Transparent Approach to Costing (TRAC) is the framework that Universities use in the UK Higher Education sector to calculate the cost of using specialist research facilities at the University for externally funded projects.

In August 2024, TRAC announced a sector wide clarification to its guidelines that any new grant applications submitted from 1 February 2025 will be required to be costed and charged to funders at the Full Economic Cost (FEC) per unit for access to university specialist research facilities in TRAC.

Since this change has been imposed across the entire sector, UKRI are fully aware of the impact, and the University has been reassured that grant reviewers will continue to be reminded not to consider costings in their evaluation of grant proposals. This new guidance does not apply to:

  • Externally funded projects that do not use TRAC specialist research facilities at the University.

  • Existing research grant contracts, which will continue to be charged in line with the methodology used to cost the original grant.

  • Unfunded research, PGR and teaching which will continue to be charged at the lower rate.

  • Bioscience Services Unit (BSU), which continues to be in a category of its own and will continue to be charged at the full costs.

Staff and PGRs received an email on 20 January and an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session was held on 22 January.

Please refer to the TRAC guideline Frequently Asked Questions for further information to determine whether these changes are applicable to your grant proposal or facility access.