Welcome to the YU Ethics Review online system. Below are answers to common questions from faculty, staff, students, and external researchers.
General Information
YU Ethics Review is York’s secure, web-based platform for submitting, reviewing, and tracking research ethics applications involving human participants, animals, and/or biohazardous/biological agents.
The system is available to York researchers, including faculty, staff, and students, as well as external academic faculty conducting research affiliated with York.
Internal users can log in using their Passport York credentials. External researchers without a Passport York account will need to contact the Office of Research Ethics (ore@yorku.ca) to receive guest access credentials upon affiliation confirmation.
Yes, we offer a user manual and quick reference guides, as well as training sessions. Links are available on the system’s portal webpage.
The system will roll out in three phases, with full implementation by January 2026.
Researchers will begin using the system based on the type of research they conduct:
- October 1, 2025 – Researchers working with biological agents or biohazardous materials
- January 2026 – Researchers conducting animal-based research
- January 20, 2026 – Researchers conducting research involving human participants
YU Ethics Review operates on the Kuali platform. The system sends automated emails at various points in the review process (e.g., submission updates, reviewer comments, approval notices). These messages come from Kuali Notifications no-reply@kuali.co, but they are official communications from the YU Ethics Review system.
Because these emails contain important updates related to your ethics application, please ensure that messages from no-reply@kuali.co are not marked as junk or spam. We strongly recommend adding this address to your safe senders list to avoid missing time sensitive notifications.
If you receive an email from this address, it relates to an action or update regarding your ethics application.
Submitting and Managing Applications
All research involving human participants, animals, and/or biological agents or biohazardous materials – whether conducted by faculty, staff, or students, and regardless of location – must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate ethics and/or compliance committee or its delegated review committee, in accordance with all applicable guidelines, institutional policies, and regulatory requirements.
To begin a new application, click the “New Protocol” button located on the right-hand side of your dashboard. Then, select the appropriate application type:
- ACC – for Animal Care and Use
- Biosafety
- Humans – for research involving human participants, including research with Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis), Communities, or Nations.
The system includes an auto-save feature, allowing you to save your progress automatically. You can return to complete and submit your application at any time.
Yes, you can prepare an application on behalf of the faculty Principal Investigator (PI). However, the PI must review and submit the final version. Once the application is complete, the research team member who prepared the application must click “Notify PI To Submit” on the right-hand side of the dashboard within the application. This action alerts the PI that the application is ready for their review and submission.
Note: when preparing an application on behalf of the (PI), be sure to grant the PI “Full Access” permissions in the Research Team section of the protocol form.
The system uses visual indicators to help you track your progress:
- A green checkmark in the navigation pane (on the left side of the application form) means that section is complete.
- A red exclamation mark indicates missing or incomplete information, along with the number of validation errors that need to be addressed.
To complete your application, click on the flagged section(s) in the left navigation pane and correct the item(s) marked with the red exclamation mark. Once all sections show a green checkmark and no validation errors remain, you can submit your application by clicking “Submit” on the right-hand side of the application dashboard.
Once your application is submitted, it will be assigned an application number for reference. The application will be initially reviewed by the Office of Research Ethics and then circulated to the appropriate committee for further review. If any clarifications or revisions are required, you will receive feedback directly via the system, and you will be notified by email when the status of your application changes.
Yes. You can withdraw your application at different stages:
- Before submission: Click “Abandon” on the right-hand pane of the application and confirm your selection. This will remove the draft from the system.
- After submission: Click “Withdraw” to return the application to editable status. If you decide not to proceed at all, you must then click “Abandon” to fully withdraw and remove the application from review.
You can monitor the status of your application at any time from your main dashboard in the online ethics system. The dashboard displays the current status of all your protocol submissions in one convenient location.
Below are common protocol status labels and what they mean:
- In Progress – the application is being completed by the researcher and has not yet been submitted for review.
- Submitted for Review– the application has been submitted to the Office of Research Ethics for initial review.
- Returned to Researcher– the application has been returned for general revisions and/or incompleteness before it proceeds to committee review.
- Revisions Required– specific changes or clarifications are needed following committee review; feedback is provided to the researcher in the system.
- Resubmitted– the revised application has been resubmitted by the researcher after addressing requested changes.
- Approved – the application has been approved by the appropriate ethics and/or compliance committee.
- Closed – the protocol is no longer active and has been formally closed in the system.
If revisions are requested, you must submit the updated materials through the system for final clearance. If revisions to the submitted materials are requested, please 'replace' the previous documents. If revisions were requested to the original application, make the necessary changes in the appropriate sections.
