How to apply to use ISIS

Direct Access is available for all ISIS experiments. Proposals are invited twice annually, with submission deadlines on in mid-April and mid-October. All proposals undergo peer review by the ISIS Facility Access Panels (FAPs), which convene approximately six weeks after each deadline.

Successful proposals are scheduled for beamtime by ISIS scientists, typically 3 to 8 months after the submission deadline, depending on the facility’s operating cycles.

You are strongly encouraged to discuss any potential proposal with the relevant ISIS scientist prior to submission.

Successful applicants must ensure that an experimental team is available to carry out the experiment in person at ISIS.

Further details on upcoming ISIS Direct Access calls can be found here.

When beamtime is required sooner than can be accommodated through the Direct Access route, researchers may apply for Rapid Access. This route is intended for cases where timely measurement is critical — for example, newly discovered materials, short-lived samples, or situations where a PhD student or postdoctoral researcher must complete experiments before the end of their project. A robust justification for requiring rapid access must be provided with each submission.

Rapid Access proposals may be submitted at any time and are peer reviewed by members of the Facility Access Panels (FAPs). Approved proposals are scheduled for beamtime as soon as availability allows.

Applicants must discuss any Rapid Access proposal with the relevant ISIS scientist prior to submission, to confirm beamtime availability and ensure the experiment’s requirements are suitable for this route.

Successful applicants must ensure that an experimental team is available to carry out the experiment in person at ISIS.

The ISIS Xpress service is designed for straightforward, short measurements that are conducted on behalf of users by an ISIS scientist. Typical applications include obtaining a one-off crystal structure, assessing a sample’s suitability before applying for full beamtime, or completing a single measurement to finalise an experiment.

Xpress measurements must be simple in scope, requiring no complex sample environments or safety cases.

This service does not require prior peer review, and proposals do not need a detailed science case. Users send their samples to ISIS, where measurements are carried out, and fully processed, high-quality data are returned for independent analysis. Users are expected to perform their own data analysis with minimal support from ISIS staff.

Xpress applications are organised by technique or scientific area, rather than by instrument. It is therefore essential to contact the relevant ISIS scientist before submitting an Xpress request to confirm suitability.

Dutch Access is available, for PIs based at institutions in The Netherlands, for access to Larmor. Proposals are invited twice annually, with submission deadlines in February and August. All proposals undergo peer review by the Dutch Facility Access Panel, which convenes approximately one month after each deadline.

Successful proposals are scheduled for beamtime by ISIS scientists, typically 3 to 8 months after the submission deadline, depending on the facility’s operating cycles.

You are strongly encouraged to discuss any potential proposal with the relevant ISIS scientist prior to submission.

Successful applicants must ensure that an experimental team is available to carry out the experiment in person at ISIS.

Click here for more information on the ISIS-Netherlands partnership.

Industrial and commercial experiments are welcome at ISIS.  See our business pages for more information.

Other opportunities to access ISIS can be found here.