Institutional Review Board

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The Institutional Review Board (IRB) supports and oversees the ethical conduct of research involving human subjects conducted by undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and affiliated researchers.

All research involving human subjects must receive IRB approval prior to recruitment or data collection.

IRB Submission Process

Effective March 1, 2026, all IRB applications must be submitted through the official IRB submission form located in the IRB folder in MyGWU.

Email submissions are not accepted.

Researchers should access MyGWU to:

  • Review the IRB Instructions and Guidelines
  • Download the current IRB Application
  • Access required templates
  • Submit applications through the official online form

All IRB materials and submission access are maintained exclusively in MyGWU.

Before You Submit

Researchers must:

  • Complete required CITI human subjects training
  • Include PDF CITI certificate(s) for researcher and faculty advisor (if applicable)
  • Attach instruments (surveys, interview guides, assessments)
  • Provide active survey or digital access links (if applicable)
  • Include informed consent documents
  • Provide documentation of permission to access participant populations (if required)

Detailed instructions are available in the IRB Instructions and Guidelines in MyGWU.

Review Categories & Timelines

The IRB determines the appropriate level of review:

  • Exempt
  • Expedited
  • Full Board

Estimated timelines and additional details are available in the document “IRB Review Categories and Estimated Timelines” located in MyGWU.

Review time depends on review category, completeness of submission, and overall volume.

CITI Human Subjects Training

All researchers and faculty advisors must complete required CITI training prior to submission.

Access instructions and learner group guidance are provided in the IRB Instructions and Guidelines in MyGWU.

PDF certificates must be included at the time of submission.

External Researchers Seeking Access to GWU Participants

External researchers must:

  • Provide IRB approval from their home institution
  • Submit documentation for institutional review prior to recruitment

Requests should be emailed to: [email protected]

Animal Research

Research involving animal subjects must follow the Animal Welfare Research/Purchase Protocol available in the Faculty Forms folder in MyGWU.

Questions

For questions regarding IRB submission or review:
 [email protected]