Melbourne Social Equity Institute PhD Scholarships Open Call

This page is from 2024 and the information below is for information purposes only. Please visit our scholarships page for current opportunities.

Melbourne Social Equity Institute is seeking expressions of interest from candidates interested in undertaking doctoral research on social equity issues. For this open call, up to three Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) scholarships will be available for commencement in 2025.

Overview

For this open call opportunity, Melbourne Social Equity Institute is inviting interested candidates to develop and submit their own research project proposal on a social equity issue.

Projects which are closely aligned with the Institute’s research priority areas of Inclusive and Distributive Economies, Gender Equity, Health Equity, and Migration and Mobility will be highly regarded.

Reflecting the nature of social inequities, many of the Institute's research initiatives engage at the intersections of these priorities.

Due to funding restrictions, this opportunity is open to domestic students only.

Targeted Scholarship Opportunities

In addition to these three scholarships, Melbourne Social Equity Institute is also accepting expressions of interest for a PhD scholarship on Reproductive Justice offered in partnership with the Reproductive Justice Hallmark Research Initiative.

Further, the Institute, in partnership with the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, is seeking expressions of interest for two scholarships to support one domestic and one international student through the Social Equity in Engineering and Information Technology Scholarship Program. 

See all scholarships

Critical Dates

  • Expressions of Interest Open – Monday 3 June 2024
  • Expressions of Interest Close – Monday 2 September 2024
  • Shortlisted candidates required for interviews – week commencing Monday 9 September 2024
  • Successful candidates submit full applications to the relevant Faculty by Friday 27 September 2024

Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship benefits include:

Melbourne Social Equity Institute will also provide an additional $2000 per annum (a maximum of $6000 during candidature) in research support funds.

The successful candidate will also receive automatic entry into the Institute’s Doctoral Academy and/or interdisciplinary PhD Program in Migration, Statelessness and Refugee Studies.

Supervision

As part of the Expression of Interest process, candidates are asked to identify, and show evidence of in-principle agreement from, a proposed PhD supervisor at the University of Melbourne.

The University's Find an Expert site can assist in identifying suitable potential supervisors. If you are unable to identify a suitable and/or available supervisor, please contact social-equity@unimelb.edu.au and we will do our best to assist you.

Learn more about finding a supervisor

Eligibility

The scholarship is only available to Australian and New Zealand citizens or Australian permanent residents. The scholarship is conditional upon acceptance into a PhD program at the University of Melbourne. Read more about information on the University's Study site.

Successful applicants must be available to commence their studies in 2025. Applicants should have completed tertiary studies that are at least equivalent to a 4-year honours degree at an Australian university with a minimum result equivalent to a first-class Honours (80%). However, for students from an underrepresented or disadvantaged background seeking access and equity considerations, a minimum result equivalent to a second-class Honours Division A (75%) will be accepted.

Applicants should possess excellent interpersonal skills and cross-cultural community skills, the ability to work independently as well as part of a team and excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Applicants should have a strong research idea and agreement from a supervisor or team of supervisors to support the research.

People with lived experience of the area of disadvantage or inequity that they intend to research are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please note that you will be enrolled through the faculty in which your principal supervisor is based and you should also check any specific faculty requirements. These scholarships are intended for new applications. Students currently enrolled in PhD study at the University of Melbourne are not eligible to apply.

Applications

Please complete the Expression of Interest form and include the following:

  • Curriculum Vitae (up to 2 pages);
  • A brief research proposal (up to 4 pages). Outline preliminary ideas, key research questions, methodologies, relevant conceptual and theoretical approaches;
  • Academic transcripts;
  • Evidence of in-principle support from a proposed supervisor (e.g. copy of an email); and,
  • If applicable, include Masters / Honours thesis examiners’ reports.

Following an initial short-listing, you may be invited to attend an interview during the week commencing Monday 9 September.

Selected candidates will then be invited to submit a full, formal application to the relevant faculty.  Any decisions based on this Expression of Interest and subsequent interviews will be conditional on meeting all of the University’s eligibility requirements.

Melbourne Social Equity Institute reserves the right not to allocate any scholarships where, in its opinion, there are no expressions of interest of sufficient merit.

Download the EOI Form

All Expressions of Interest must be received by 5.00pm AEST on Monday 2 September 2024. Please send your completed form to social-equity@unimelb.edu.au.

Enquiries

If you have any questions about this PhD scholarship opportunity or the Expression of Interest process please contact us at social-equity@unimelb.edu.au.