for only one year instead of the full duration of the project.
  • Incorrect project dates - the end date must reflect the entire life of the project, not just a single year.
  • Submitting incomplete or vague method descriptions that leave reviewers uncertain about what will actually occur.
  • Not addressing the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) - responses such as “no” or “not applicable” are insufficient. Each question requires thoughtful, detailed explanation.
  • Providing insufficient detail about the impacts of procedures on the animals, including pain, distress, or welfare considerations.
  • Poorly designed experiment that is not scientifically valid.
  • Overlooking the full timeline of animal care - you must describe how animals will be treated from the start of the project through to completion, including housing, handling, monitoring, and endpoints.

All Animal Ethics applications must be submitted through the SCU online management system IRMA. 

  • The AEC meets monthly to review all animal ethics related business.
  • To be considered at a meeting, submissions must be received two weeks prior to the meeting date, when the agenda closes.
  • Please check the AEC Meeting Dates 2026 on the SCU Animal Ethics webpage to plan your submission.

Explore our Training and Resources section for courses, webinars, and guidelines designed to support you in preparing your application.

Variation
A variation is required when any change is proposed to an approved animal ethics application after approval has been granted. All proposed changes must be submitted as a variation and approved by the Animal Ethics Committee before they are implemented. Submitting a variation ensures that animal use remains ethical, compliant, and consistent with the approved application.

Important:

  • All amendments must be submitted through IRMA and approved before implementation.
  • Approval is at the discretion of the AEC.

Researchers will receive automated reminders three months, two months, and six weeks before the project end date to submit progress or final reports. Progress and Final Reports are an excellent way to showcase your project, share outcomes, and keep the AEC updated, including publications and other achievements.

Under the Animal Research Regulation 2010 (Clause 24), accredited research establishments must report animal usage to the NSW Animal Research Review Panel (ARRP) annually by 31 March.

Primary Investigators will receive an email at the start of the first quarter prompting them to submit animal usage numbers via the Animal Usage tile in IRMA by 1 February.

The Australian Code defines an Adverse Event as any event that has a negative impact on the wellbeing of an animal and was not foreshadowed in the approved project or activity.

An unexpected adverse event may result from different causes, including but not limited to:

  • Death of an animal, or group of animals, that was not expected
  • Adverse effects following a procedure or treatment that was not expected
  • Adverse effects in a larger number of animals than predicted during the planning of the project or activity, based on the number of animals actually used, not the number approved for the study
  • A greater level of pain or distress than was predicted in the planning of the project or activity
  • Power failures, inclement weather, emergency situations, or other factors external to the project or activity that have a negative impact on the welfare of the animals

It is the policy of the SCU AEC that all unexpected adverse events must be reported to the AEC in writing, via the Animal Ethics Officer, within 24 hours, and a formal unexpected adverse event report form submitted via IRMA within 72 hours of the event. Additionally, if the unexpected adverse event resulted in the death of a research or teaching animal, a postmortem report must also be completed and submitted with the unexpected adverse event report form.