Completing your data access application form

All applications to UK Biobank go through a thorough scientific review. This ensures that proposed research is health-related, in the public interest, and aligned with our commitments to participants regarding the responsible use of their data.

This process can take time. Before you begin, we recommend reviewing the application process and familiarising yourself with the application form. This will help avoid common issues and support timely review of your application.

This guide explains what our team look for in an application, and how to give yourself the best chance of approval.

Before you start 

Before applying, we encourage you to:

• Explore the UK Biobank Showcase to ensure that we have the data you need for your project.
• Review our Policies so you know what's expected of you.

If, during the course of your application, you receive feedback from our Access or Scientific teams, try to respond carefully and promptly will help avoid delays.

Project summary 

A2. Please provide an outline of the research you intend to undertake

(max. 2000 characters; 300–350 words)

This section is asking you to briefly describe the research project you plan to undertake using UK Biobank data. 

Try to focus on the following key elements.

• Aims: Clearly state the overall aims that your project sets out to answer. You could think of this as what you are trying to achieve overall. It should be broad, conceptual and related to the outcome.
• Objectives: Outline the specific objectives of your project. These should relate directly to your overall aims. Generally, objectives are specific, measurable and operational, and describe what will be done to achieve the project aims.
• Hypotheses can be helpful in specific types of research, but they are not essential
• Scientific Rationale: Explain why this research is important, including a clear justification of its scientific relevance, contribution to the field, or broader societal impact and any gaps in existing research that your project addresses.

Tips for writing your outline:

• The project title and Section 2 of the application will be published on the UK Biobank website exactly as submitted, so please review and proofread carefully before submission.
• Ensure the project’s outline is written in a language that can be understood by a general audience.
• Keep your summary focused and concise.
• Avoid unnecessary jargon. If technical terms or acronyms are essential, define them when first used.
• If your text includes special characters, check how they display before submitting, as formatting can sometimes change.
• If your project also uses data from other sources/studies, make sure your application clearly explains which elements are specifically related to UK Biobank data
• Do not include a reference list or methods in this section

Health relevance and public interest

This section asks you to clearly explain how your proposed research is both health-related and in the public interest. 

It consists of two parts:

A4.1. Can you confirm that you intend to use UK Biobank data to perform health-related research? 

(max. 2000 characters; 300–350 words)

This question is asking you to explain how your proposed project using UK Biobank data is health-related. 

Here, you should:

• Clearly state the health issue or condition you are investigating.
• Describe the specific data types you will use (e.g., genetic data, imaging, electronic health records).
• Explain the expected health-related outcomes, for example, how your findings could improve human health through better understanding, diagnostics, prevention, or treatment.
• If your research is methodological in nature, please state how the new methods can be used to improve health research.

A4.2. Can you confirm that you intend to use UK Biobank data to perform research in the public interest? 

(max. 2000 characters; 300–350 words)

This section asks you to clearly describe how your proposed research will serve the wider public good. We encourage you to be clear and concrete about the potential real-world value of your work.

You may wish to address:

• The health-related issue your research tackles and why it matters.
• How the results could benefit society (e.g., by informing policy, improving healthcare practices, supporting disease prevention, or enhancing quality of life).
• How you plan to disseminate your findings (e.g. peer-reviewed publications, conferences, engagement with clinicians or policymakers, public communication).

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