Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for EOI and Full Applications
How do I demonstrate endorsement from participants and my institution?
At the EOI stage, formal endorsement from your lead institution is not required. However, your proposal should confirm that all listed participants have agreed to be involved. Please ensure you follow your institution’s internal policies for competitive funding submissions. If you are invited to submit a full application, you will need to provide evidence of institutional support and partner agreement, such as signed letters or emails from your institution and collaborators.
How many partners are required?
There is no set number of required partners. However, your team must include members from both Japanese and Australian institutions (one of which will act as the lead applicant), as well as involvement from industry or another non-university organisation.
Do industry or government partners need to be actively involved in the research?
While direct research involvement is welcome, other forms of engagement—such as co-developing the research question, providing access to data, facilities, or personnel—are also acceptable. Financial or in-kind contributions are not mandatory, but are strong indicators of interest and potential impact.
Is an industry partner required to provide funding?
No. Financial contributions are not required but are viewed positively as a sign of commitment and project relevance.
Can I apply if I don’t yet have an industry partner?
Yes, but your EOI or full application must demonstrate some level of industry engagement. This may include co-design of the project or research question, even if a formal partnership has not been established. If you are in active discussions with a potential industry partner, please explain the status of that engagement in your application.
What types of partners are required for university applicants?
You do need to have an ‘industry partner’ (non-university partner) engaged at some level. If you don't have industry engagement directly in the research itself you need to explain the extent of discussion with industry about the relevance of the research or its industry applicability. This is covered in the selection criteria which we ask you to address in applications. ‘Industry partner’ for the purpose of this program includes government agencies, NGOs and other non-university partners.
Does the stage of my project affect eligibility?
No. Projects at any stage—early research to later-stage development—are eligible. You will be asked to identify your project’s current stage (e.g., research, prototype development, testing) in the EOI to assist the selection committee in decision-making.
Will the grant cover the entire cost of my project?
The grant is intended to provide targeted support and not to cover the full cost of your project. Applicants must demonstrate that the funding is an important enabler for progressing their work. Applications with co-funding or in-kind support—particularly from industry—will be viewed more favourably. Applicants should demonstrate how AJIF funding will advance their project.
What is the success rate for applications?
This depends on the size of the application pool. Typically, 2–3 major grants are awarded annually.
What happens after I submit my EOI?
If shortlisted, you will be invited to submit a full application with additional information. A few weeks will be provided for this, and the process is not overly burdensome.
What can the budget be used for?
Please refer to the AJIF guidelines titled “What the Grant May Be Used For” and “What the Grant Money Cannot Be Used For.”
Can I hire research assistants or provide student assistance/scholarships with the budget?
Yes. You may hire staff or offer scholarships for the fixed duration of the project. If individuals are already employed, AJIF funds must be used to support additional time or roles that would not otherwise be funded.
Can money be transferred between partners?
Grants are awarded to a single lead institution. The lead institution may allocate funds to the overseas partner, subject to its own internal policies. Generally, we do not expect funds to be transferred to the industry partner. However, the lead institution may use grant funds to cover certain industry partner expenses, such as travel related to joint research.
Will I get feedback about my application?
No individual feedback will be provided. However, we will publish summaries of successful applications. You can also ask questions about the grant process during a scheduled online information session prior to submission.
FAQ For Shortlisted (full) Applications
Should two references be from academia or from industry? Is there any preference?
References can be from either academia or industry. Having one from each sector is often effective, but there is no requirement. References must be independent of your proposed project.
Is the section “Industry or Other Non-University Partner Details and Roles” asking about the named partner or other potential partners?
This section refers to the industry or non-university partner named in your application. Please describe what the organisation does (e.g. company type and industry sector) and what role they will play in the project—such as providing staff, research support, facilities, or equipment.
Does the application require endorsement from only the lead institution or from all participating institutions?
Only the lead institution is required to provide a formal endorsement. For other participating institutions, we need a clear indication of willingness to participate—an email confirmation is sufficient if not provided at the EOI stage.
Should we list contact details of our industry partner?
Yes. Please include the contact details for your industry partner.
Do we need our industry partner’s sign-off? We have a letter of support—is that sufficient?
A letter of support is sufficient for now. If selected, you can provide a formal signed letter later in the process.
What is the allowable start and end date for the grant round?
The typical start date is when the grant agreement is signed by the lead institution and AJIF. Projects supported by other funding may have already commenced. The grant end date will be 12 months after the agreement start date.
When will funds be paid?
Funds will be transferred after AJIF receives an invoice from the lead institution, once the agreement has been signed.
At the very end of the online application form, after the names of the two references, there is a section to enter one address. Should this be the applicant’s address or the referees’?
Please enter your own (the applicant’s) address in that section.
How is the funding distributed? Will AJIF divide the funds among institutions or transfer them to the lead institution?
AJIF will transfer the full amount to the lead institution, which is then responsible for distributing funds to partner institutions according to internal agreements. Funds cannot be transferred to industry partners directly, but the lead institution may cover certain industry partner expenses if permitted by their policies and agreed with AJIF in advance.
Can the funds be used to pay overhead costs at the lead institution?
Overhead costs are permitted if they are consistent with the lead institution’s standard grant acceptance policy. The maximum overhead allowed by AJIF is 25% of the total budget. The grant cannot be used for general institutional costs (e.g. electricity, phone, room rental), unless these are directly related to the project and clearly specified. If the institution’s policy is to charge room rental for specific projects (for example, if they need extra lab space to carry out this project and if the university normally charges researchers for their lab space) this should be specified in the application budget.
Can I, as a fixed-term early career researcher (ECR), request a salary contribution?
Yes. If you are not a continuing employee of the lead institution, your salary contribution is an eligible expense. However, if your institution has already committed to part of your salary, AJIF requires assurance that the grant will be used for additional support—not to replace existing commitments.
How will intellectual property (IP) be handled?
AJIF does not claim ownership of any IP generated during the project or of pre-existing background IP. IP arrangements must be agreed upon by the lead institution and its partners. Most universities have established policies. In joint projects, IP is typically owned by the university but may be shared with industry partners based on a mutual agreement. Background IP remains the property of the original contributor. A formal grant agreement will clarify that AJIF does not claim any IP.