Undertake research in a wide range of fields

Offering scholarship and grant opportunities funded by external organisations for graduate research students, both within Australia and overseas.

See the options below for external scholarship and grant funding opportunities.

Refer to the funding body website for each opportunity’s:

  • tenure
  • current value
  • closing date.

Prizes, awards and scholarships

Areas of study: health, medicine, science

Tour de Cure has an annual grant round, with applications typically opening in August/September. We fund grants for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment or cure of cancer, as well as projects to promote and increase cancer awareness and understanding in Australia.

See more information about Tour de Cure grants, selection criteria and how to apply.

Areas of study: engineering, science

CSIRO’s scholarship program provides full award and/or top up scholarship opportunities in science and engineering for outstanding graduates enrolled in Australian tertiary institutions.

See more information about CSIRO’s postgraduate studentships, selection criteria and how to apply.

Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds awards PhD fellowships to outstanding junior scientists who wish to pursue an ambitious PhD project in basic biomedical research in an internationally leading laboratory.

  • travel grants to junior researchers who are currently conducting an experimental project in basic biomedical research and wish to pursue a short-term research stay or attend a practical course of up to three months.

See more information about Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds scholarships and grants, selection criteria and how to apply.

Area of study: animal welfare

Every year, RSPCA Australia offers three scholarships to encourage students to take an active interest in animal welfare issues, to support animal welfare research that might not otherwise attract funding, and to promote the objectives of the RSPCA within the research community.

See more information about RSPCA Australia scholarships, selection criteria and how to apply.

Area of study: psychological sciences

The Allison Milner memorial PhD scholarship was established by MATES in Construction to honour the legacy of Associate Professor Allison Milner. This scholarship funds PhD research that addresses suicide prevention initiatives in male dominated, blue collar industries within Australia.

See more information about the Allison Milner memorial PhD scholarship, selection criteria and how to apply.

Areas of study: environment, social, governance, general/data analytics

State Super is excited to announce we are relaunching our scholarship program with a renewed focus on ESG and Responsible Investment issues for 2024. We are able to provide valuable financial support to successful applicants through the State Super ESG for Impact scholarship.

See more information about State Super ESG for Impact scholarship, including selection criteria and how to apply.

Research grants

Area of study: various

Each year the Australian Coral Reef Society (ACRS) supports the research of up to five students by the provision of Student Awards.  Awards may not be used to fund conference attendance or travel not related to field studies.

Applications open each year between January and mid-February.

See more information about Australian Coral Reef Society Grants, selection criteria and how to apply.

Various

Area of study: science

Australian Academy of Science grants and exchange programs are designed to help promote and strengthen long-term relationships and increase Australia’s presence and influence at the international level. The grants and exchange programs are offered to higher degree research students undertaking science research.

See more information about Australian Academy of Science grants, selection criteria and how to apply.

Area of study: nuclear science

AINSE offers awards for postgraduate students whose research projects are associated with nuclear science, or its applications, and require access to the unique national facilities at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).

Postgraduate research awards applications are particularly encouraged in fields which are related to the research activities at ANSTO.

See more information about AINSE postgraduate research awards, selection criteria and how to apply.

Area of study: all disciplines

The Australia-Germany Joint Research Co-operation Scheme is a joint initiative of Universities Australia and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Germany’s national agency for the support of international academic cooperation.

Scholarship applications are open to all faculties, with researchers from the Humanities and Social Sciences encouraged to apply. Interested MRes, MPhil and PhD candidates are encouraged to speak to their supervisors about submitting an expression of interest.

Learn more about the Australia-Germany Joint Research Co-operation Scheme, including selection criteria and how to apply.

Note: applications may only be submitted through Macquarie University Research Services.

Other DAAD-funded scholarship opportunities:

  • the  DAAD’s extensive scholarship database for students, graduates and academics offers applicants a wide range of tips and information to help them successfully apply for a scholarship for a course of study, a research assignment or a teaching assignment in Germany.
  • the DAAD Sydney information centre provides contact details for Australians looking for information and also lists the funding and scholarship opportunities.

Area of study: all disciplines

The Indigenous Scholarships Portal showcases scholarship funding available for Indigenous Australians in higher degree research, including various scholarships available to undertake research in a wide range of fields, both within Australia and overseas.

Search the Indigenous Scholarships Portal.

Area of study: all disciplines

*Research Professional is an online database of research funding opportunities and a source of international research policy and practice news. As a member of a subscribing institution, you are free to browse the content of the site, create customised searches of its content, and share this information with colleagues.

If you are new to *Research Professional, you can view information on:

Different institutions may have access to slightly contrasting content and functionality within *Research Professional. The three main areas of differentiation are:

  • Standard or Networked: Some institutions have subscribed to additional Networked functionality which provides extra tools for individual users and provides administrators with more options for sharing content with particular groups. This will be clearly marked where available.
  • News and Funding: The two main collections of content you may have access to are:
    • news content containing international news on research policy and practice created by our own editorial teams
    • a searchable database of open research funding opportunities. The content you have access to will be clearly visible in the navigation bar located at the top of the page.
  • Funding Insight: is a collection of additional news and data aimed at helping researchers decide which opportunities to apply for, and to help them make stronger applications. You can also search for information on previous award winners.

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