The General User Program allows researchers to use the APS through a competitive access process.

• Submission Deadlines: New proposals and requests for experiment time on existing proposals are generally accepted three times a year, typically in March, July, and October. 
• Review and Allocation: Proposals are peer-reviewed and scored according to a set of review criteria. Time is allocated by a committee based on scores and feasibility. The scores of unallocated proposals are aged (i.e., improved) at each cycle as part of the allocation process. A user may appeal the outcome of a review.
• Lifetime: Proposals expire in two years or when the number of lifetime shifts recommended in the peer review have been used, whichever comes first.
• Beamlines: 1-BM-B,C; 1-ID-B,C,E; 2-BM-A,B; 2-ID-D; 2-ID-E; 3-ID-B,C,D; 4-ID-B,G,H; 5-BM-B; 5-ID-B,C,D; 6-BM-A,B; 6-ID-B,C; 6-ID-D; 7-BM-B; 7-ID-B,C,D; 8-BM-B; 8-ID-E,I; 9-BM-B,C; 9-ID-D; 10-BM-B; 10-ID-B; 11-BM-B; 11-ID-B; 11-ID-C; 11-ID-D; 12-BM-B; 12-ID-B; 12-ID-C,D,E; 13-BM-C; 13-BM-D; 13-ID-C; 13-ID-D; 13-ID-E; 14-ID-B; 15-ID-B,E; 15-ID-C,D; 16-BM-B; 16-BM-D; 16-ID-B; 16-ID-D; 16-ID-E; 17-BM-B; 18-ID-D; 20-BM-B; 20-ID-D,E; 25-ID-C; 25-ID-D; 25-ID-E; 26-ID-C; 27-ID-B; 28-ID-B,C; 28-ID-D,E; 28-ID-F; 28-ID-G; 29-ID-C,D; 30-ID-B,C; 32-ID-B,C; 33-BM-C; 33-ID-C; 34-ID-E; 34-ID-F; 35-ID-B,C,D,E
• UPS General User Proposal Template
  

A general user proposal specific to the field of macromolecular crystallography. 

• Submission Deadlines: New proposals and requests for experiment time on existing active proposals are accepted during a standard proposal call (typically in March, July, and October) and on a rolling basis during an active run cycle.
• Review and Allocation: Proposals are peer-reviewed and scored according to a set of review criteria. Time is allocated by a committee based on scores and feasibility. The scores of unallocated proposals are aged (i.e., improved) at each cycle as part of the allocation process. A user may appeal the outcome of a review.
• Lifetime: Proposals expire in two years regardless of the number of shifts on the proposal.
• Beamlines: 14-ID-B; 17-ID-B; 19-BM-D; 21-ID-D; 21-ID-F; 21-ID-G; 22-ID-D; 22-ID-E; 23-ID-B; 23-ID-D; 24-ID-C; 24-ID-E; 31-ID-D
• UPS MX Proposal Template

General user proposals that are submitted after the submission deadline that are valid for only one cycle.

• Submission Deadlines: Rapid access proposals are accepted outside of the standard proposal submission timeline; rapid access experiment time requests can be submitted at any time during an active call.
• Review and Allocation: Proposals and experiment time requests are reviewed by the beamline to which they are submitted. If the beamline considers the proposed experiment acceptable and time is available, staff will contact the proposal spokesperson to schedule the experiment.
• Lifetime: Rapid Access Proposals are valid for one cycle.
• Beamlines: 1-BM-B,C; 1-ID-B,C,E; 2-BM-A,B; 2-ID-D; 2-ID-E; 3-ID-B,C,D; 4-ID-B,G,H; 5-BM-B; 5-ID-B,C,D; 6-BM-A,B; 6-ID-B,C; 6-ID-D; 7-BM-B; 7-ID-B,C,D; 8-BM-B; 8-ID-E,I; 9-BM-B,C; 9-ID-D; 10-BM-B; 10-ID-B; 11-BM-B; 11-ID-B; 11-ID-C; 11-ID-D; 12-BM-B; 12-ID-B; 12-ID-C,D,E; 13-BM-C; 13-BM-D; 13-ID-C; 13-ID-D; 13-ID-E; 14-ID-B; 15-ID-B,E; 15-ID-C,D; 16-BM-B; 16-BM-D; 16-ID-B; 16-ID-D; 16-ID-E; 17-BM-B; 18-ID-D; 20-BM-B; 20-ID-D,E; 25-ID-C; 25-ID-D; 25-ID-E; 26-ID-C; 27-ID-B; 28-ID-B,C; 28-ID-D,E; 28-ID-F; 28-ID-G; 29-ID-C,D; 30-ID-B,C; 32-ID-B,C; 33-BM-C; 33-ID-C; 34-ID-E; 34-ID-F; 35-ID-B,C,D,E

General user proposals dedicated to mail-in total scattering, rapid acquisition, and high-resolution powder diffraction.

