Grants and Awards

Supporting Graduate Researchers in realising their research goals and encouraging the dissemination of this information nationally and internationally. Extend the impact and application of your research through our internal grants and funding schemes.

The Faculty Graduate Researcher Fund

Maximise the impact of your research through the Faculty Graduate Researcher Fund, formerly known as the FSGS, which offers support for graduate researchers in undertaking activities associated with their research projects. Confirmed PhD candidates can receive up to $3000 over the course of their candidature and up to $1,500 for Masters by Research Graduate Researchers. While the fund has a list of approved activities, this is not exclusive, and activities not included in this list will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. View the Faculty Graduate Researcher Fund guidelines for information regarding eligibility requirements and begin your application today.

Applications are open year round, and close on the 1st of December.

Outcomes: Outcomes are normally advised within three weeks of a complete application submission, and all successful recipients must submit an acquittal of the funds within one month of completing the project.

Let the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music support your research as it has done for numerous researchers in the past. Head to our Precinct Research page to get an idea of the exceptional and influential research that we have supported and discover the impact your research can have.

Please visit the Staff Hub for information on Faculty Researcher Grants for academic staff.

Apply now

The Graduate Research Impact Overseas Travel Scheme (G-RIOTS)

The Graduate Research Impact Overseas Travel Scheme, formerly known as POTS, supports the presentation of doctoral research at an international level. This fund aims to assist doctoral research candidates in traveling to present, perform and network at some of the most influential international conferences, forums and networks worldwide. Travel must be research-related activity, with at least one distinct purpose that is clearly relevant and academically justifiable but not essential to the completion of the thesis. The purpose must include the presentation of doctoral research and result in a reportable Research Output. Successful candidates are eligible to receive up to $4,000 and this can only be awarded once during the candidature.

Application deadlines: . Applications will be assessed in rounds in 2024. 

Round 1: Opens 3rd April 12am, closes 3rd of May 11.59pm
Round 2: Opens 4th September 12am, closes 4th October 11.59pm

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Outcomes: Outcomes are normally advised within three weeks of the application deadline, and all successful recipients must submit an acquittal of the funds within one month of completing the project.

Apply now

Important reminders

  • Graduate Researchers who are traveling MUST have their Study Away application already approved and provide the approval letter BEFORE being eligible to apply for this scheme. This includes obtaining a letter of support from your supervisor to support your application.
  • Please only attach PDFs as supporting documents. Other file types may not open successfully, and your content may not be retained.
  • Use the graduate researcher Application Draft Sheet that contains ALL of the questions within the application to work on your draft, then just copy and paste into the online form, once you have gathered all of your supporting documentation. You cannot save the online application as you go.
  • You will receive a confirmation email once your application has been successfully submitted. If you do not receive a confirmation email, your application has not been received so please contact the Research Office at fineartsmusic-research@unimelb.edu.au

    • Acquittals

    It is essential that all successful FGRF and G-RIOTS recipients must submit an acquittal of the funds within one month of completing the project.

    Acquittals are a brief overview of how a grant was spent and the resulting benefits to your research project. Recipients are required to provide copies of ALL receipts.

    Submit acquittal form

    Please visit the Staff Hub for information on Faculty Researcher Grants for academic staff.

Graduate Assistantship Program (GAP)

The Graduate Assistantship Program (GAP) (formerly Academic Assistantship Program - AAP) is a prestigious one-year career development and mentoring program offered through a competitive process to PhD graduate researchers within the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music. The aims of the GAP are to benefit successful applicants’ future career paths in academia through a range of teaching, tutoring and other academic experiences. The program provides an opportunity to develop relationships with academic mentors in addition to their research supervisors, through  work spanning three key areas:

  • Teaching and Learning
  • Research
  • Administration and Development

Successful applicants will be awarded the following during their one-year program:

  • a $5,000 bursary, subject to satisfactory progress and participation
  • a casual academic employment contract up to a maximum of $10,000 including on-costs (total payable to successful applicants is approx. $8600). The casual work load activities are flexible and dependant on the needs of the area and the skills and interests of the applicant;
  • regular mentoring from an academic member of staff; and
  • a tailored development and training program

Please thoroughly read through the guidelines for further information about the program and eligibility criteria.

Application deadlines: Eligible students can make applications online from 9:00am Monday 8th April 2024 until 11.59pm, Monday 6th May 2024.

Outcomes: Outcomes will be advised within one month of the closing date.

Apply now

Conservatorium Director's Awards for Exceptional Doctoral Research

The Melbourne Conservatorium Director’s Awards for Exceptional Doctoral Research are granted twice per year on a competitive basis to support outstanding Conservatorium PhD students to produce high quality research outputs closely following submission of the PhD thesis or portfolio for examination.

Deadlines for the  Melbourne Conservatorium of Music Director's Writing Up Award: 10 March and 10 September at 5pm.

You can find more information on the Director's Writing Up Award here and the application form here.

Faculty Assistance Grants

This scheme is coordinated by the Faculty Scholarships Office and offers up to $500 for graduate students for purposes associated with their study, including equipment and materials.

Find More about Scholarships

Pivot RP Funding Database

Pivot-RP is the University of Melbourne’s newest database for research funding opportunities and a source of international research policy and practice news. The database has enhanced searching capability and tailored weekly alerts based on academic profiles taken from Find an Expert.

Implemented in December 2023, the University of Melbourne uses Pivot-RP to send email bulletins containing funding news and opportunities to researchers, as well as University-wide urgent information about major grants and funding schemes. Additional information about Pivot-RP (such as the Pivot-RP implementation approach) can be found here.