Yes. You can print your application at any time – before or after submission – by clicking the “Print” option located in the right-hand side of your application dashboard.
Once your submission has been approved, select the relevant protocol for which you need the approval certificate. Click on Activity Log in the top menu. Scroll down and locate the entry labeled "Correspondence Generated. You can now print the certificate and save as a PDF.
Research with Human Participants (Including research with Indigenous People, Communities and Nations)
Researchers can use the online system to submit ethics applications for the following types of research:
- Research involving Indigenous People (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis), Communities, and Nations
- Research involving Human Participants (does not involve Indigenous People, Communities and Nations)
- Research involving Secondary Data Analysis (no primary data collection)
- Requests for reliance on external ethics reviews (administrative reviews)
Yes, but access depends on the type of research:
- Graduate Students (Thesis/Dissertation/Pilot Project Research) – Graduate students conducting research for their thesis or dissertation, including pilot projects, must submit their ethics application through the online system.
- Course-Based Research, Major Research Papers, and Undergraduate Theses – Undergraduate and Graduate students conducting minimal risk, non-funded research – that is not a clinical trial and does not involve Indigenous People, Communities, or Nations – should not use the online system to submit their ethics applications. These applications must be submitted to your Unit-Level Delegated Ethics Review Committee instead. Only students conducting research for a course, MRP, or Undergraduate Thesis that is more than minimal risk, funded, a clinical trial, or involves Indigenous People, Communities, or Nations should submit their application using the YU Ethics Review system. For detailed submission procedures and required forms, please visit the Office of Research Ethics website.
While the main application is completed directly within the online system, you will also need to upload supporting documents, which may include:
- TCPS Tutorial Certificate(s)
- Consent form(s)
- Recruitment materials (e.g., posters, emails, social media posts)
- Data collection instruments (e.g., surveys, interview guides)
- Additional documentation as needed (e.g., permission letters, approvals from partner organizations)
The system will prompt you to upload required material as you complete your application.
Yes. In addition to the TCPS Tutorial Certificate, graduate student-led research requires two additional documents to be submitted with your ethics application:
- Proof of approved proposal – before submitting an ethics application, graduate students must have their thesis/dissertation proposal approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS). Once approved, FGS will send an email with your proposal approval number and instructions to access the YU Ethics Review system. Your ethics application must include this proof of approval (the unique proposal approval number and confirmation email). Applications without this documentation will not be accepted for review.
- Graduate Student Ethics Application Supervisor Attestation Form – the supervisor must review the ethics application and upload a signed copy of this attestation form.
Important Note on Proposal Submission: Graduate research proposals must be submitted directly to FGS. The YU Ethics Review system is used exclusively for ethics review and cannot be used to submit research proposals. For detailed instructions on how to submit your proposal for review and approval, please visit the FGS website.
Once your application is submitted, you can expect the following review timelines:
- Initial application review: feedback is typically provided within 25 to 30 business days.
- Revisions: typically reviewed within 10 to 15 business days after submission.
- Amendments: typically reviewed within 10 to 15 business days after submission.
Please note that review times may be longer during peak periods such as March, June, and November.
For more than minimal risk protocols, a full board review is required. The committee meets monthly to evaluate these protocols. Please refer to the Office of Research Ethics website for information on submission deadlines relating to more than minimal risk protocols.
A reportable event is any adverse or unanticipated occurrence during or as a result of a research project that may impact participants. Examples include significant complaints, life-threatening situations, protocol violations, impacts to health and well-being, breaches of confidentiality, or any unintended event with potential implications for participants.
To submit a reportable event using the YU Ethics Review system, open the relevant protocol and click “Reportable Event” in the top header of the protocol. Select “Report an Event”, complete the form with requested details and attach any supporting documents where needed, then click “Submit for Review”. You can track the status under Manage Protocols and view updates in the Activity Log.
Amendments, Renewals, Protocol Closure
If your study was submitted and approved using the new online system, all amendment and renewal requests must also be submitted through this platform. Follow these steps:
- Log into the YU Ethics Review system using your Passport York credentials.
- Locate and open your approved study from your dashboard.
- On the right-hand side of the application dashboard, choose one of the following options:
- Amend – select this if your study is currently active and you are submitting an amendment only.
- Renew – select this if you are renewing your study without any changes.
Important: You can no longer submit both a “Renew & Amend” application together. If your protocol needs to be renewed and requires changes, you must first submit a renewal application. Once the renewal is approved, submit an amendment application.
To submit an amendment or renewal for a study approved under the previous system, follow these steps:
- Log in to the YU Ethics Review System using your Passport York credentials.
