Westpac Research Fellowships

Key dates for Westpac Research Fellowships 2025

• Proposals open with Westpac: 1 July 2025
• Online information session: 1pm, 30 July 2025 Register here
• UQ NOI close: 4 August 2025
• Full Applications due to the Research Office: 6 August 2025
• Eligibility Exemption Requests due to the Research Office: 6 August 2025
• Full Applications close with Westpac: 5pm, 25 August 2025
• University shortlisting: 15 September – 10 October 2025
• Westpac National Assessment Centre: 3 - 4 December 2025
• Anticipated announcement: Mid-December 2025

Overview

The Westpac Research Fellowship offers early career researchers a unique opportunity to support their ground-breaking research, provide access to networks, open career pathways and global experiences. Successful Fellows will be undertaking research that can make a difference to Australia’s future in one of the Westpac Scholars Trust’s priority areas:

• An Inclusive Country
• Australia in Asia-Pacific
• Sustainable Futures
• Thriving Tech Sector

Eligibility

• Applications are open to early carer researchers who completed their PhD between January 2019 – December 2022 inclusive (unless DVCRI exemption is granted), who are Australian citizens or permanent residents and can commence their Fellowship by 30 June 2026.
• Your proposed research must contribute to the future of Australia in one of the four priority areas listed above and must include international opportunities to expand your leadership skills and global networks (e.g. study tours for the purpose of research, conference or short course attendance, an internship, or volunteering).
• You must supply all documentation detailed in Section 7 of the Guidelines. This includes a Curriculum Vitae, Letter of Support from the DVCR, an Academic Reference, and a Personal Reference. Templates from Westpac are available under Key Documents below.
• Funding requests for medical research as defined in ARC Medical Research Policy will not be considered.
• Should your application progress to the final stage, you must attend the National Assessment Centre in person in Sydney on 3-4 December 2025. If your application is successful, you must also attend the Westpac Scholars’ Summit in Sydney in late March 2026. Costs of attendance at both events (including travel) is covered by the Westpac Scholar’s Trust.

Eligibility Exemption

If your PhD was awarded before 1 January 2019, you may be considered for an exemption to this eligibility criteria. An Eligibility Exemption may be provided up to a maximum of four years for the following career interruptions:

• Caring responsibilities
• Disability
• Disaster management and recovery (e.g. affected by bushfires, floods)
• Limited or no access to facilities and resources, e.g. through workplace interruptions.
• Medical conditions
• Parental leave
• Non-research positions, not concurrent with research employment

To request an exemption, please complete the WRF 2026 Eligibility Exemption Calculator (template below) and forward this with interruption specific evidence to grants@research.uq.edu.au by the due date listed above.

How to apply

Step 1: Westpac Scholars Trust's portal registration and scheme reading:

• The applicant will need an active account in Westpac's online system.
• Familiarise yourself with the key Westpac and UQ documentation (see links at the end of this page).
• Register for the Westpac online information session at 1pm, 30 July 2025.

Step 2: Completing the application

• Log into the system and complete the Application. You will be unable to submit until all attachments have been uploaded.
• Attend the Westpac online information session at 1pm, 30 July 2025. Register here

Step 3: RO internal review and feedback

• In advance of internal review, ensure all online components are complete and valid. Generate a whole-proposal PDF for your records.
• To initiate internal review, email your completed UQ Westpac 2026 Funding Application Certification/Cash Proforma (using template below), whole-proposal PDF, and the draft attachments, including CV and UQ Letter of Support, to RO at grants@research.uq.edu.au.
• Internal review by RO/feedback provided (compliance/eligibility/grantscraft).

Step 4: Final submission

• On receiving authorisation from RO, submit your application online in Westpac's online system.

Readership and researcher support

Key documents

• UQ Funding Application Certification (Updated June 2025)
• WRF Eligibility Exemption Calculator (if exemption is required)
• 2026 Westpac Research Fellowships Application Writing Guide (Updated June 2025)
• 2026 Westpac Research Fellowships Letter of Support template (with UQ details) – will be uploaded when applications open 
• 2026 Westpac Research Fellowships Academic Reference template – will be uploaded when applications open 
• 2026 Westpac Research Fellowships Personal Reference template – will be uploaded when applications open 
• 2026 Westpac Research Fellowships Funding Guidelines