 This is the third of three short video clips about research ethics review at the Open University. The Open University's HREC system is designed to enable good research not to act as a break on innovative and imaginative projects. Many applicants comment that the committee has helped them to clarify issues and improve their studies approach and implementation. The application process is electronic and involves a trios system. This allows us to speed up the process by filtering the high, low and medium risk projects. Applicants complete the HREC checklist to assess the level of risk of your project. It may be clear from the checklist that a full ethics review is required, in which case you will continue directly to the full review process by completing an HREC application form. If it's unclear from your answers on the checklist whether a full review is needed, the checklist should be returned to HREC and we will make an assessment and let you know if you need to submit a full ethics application. Some low risk projects can be dealt with fairly speedily by chair's action, whereas others have to go to the full committee for review. Each application that goes to the committee is seen by an internal and external member. Following their written review the chair will make a decision. This can take up to a month in total so we urge people to apply as soon as they can so as not to delay the start date of their project. Once the committee members are satisfied that all questions have been covered you will receive an email confirming that you have received a favourable opinion and you're good to go.