- On your dashboard, click the “New Protocol” button on the right-hand side.
- Select the appropriate application type: ACC (Animal Care Committee), Biosafety, or Humans (for human participant research).
- Enter the required basic information, including Principal Investigator (PI) name, PI status, Faculty and department, Project title, and certificate number. The certificate number can be found on your most recent certificate – whether it is for initial approval, an amendment, or a renewal.
- For the Submission Reason, choose “Renewal and/or Amendment of Previously Approved Protocol.”
- Follow the system prompts to complete your application.
Important: You can no longer submit both a “Renew & Amend” application together. If your protocol needs to be renewed and requires changes, you must first submit a renewal application. Once the renewal is approved, submit an amendment application.
If, after project initiation, researchers whose study was approved by the HPRC recognize that their study requires additional inquiring with Indigenous participants or involves data sets requiring specific Indigenous participants analysis, communities, knowledges, this constitutes a material change to the project’s ethical scope.
Researchers must immediately contact the Indigenous Research Ethics Board (IREB) before continuing any analysis, interpretation, or dissemination of related material, and prior to submitting an amendment application. Following consultation with the IREB Chair and, when appropriate, discussion with the committee, the researcher will be directed to submit an IREB amendment application through the Office of Research Ethics.
To initiate this process, researchers should email ore@yorku.ca to schedule a meeting with the IREB.
The IREB will guide the research team through a process that may include:
- Assessing whether the inclusion of Indigenous peoples or data requires Indigenous governance or data sovereignty processes;
- Pausing analysis until appropriate Indigenous engagement or oversight is established;
- Identifying relevant Indigenous partners, organizations, or governance structures for consultation;
- Amending consent, data management, and authorship plans to align with Indigenous research ethics principles (e.g., OCAP®, community-specific frameworks, TCPS-2 Chapter 9).
This process ensures that Indigenous rights, governance, and ethical frameworks are respected.
Yes, ethics approval must be renewed annually for all ongoing research. If your study is still active after the initial approval period, you are required to submit a renewal request before your current approval expires to avoid a lapse in approval status. Failure to renew on time may result in the suspension or closure of your protocol. In such cases, all research activities must cease and cannot resume until a new protocol has been reviewed and approved. If your study is complete or no longer active, you should submit a closure request instead of a renewal.
To close your study, log in to the Ethics Review System and open the approved protocol you wish to close. Then, follow these steps:
- Click the “Request Close” option on the right-hand side of the application dashboard.
- Complete the “End of Project Report” section, which will appear at the top of your protocol. You’ll be asked to provide:
- Study completion date
- Funding status
- Confirmation that all research activities have been completed
- Once finished, click “Submit” on the dashboard.
Your request will be reviewed by the Office of Research Ethics. If approved, the protocol will be officially closed.
Sharing and Collaboration
To manage permissions, add users to the Research Team/Personnel section of the main protocol. This section is where key personnel such as Principal Investigator(s), Co-Principal Investigator(s), Co-Investigator(s), and Research Assistant(s) are added.
When adding someone to the Research Team, you can assign one of two access levels:
- Full Access: allows the user to view and edit the entire protocol, and perform actions such as submitting the protocol, or initiating Amendments, Renewals, and other updates.
- Read-Only: allows the user to view the protocol and all attachments, but they cannot make edits or take any actions.
Note: the person who initiates the protocol is automatically added to the Research Team with Full Access. If there are other key personnel involved, be sure to manually add them to this section and assign the appropriate access level.
To view a protocol created by another team member:
- Log in to the YU Ethics Review system.
- Go to the Manage Protocols section.
Any protocols where you have been added to the Research Team – with either Full Access or Read-Only Access—will automatically appear there. If you do not see the protocol, make sure the team member who created it has added you to the Research Team and assigned the appropriate access level.
Technical Support
Try clearing your browser cache or switching browsers. If issues persist, contact our technical support (oretech@yorku.ca).
The system includes an auto-save feature, which may not always keep pace with rapid selections. If your clicks aren't being registered, please pause for a moment and try again. Waiting a second before re-clicking can help ensure the system saves your input properly.
This error appears when the Principal Investigator (PI) field is empty or when the name previously entered in that field has been removed. To resolve the issue, ensure the PI field is completed, then try submitting the application again.
These errors occur when more than one permission type is assigned to the same individual. To avoid this, select only one permission level per person, either Full Access or Read Only, but not both.
For technical issues, contact our technical support (oretech@yorku.ca). For ethics-related questions, contact the Office of Research Ethics (ore@yorku.ca).