If you’re an international student dreaming of pursuing a PhD in Australia for free, the AINSE Postgraduate Research Award (PGRA) could be your golden ticket. This award is specifically designed to support talented postgraduate research students whose work aligns with the cutting-edge research conducted at ANSTO—Australia’s national science organization for nuclear science and technology.
What is the PGRA?
The AINSE Postgraduate Research Award (PGRA) offers up to AUD 9,000 per year in additional financial support for PhD students who are already funded through an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship or equivalent. This top-up award enhances your existing scholarship and supports travel and research costs related to work at ANSTO facilities—some of the most advanced research centres in the Southern Hemisphere.
What makes PGRA unique is that it doesn’t just offer funding; it provides you with access to world-class labs, scientific expertise, and a supportive research community. This means you’ll get hands-on experience working on high-impact projects, while your travel and collaboration costs with ANSTO are also taken care of.
Who Can Apply?
To be eligible for the 2025 PGRA, you must:
- Be enrolled in a PhD program at an AINSE Member University (most major Australian universities are members).
- Be a recipient of an RTP scholarship or another equivalent research-based scholarship.
- Be working on a research project that requires the use of ANSTO’s research facilities or technical expertise.
This makes it an excellent opportunity for international PhD students who want to work on nuclear science, materials engineering, environmental science, or similar research areas while studying in Australia.
How to Apply?
To apply, start by getting in touch with your university’s AINSE Member Representative—they will guide you in connecting with a suitable ANSTO co-supervisor relevant to your research field. Once that connection is made, you’ll need to complete and submit your application using the AINSE online application portal here https://www.ainse.edu.au/postgraduate/.
The last date to apply for the Postgraduate Research Award (PGRA) offered by the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE) is 15 April 2025 at 11:59 PM AEST.
