NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarships

The round is now open.

Key dates for 2026 NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarships (for funding commencing in 2027)

• NHMRC round opening: 8 April 2026
• UQ R&I Notice of Intent close: 13 May 2026
• Minimum data requirements in Sapphire*: 13 May 2026, 5pm AEST
• Applications due to UQ R&I for review: 13 May 2026
• Applications close with NHMRC: 3 June 2026, 5pm AEST
• Anticipated notification of outcomes: November 2026 (date is indicative and subject to change)

* Minimum data requirements in Sapphire must be met by the deadline above in order for an application to proceed. Please ensure that you register for a Sapphire account early (activation can take up to 3 business days) and provide the minimum data (see Guidelines, s 7.3.1 and Appendix C) by the deadline.

Overview

• NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarships aim to increase research capacity in Australia by supporting outstanding health and medical graduates early in their career so they can be trained to conduct research that is internationally competitive and develop a capacity for original independent research within Australia.

Postgraduate Scholarships are available on both a full- and part-time basis and provide a salary support stipend and allowance.

Eligibility

To apply for an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship, the chief investigator A (CIA) must:

• be undertaking, for the duration of the scholarship, a higher degree by research (i.e. a PhD or a Research Masters); coursework degrees do not qualify as higher degrees by research
• not have previously received an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
• not be a recipient of, or have accepted, an Australian Government funded Research Training Program (RTP) stipend for the degree applied for, prior to or at the time of application, during peer review, at any time prior to commencement of the grant, or for the duration of the grant, if accepted
• not exceed 12 calendar months of full-time equivalent enrolment for a PhD degree, or six calendar months for a Research Masters degree, up to 31 December in the year of application.
• include a proposal for a research project based in Australia; elements of the project can be undertaken outside Australia (e.g., data gathering), but the CIA, supervisor and project must be all Australia-based and located at an Australian institution

To accept and hold an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship, the CIA must:

• be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or a permanent resident of Australia
• be based in Australia for at least 80% of the funding period
• not hold a full-time academic position, or other full-time positions, in conjunction with their NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship.

How to apply

Step 1. Internal Notice of Intent (NOI)

All candidates intending to submit an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship application are required to submit an internal NOI. This information will ensure timely confirmation of applicant eligibility by the Research Office and Graduate School.

Submit NOI

Step 2. Sapphire set up and scheme reading

• Applications must be submitted via the NHMRC's Sapphire portal.
• If you do not already have a Sapphire account, register for one as soon as possible and ensure your profile is up to date.
• Familiarise yourself with the key NHMRC documentation (scheme guidelines, templates).
• Secure your supervisor’s support, noting that they are required to provide a supervisor report as part of your application.
• Complete the UQ Funding Application Certification Form (see below) to confirm your obligations and formalise school/institute support for your application.

Step 3. Completing the application

• Log into Sapphire and complete the application form.
• Complete the grant proposal document and upload to Sapphire.
• Work with your supervisor to complete the supervisor statement, then upload it to Sapphire.

Step 4. UQR&I internal review and feedback

• The UQ Research Office reviews all applications for eligibility and compliance with the NHMRC’s requirements.
• Applications must be submitted to the Research Office for review at the UQ R&I due date noted above.
• Ahead of this internal review, ensure all online components are complete and generate your proposal snapshot pdfs in Sapphire by clicking the ‘Preview’ button in the top-right of the application window.
• To initiate internal review, email your completed Funding Application Certification Form and a copy of your grant proposal in Word format to the Research Office at nhmrc@research.uq.edu.au.
• A member of the Pre-Award grants team will review your application and provide feedback on eligibility to apply and compliance with scheme guidelines.
• An iterative review process may occur if necessary to ensure application compliance.

Step 5. Final submission

• When the application is finalised, please certify in Sapphire (see ‘Certification’ tab in the application window).
• The application will flow to the Research Office Dashboard in Sapphire for institutional certification and submission to NHMRC.

Key documents

NHMRC

The NHMRC grant guidelines and application documents are published on GrantConnect (GO8345), the Australian Government grants information system (login required). Applicants are encouraged to obtain a GrantConnect account, which will be useful in their future research careers.

• NHMRC_PGS_2026_Guidelines
• NHMRC_PGS_2026_Peer Review Guidelines
• NHMRC_PGS_2026_Funding Partners
• NHMRC_PGS_2026_Grant Proposal Template

UQ

Accessing the following resources requires UQ login credentials.

• UQ_Funding Application Certification form *Coming Soon*
• UQ_Guide on Sex, Gender, and Related Variables_v2