Apply for governance authorisation

To get governance authorisation, you'll need to apply for a Site Specific Assessment (SSA).

Step 1. Prepare your supporting documents

You'll need to submit the following supporting documents with your SSA application.

• Cover letter listing all documents you’re providing for review
• The SSA form with all required signatures
• Other documents depending on the project.

Make sure you’ve answered all the SSA questions and have included all the required documents.

If your research has already been approved by a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC), you should also submit their approval letter. If you’re submitting your governance authorisation application in parallel with applying for ethics approval, you can submit your HREC approval letter later.

Other documents

When you’re applying for research governance there may be other supporting documents you need to complete. To find out which other supporting documents you need contact the relevant Research Governance Officer.

You can find other approved clinical trial contract templates that you might need to complete on the Medicines Australia and Medical Technology Association of Australia websites.

If you want to vary standard clauses on these contract templates, you might also need to complete the Southern and Eastern Border States Research Contract Amendment Review Template (DOC 44 kB).

You should also read the Statement of Purpose for the Southern Eastern Border States (SEBS) Panel (PDF 30 kB)

Step 2. Verify your budget

You’ll need to verify your budget with the relevant HHS. Find out how to do this by contacting the Research Governance Officer at the HHS.

Step 3. Get signatures and endorsements

You'll need signatures from the business head of department at the relevant HHS and endorsement from the Chief Financial Officer or delegate.

To find out more, contact the Research Governance Officer at the HHS.

Step 4. Provide your ethics approval letter

If you didn’t upload your HREC approval letter at step 1, you should upload it to the Ethics Review Manager (ERM) as soon as possible.

Step 5. Submit your application

Once you’ve uploaded your documents to the ERM, you can submit your application to the relevant HHS.

To do this, send a hard copy of your application and your supporting documents to the Research Governance Officer, if requested by the HHS.

Next steps

After the Research Governance Officer has done their review, you’ll get correspondence via ERM or email to let you know the outcome of your application.

If your research has been given governance authorisation, you’ll also have reporting requirements. Any forms you need to complete will be generated in the ERM.