Externally funded scholarships and grants

Source: https://www.mq.edu.au/research/phd-and-research-degrees/how-to-apply/scholarship-opportunities/externally-funded-scholarships-and-grants Parent: https://www.mq.edu.au/research/phd-and-research-degrees/how-to-apply

You’ll need to supply a research proposal when applying

See research training pathways offered at Macquarie

See scholarships for graduate researchers at Macquarie

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

CARS is a not-for-profit industry association that brings together leaders across:

catastrophe risk
reinsurance
climate analytics
insurance.

CARS, with the support of our industry sponsor ICEYE, is inviting applications for the CARS research award, an annual award designed to support university-based research that is directly relevant to catastrophe risk, natural hazards, climate analytics and insurance resilience.

The award is open to students and early-career researchers based in Australia, including:

postgraduate students (Masters or PhD)
early-career professionals undertaking relevant research
post-doctoral researchers within five years of PhD award.

The successful applicant receives:

AUD $7500
support to attend and present at the CARS Symposium
the opportunity to present their work directly to senior industry leaders.

Download the brochure, which outlines eligibility, themes and submission requirements.

Applications for this year’s award close on Friday 20 February 2026.

The program presents students with a unique opportunity to undertake a PhD in partnership with government. It is open to students from the following disciplines:

the social sciences
psychology
law
business (including human resources and industrial relations).

Research projects should:

align with the goals of the Gender Equality Act 2020
be relevant to the Victorian context
ideally make use of data collected by the Commission.

Successful applicants will work closely with the Commission throughout their PhD candidature. They will also have the opportunity to build connections with the existing network of government and community sector organisations working on workplace gender equality and violence against women.

Learn more about the Commission's PhD program, including program guidelines and application form.

Australian Graduate Women is pleased to announce that in 2026 it will award the following fellowships.

Visit AGW for more details, and to access the application guidelines and form.

Applications close on 13 February 2026.

Barbara Hale fellowships

Quantity: 2\ Value: $10,000 each

These fellowships are open to students who are:

Australian citizens or permanent residents
enrolled in a research doctorate in any discipline at any Australian university.

Jennifer Strauss fellowship for studies in the humanities

Quantity: 1\ Value: $10,000

This fellowship is open to students who are:

Australian citizens or permanent residents
enrolled in a research doctorate in the humanities at any Australian university.

Australian Rotary Health (ARH) offers PhD and top up scholarships in health areas. Refer to ARH website for the list of available scholarships.

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: 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.

Applications now open. Applications close 11.59pm AEST 15 April 2026.

AINSE Limited (the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering) are delighted to announce the opening of applications for the 2026 round of the Postgraduate Research Awards (PGRA).

Download PGRA flyer.

Applications are now being sought from PhD students undertaking research projects in the areas of:

archaeology
geosciences and environmental sciences
biotechnology and biomedical sciences
materials science and engineering.

The PGRA provides a stipend of A$9000 per annum, in addition to a generous travel and accommodation allowance, to enable PhD students to undertake research at ANSTO facilities (for an average of two visitations totalling four weeks per year).

In addition, opportunities may also exist for PhD students interested in:

contracted research and industrial engagement projects in the defence industry area
fusion research that aligns with ANSTO and ITER activities.

Note: Honours or Masters students should instead apply for the AINSE Pathway Scholarship (details below), which is open until 15 March 2026.

How to apply

Students must complete the online application form through the AINSE grants portal and supply:

two letters of reference, including one from their university supervisor
a letter from their university research office confirming their enrolment details.

Each application is assessed by a specialist committee that oversees the specified area of research.

For more information, including a link to the online application form, terms and conditions, and an ANSTO capabilities and facilities guide, visit the AINSE website or contact AINSE on +61 (2) 9717 3376 or at applications@ainse.edu.au.

Applications now open. Applications close 11.59pm AEDT 15 March 2026.

Eligible students can now apply for the 2026 AINSE Pathway Scholarship via the AINSE grants portal.

To be eligible for the AINSE Pathway Scholarship, students must:

be enrolled in an Honours degree OR a Masters degree, at a current financial AINSE Member Institution, for some period between 1 January and 31 March 2026
as part of their degree requirements, submit a research project involving the use of ANSTO facilities, or the analysis of data previously collected from ANSTO facilities, in collaboration with an ANSTO staff member.

AINSE pathway scholars will receive a A$5000 stipend to assist them in their studies.

Download pathway flyer.

Note: PhD students should instead apply for the AINSE Postgraduate Research Award round opening in February 2026.

How to apply

Students must complete the online application form through the AINSE grants portal and supply:

a copy of their academic transcript
a reference from their university supervisor
a letter from their university research office confirming their enrolment details.

Each application is assessed by a specialist committee that oversees the specified area of research.

Applications now open. Applications close 11.59pm AEST 1 July 2026.

AINSE, in partnership with ANSTO, the Embassy of France in Australia and the Embassy of France in New Zealand, are delighted to announce that applications for the Scholarship AINSE ANSTO French Embassies (SAAFE) Program are now open, for international travel in the period 1 October 2026 to 31 December 2027.

The SAAFE Program is an exciting international exchange opportunity open to Early Career Researchers (ECRs) at the PhD and postdoctoral level. Each successful applicant is provided with costs towards a return flight and up to A$200 per week (up to a maximum of 26 weeks) to support accommodation expenses associated with a visit from:

Australia/New Zealand to France, or
France to Australia.

The SAAFE Program supports ECRs to:

expand research in nuclear science and engineering in the areas of health, environment and nuclear technologies
initiate sustainable research networks and linkages in order to support Australia, New Zealand and France in research and innovation.

Eligible applicants must be a PhD student in, or hold a postdoctoral appointment at, a French university or AINSE-member university.

The research project must be in collaboration with:

at least one researcher employed by ANSTO or another Australian AINSE-member institution (in the field of nuclear science and engineering and in the areas of health, environment or nuclear technologies)
at least one researcher employed by a French university or French research institution.

The research internship is required to take place over a period of 8–26 weeks between 1 October 2026 and 31 December 2027.

For more information, including the terms and conditions, visit the SAAFE website or contact AINSE on +61 (2) 9717 3376 or at applications@ainse.edu.au.

Download SAAFE flyer.

Apply through the AINSE grants portal.

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.

The Heart Foundation research funding programs support and develop excellence in cardiovascular research (including stroke research), from bench to bedside and beyond.

The Heart Foundation funds innovative and world-class research programs, exploring issues related to cardiovascular disease in the areas of biomedical, clinical, public health and health services.

There are opportunities for individual researchers and projects that support their goal to prevent heart disease, improve heart health and enhance the quality of life of all people in Australia. Learn more about available research funding.

We provide seed-funding support for joint research projects, policy engagement and PhD mobility between Switzerland and the Asia-Pacific.

We welcome applications from Swiss-based researchers to collaborate with research, policy or innovation partners in any of the Asia-Pacific countries that form part of the Leading House mandate.

The 2025 call offers two funding lines:

The Scientific Collaboration Fund invites proposals for projects developing ambitious research networks or addressing important policy challenges
The Mobility Fund supports short-term mobility for PhD researchers, including lab-to-lab exchanges (reciprocal mobility) and placements in collaboration with academic start-ups.

Learn more about the Leading House Asia Pacific funding call.

Deadline for applications: 8 March 2026 (5pm CET).

Others

Area of study: all disciplines

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