• Submission Deadlines: Proposals can be submitted at any time during an active call.
• Review and Allocation: Proposals and experiment time requests are reviewed by the beamline to which they are submitted. If the beamline considers the proposed experiment acceptable, staff will contact the proposal spokesperson to schedule the experiment.
• Lifetime: Proposals are valid for one cycle.
• Beamlines: 11-BM-B; 11-ID-B; 17-BM-B

Proposals for any resource (beamline) staff, whether APS or Collaborative Access Teams (CATs).

• Submission Deadlines: Staff proposals can be submitted at any time during an active call.
• Review and Allocation: Determined by APS beamline and CAT staff.
• Lifetime: Proposals expire in five years.
• Beamlines: 1-BM-B,C; 1-ID-B,C,E; 2-BM-A,B; 2-ID-D; 2-ID-E; 3-ID-B,C,D; 4-ID-B,G,H; 5-BM-B; 5-ID-B,C,D; 6-BM-A,B; 6-ID-B,C; 6-ID-D; 7-BM-B; 7-ID-B,C,D; 8-BM-B; 8-ID-E,I; 9-BM-B,C; 9-ID-D; 10-BM-B; 10-ID-B; 11-BM-B; 11-ID-B; 11-ID-C; 11-ID-D; 12-BM-B; 12-ID-B; 12-ID-C,D,E; 13-BM-C; 13-BM-D; 13-ID-C; 13-ID-D; 13-ID-E; 14-ID-B; 15-ID-B,E; 15-ID-C,D; 16-BM-B; 16-BM-D; 16-ID-B; 16-ID-D; 16-ID-E; 17-BM-B; 17-ID-B; 18-ID-D; 19-BM-D; 20-BM-B; 20-ID-D,E; 21-ID-D; 21-ID-F; 21-ID-G; 22-ID-D; 22-ID-E; 23-ID-B; 23-ID-D; 24-ID-C; 24-ID-E; 25-ID-C; 25-ID-D; 25-ID-E; 26-ID-C; 27-ID-B; 28-ID-B,C; 28-ID-D,E; 28-ID-F; 28-ID-G; 29-ID-C,D; 30-ID-B,C; 31-ID-D; 32-ID-B,C; 33-BM-C; 33-ID-C; 34-ID-E; 34-ID-F; 35-ID-B,C,D,E

Proposals from members of a Collaborative Access Team (CAT), reviewed by processes developed by individual CATs. For CAT websites, see the Beamline Directory.

• Submission Deadlines: CAT Member proposals can be submitted at any time during an active call.
• Review and Allocation: Determined by CAT staff.
• Lifetime: Proposals expire in five years.
• Beamlines: 5-BM-B; 5-ID-B,C,D; 10-BM-B; 10-ID-B; 16-BM-B; 16-BM-D; 16-ID-B; 16-ID-D; 16-ID-E; 17-ID-B; 18-ID-D; 21-ID-D; 21-ID-F; 21-ID-G; 22-ID-D; 22-ID-E; 23-ID-B; 23-ID-D; 24-ID-C; 24-ID-E; 31-ID-D; 35-ID-B,C,D,E

Note: This proposal type is not available at this time and will be announced in future cycles.

Partner users contribute to the development of the facility and benefit the general user community (e.g., provide new instrumentation or capabilities that will be available to all users or by creating or expanding a user community) in exchange for reliable beam time over multiple cycles. Details of the Partner User Program can be found in the Comprehensive APS Beam Time Access Policy (APS_1700813).

• Submission Deadlines: New proposals and requests for experiment time on existing active proposals are generally accepted three times a year, typically in March, July, and October.
• Review and Allocation: Proposals are peer-reviewed and scored according to a set of review criteria. Time is allocated by a committee based on scores and feasibility. A user may appeal the outcome of a review. A Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) sub-committee determines if it qualifies for PUP status.
• Lifetime: Determined by the SAC sub-committee, with a maximum of three years.
• Beamlines: Any operational XSD beamline.
• UPS Partner User Proposal Template

Note: This proposal type is not available at this time and will be announced in future cycles.

Intended for groups of researchers with shared scientific interest, location, affiliation, experimental setup, etc., that want to combine their short beam time requests into a single proposal to permit greater flexibility in allocation and scheduling.

• Submission Deadlines: New proposals and requests for experiment time on existing active proposals are generally accepted three times a year, typically in March, July, and October.
• Review and Allocation: Proposals are peer-reviewed and scored according to a set of review criteria. Time is allocated by a committee based on scores and feasibility. The scores of unallocated proposals are aged (i.e., improved) at each cycle as part of the allocation process. A user may appeal the outcome of a review.
• Lifetime: Proposals expire in two years or when the number of shifts recommended in the peer review have been used, whichever comes first.
• Beamlines: All operational beamlines.