Science research fellowships

Enabling the best and brightest mid-career researchers – 5 to 15 years out of PhD.

Overview

The Future Fellowships scheme seeks to retain and attract the best and brightest mid-career researchers to undertake high-quality research programs in areas of national and international benefit.

Up to 100 four-year Future Fellowships may be awarded each year by the Australian Research Council (ARC).  These fellows are supported by up to $60,000 per annum project funding.

The Future Fellowships scheme aims to:

• support excellent basic and applied research and research training by outstanding mid-career researchers to be recruited by universities in academic positions;
• support national and international research collaboration; and enhance the scale and focus of research in Australian Government priority areas.

Eligibility

Future Fellowships candidates receiving their PhD in the past five to fifteen years or have eligible commensurate career disruption.

Check your eligibility

ARC message on eligibility extension (1 May 2020): Due to the impacts of COVID-19 to mid-career researchers, the ARC has introduced a one year automatic eligibility extension for all researchers currently in their final year of eligibility. Researchers in their final year of eligibility for Future Fellowships may choose to apply in 2020 (for FT 2021) or utilise the automatic one-year eligibility extension to apply in 2021 (for FT 2022). Final year applicants cannot apply in both rounds.

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Timeline

Applications for Future Fellowships commencing in late 2021 are due 9 December 2020, but potential applicants should contact their supporting School by 07 October 2020.

Overview

The Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme supports excellence in research by attracting world-class researchers and research leaders to key positions and creating new rewards and incentives for the application of their talents in Australia.

Preference is given to researchers who will play a significant, sustained leadership and mentoring role in building Australia’s internationally competitive research capacity.

Up to 17 five-year Australian Laureate Fellowships may be awarded each year by the Australian Research Council (ARC), providing a salary supplement, in addition to a Level E professorial salary provided by the Administering Organisation; funding for up to two Postdoctoral Research Associates (five years) and two Postgraduate Researchers (four years); and up to $300,000 per annum project funding.

The Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme aims to:

• support ground-breaking, internationally competitive basic and applied research
• forge strong links among researchers, the international research community and/or industry and other research end-users
• enhance the scale and focus of research in Australian Government priority areas
• attract and retain outstanding researchers and research leaders of international reputation
• provide an excellent research training environment and exemplary mentorship to nurture early-career researchers.

Deadline

Applications for Australian Laureate Fellowships commencing in late 2021 are due 28 October 2020, but potential applicants should contact their supporting School by 31 August 2020.

This scheme provide the highest-performing researchers at all career stages with funding for their salary (if required) and a research support package (RSP) for five years.

Investigator Grants will support:

different career stages – early career researchers, mid-career researchers and established researchers

researchers with clinical responsibilities (such as clinicians, public health and allied health practitioners) and part-time researchers.

Structure

Investigator Grants will be offered in two categories:

Emerging Leadership (EL) – recipients will have the title ‘NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow’

Leadership (L) - recipients will have the title “NHMRC Leadership Fellow’

Five levels of salary support and six tiers of research support packages (RSP) will be offered across the scheme.

Salary

Applicants to the Investigator Grant scheme select the most appropriate Level (Emerging Leader 1 - Leader 3) for their career stage and the percentage of salary required to support their research activities, while ensuring they meet eligibility requirements.

If applicants request a salary, the Leadership Level selected will determine the salary awarded. Salary levels have been set at the top of current, broadly equivalent NHMRC Fellowship levels.

Research Support Packages for NHMRC Investigator grants

Successful applicants at Emerging Leadership Levels 1 and Level 2 will be awarded a fixed RSP of $50,000 and $200,000 per annum, respectively.

There are four tiers of RSP for the Leadership Investigator Grants. These have been set at $300,000, $400,000, $500,000 and $600,000 per annum and will be allocated independently of the Leadership level, based on the overall peer review score of the application. As a comparison, the average Project Grant provides approximately $200,000 per annum for three years (excluding clinical trials grants).

Research Support Packages can be used to fund Direct Research Costs.

NHMRC Emerging Leadership Investigator Grants will be restricted to researchers who are ≤10 years post-PhD or equivalent on 1 March of the application year.     

Investigator Grants comprise a Research Support Package (RSP) and a salary component. The salary component of Investigator Grants is provided as a contribution to assist Administering Institutions with employing the successful applicant. However, an Investigator Grant recipient’s total salary is agreed through negotiation between the researcher and their Administering Institution.