Arts PhD Fieldwork Grant for Graduate Researchers University of Melbourne in Australia

The Arts PhD Fieldwork Grant at the University of Melbourne provides financial support for graduate researchers in the Faculty of Arts whose doctoral research requires primary data collection in field locations. This grant is designed for projects where fieldwork is essential to the completion of the PhD thesis, such as research involving access to specific communities, physical landscapes, indigenous languages, archaeological sites, or oral histories. The grant offers up to $12,000 as a one-off benefit, with approximately 50 grants available to both domestic and international students currently enrolled in a PhD program.

Eligible candidates must have achieved Confirmation of Candidature and demonstrate that their research methodology necessitates fieldwork, supported by their Advisory Committee. An approved Research Expenses Plan is required, and applicants must comply with all relevant University policies, including research integrity and student travel guidelines. The selection process focuses on the essentiality and methodological rigor of the proposed fieldwork, ensuring that the research activities are integral to the thesis and meet the guidelines for fieldwork funding.

Methodological approaches suitable for this grant include ethnographic and linguistic research techniques, participant observation, interview-based strategies, and other site-intensive work that requires immersion in specific locations. The grant is not intended for activities such as visits to libraries, museums, archives, or other forms of data collection that do not require the researcher to be embedded at the location, nor for attending conferences or consulting with academics at other universities.

Applications for the Arts PhD Fieldwork Grant are open from 1 October 2025 to 31 December 2026. Interested candidates should review the application guidelines for Graduate Research Essentials and PhD Fieldwork grants, prepare their Research Expenses Plan, and submit their application through the University of Melbourne scholarships portal. Funding approval is at the discretion of the Faculty and is based on the essentiality of the research activities for thesis completion.

This grant is an excellent opportunity for PhD researchers in the arts, humanities, and social sciences to secure funding for fieldwork that is critical to their academic and research progress. For more information and to apply, visit the official scholarship page.