Sample Informed Consent Form Template

Required before use: This is a structural template only, for studies involving human participants (primary data collection, not systematic reviews of published literature). It must be adapted to your specific study and formally reviewed and approved by your institution's IRB (Institutional Review Board) or ethics committee before it can be used to actually enroll participants. Requirements vary significantly by country, institution, and study type — do not use this or any template as a substitute for that approval process.

1. Study title & researcher information

Study title, principal investigator name and contact information, institutional affiliation.

2. Invitation & purpose

A plain-language explanation of why the participant is being invited and what the study aims to find out.

3. What participation involves

What the participant will actually be asked to do, how long it will take, and how many times.

4. Voluntary participation & right to withdraw

A clear statement that participation is voluntary and can be withdrawn at any time without penalty, and what happens to already-collected data if they withdraw.

5. Risks & benefits

Any foreseeable risks (physical, psychological, social) and direct or indirect benefits of participating.

6. Confidentiality & data handling

How data will be stored, anonymized/de-identified, who will have access, and how long it will be retained.

7. Compensation (if any)

Any payment or reimbursement for participation, and terms if the participant withdraws early.

8. Contact information

Who to contact with questions about the study, and separately, who to contact regarding participant rights (often the IRB/ethics office, independent of the research team).

9. Consent statement & signature

A statement confirming the participant has read and understood the above, had the opportunity to ask questions, and agrees to participate — with signature and date fields for participant and researcher.

Need help with your research proposal's ethics and methodology sections?

See Research Proposal Support