Scholarship opportunities

UQ Graduate School Scholarship (UQGSS)

The UQ Graduate School Scholarship is the most common scholarship applied for when planning to undertake a Phd. Most PhD's at UQ are funded via the UQ Graduate School Scholarship. For more information on eligibility and how to apply, please visit the UQ Graduate School.

*Please note, currently the UQ Graduate School Scholarship is only available to Domestic candidates. International applicants are still elligible for Earmarked PhD projects (and accompanying Earmarked Scholarship).

IMB Global Challenges top-up scholarship

The Global Challenges PhD top-up scholarship offers a per annum top up of $5,000 to the UQ Graduate School Scholarship plus $5,000 support for a placement and $2,000 professional development support (over the period of the candidature) to outstanding domestic and eligible international onshore applicants.

The PhD projects on offer will give each student the opportunity to take a deep dive into a specialised topic and research discipline in one laboratory and within our broad-ranging approach. Each project will provide the rich foundational research training gained by completing a PhD and an opportunity to make a unique contribution to the field of knowledge. By conducting these projects within a cohort of other students, also aiming to broadly address the identified themes, the collective will form an intellectual hub, together, solving these global challenges.

Importantly, the top-up includes specialised training in each theme and cutting-edge research techniques, tailored transferable skills training and support to conduct a placement nationally or internationally with a related partner. Collectively, these will form four pillars of support for the research project and create job-ready graduates with links to the national and international research, entrepreneurial and industry community. This year's theme is 'Drugs inspired by nature'.

To qualify for a Global Challenges top-up scholarship, you must:

Apply for a participating PhD Project
Submit an Expression of Interest to IMB by 1 September 2024
Submit your PhD application before the deadline (check back for 2025 deadline)

For more information about this scholarship top-up, please visit the UQ Graduate website.

In your application, ensure you:

Select ‘My higher degree is not collaborative’
Select 'I am applying for, or have been awarded a scholarship or sponsorship'.
Select ‘Other’, then add ‘IMB Global Challenges + identified theme’

Please note, there are conditions for undertaking this top-up scholarship. Refer to details below.

Top-up conditions

If awarded the Global Challenges top-up scholarship, there are a few conditions that must be met in order to receive funding. These include:

Conducting a cross-disciplinary project that is targeted at solving a global problem within the theme of 'Research inspired by nature'.
Conducting a project that is multidisciplinary, with an advisory group that is composed of at least one Associate advisor in a different IMB Centre (or UQ institute/school) to the principal advisor
Conducting a placement with an external partner - arranged by you in collaboration with The University of Queensland Graduate School within the first 18 months of commencement, the placement can take place at any time during the candidature but is normally undertaken towards the end of the PhD. The extension of your candidature period from 3.5 years to 4 years is conditional on undertaking a placement.
Being an IMB ambassador - both to promote the scholarship and IMB generally.
Being an active participant in SIMBA and mentoring junior scholarship holders
Full participation in internal IMB training events for PhD students:
- First Year:
  - Training Week
  - Technical training Masterclass
  - PhD student retreat
- Second Year:
  - Industry engagement training and event
  - UniQuest commercialisation workshop
- Third year:
  - Career development workshops, alumni mentorship programs and career panel opportunities

* Please note, the top-up scholarship duration is 3.5 years guaranteed plus 0.5 years conditional on completing training and a placement. Please know that further activities that build your cohort and enrich your PhD experience will be advised over the period of your candidature and your attendance will be required.

Earmarked Scholarships

Earmarked scholarships are offered for research projects aligned with recently awarded grants from major Australian Government research funding bodies, including the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Medical Research Future Fund.

Earmarked scholarships offer PhD students the opportunity to contribute to large projects of national significance and work with leading researchers. The scholarship provides a living stipend of $32,192 per annum (2023 rate, indexed annually), tuition fees, and Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). You can apply anytime - there is no closing date.

IMB Earmarked Scholarships are added to the PhD Projects list as they become available. Sign up to study alerts to be notified of any new opportunities. For more information on Earmarked Scholarships and how to apply, please visit the UQ Graduate School website.

* Please note, Domestic and International candidates may apply for an Earmarked PhD project and accompanying Earmarked Scholarship.