Human Research Protection Program

Off-campus Site Permissions

Site permission is required for all research occurring at a non-Brandeis University private facility/space (e.g., school, closed online chat room), and a site permission letter must be included as part of your IRB protocol. If you are unsure whether such permission is required for your research, contact the HRPP office for guidance.

The site permission letter must include the following content:

  • The letter should be on letterhead, if applicable.
  • The letter must be dated.
  • The letter must reference the IRB protocol Principal Investigator.
  • The letter must reference the title of the IRB research protocol.
  • The letter must describe the research in such a way as to show the signatory understands what the research entails.
  • The letter must include explicit permission that the research may be conducted at the site.
  • The letter must be signed, including the title of the signatory, by an individual with the appropriate authority to authorize the research.

In some instances, an email may suffice, but must include the elements listed above.  In such cases, you may include some of the elements in the body of your email in which you request permission. Note that the permission email must come from the signatory's official email address. Please contact the HRPP office for approval prior to submitting the site permission letter in email form.