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APPLICATION ROUND OPEN NOW

Closing Date: Friday, 15 May 2026 (11:59 AEDT)

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A research internship is a valuable opportunity for HDR students to apply their research skills in real-world contexts, build professional networks and broaden their career pathways.

UC recognises the value and benefit for HDR students to engage with industry.

The new UC HDR Internship Scholarship provides funding to support eligible doctoral candidates while they undertake an unpaid research internship with an industry partner during their candidature.

To be eligible for a UC HDR Internship Scholarship, you must:

• be currently enrolled in a doctoral degree at the Â鶹´å of Canberra
• have successfully completed Confirmation of Candidature
• not have previously received funding for participation in an internship
• not already be receiving payment from the industry partner related to your research
• not have an existing industry-funded PhD scholarship (internal or external) or PhD project with an embedded internship.

Domestic and international doctoral candidates (enrolled full-time or part-time) are eligible to engage in a research internship and apply for an internship scholarship.

Internship requirements

To be eligible for a UC HDR Internship Scholarship, the engagement must meet the requirements of an eligible research internship under the . The internship must:

• be agreed to in written form with an eligible  (industry partner) within the first 18 months Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) of the candidate’s enrolment
• consist of research and experimental development (R&D) activities  related to your area of research
• be a minimum duration of three calendar months, with a total of at least 60 days FTE of engagement. This can be completed in a block period or regular days per week as agreed between the Â鶹´å, the partner and the candidate.

Internships can be completed remotely, online, on-site, in Australia or overseas.

What is a Research & Development (R&D) activity?

Your industry internship must consist of research and development (R&D) activities related to your area of research.

°Õ³ó±ð  uses the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) definition of research and experimental development (R&D) set out in the  which is ‘creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge.’

For an activity to be a R&D activity, it must satisfy all 5 of the core criteria. A R&D activity must be:

1. Novel: aimed at new findings
2. Creative: based on original, not obvious, concepts and hypotheses
3. Uncertain: uncertain about the final outcome(s)
4. Systemic: planned and budgeted
5. Transferable and/or Reproducible: lead to results that could be possibly reproduced.

Successful applicants will be paid an equivalent of 90 candidature days of UC RTP/HDR stipend scholarship rate. This is a total of approximately $10,000.

The scholarship will be paid in two ways:

1. Stipend extension of 90 days to the end of your existing stipend scholarship (if applicable).

OR

2. Two scholarship payments: the first instalment (50% of the total amount) at the commencement of the internship, and the second instalment (remaining 50%) at the completion of the internship.

For detailed information on the entitlements and conditions of UC HDR Internship Scholarship see: UC HDR Internship Scholarship Conditions of Award.

Before you apply

Here are the steps you need to take before submitting your application:

1. Speak to your supervisor about potential R&D activities and industry partners for a research internship. It’s best to have these discussions as early as possible in your candidature.
2. Approach an industry partner organisation (also referred to as a Research End-User).
   • A Research End-User is an individual, community or organisation external to academia that will directly use or directly benefit from the output, outcome or results of the research.
   • Businesses, government departments and organisations, and non-government and community organisations are all examples of possible partner organisations, provided they are not affiliated with a university.
3. Discuss internship details with your supervisor and industry partner. You can plan for your internship to be completed in-block or regular days per week provided the total time spent on the internship is at least 60 days FTE over 3 months or more. You can commence your internship as soon as you achieve Confirmation of Candidature.
4. Complete and sign a Letter of Intent. Once you, your supervisor and industry partner have agreed on key internship details you need to complete and sign a Letter of Intent. The Letter of Intent will:
   • Need to include the internship proposed dates, internship duration and the R&D activities you will be undertaking.
   • Outline the details in the early stages of planning your internship. However, these details may change or be updated during the process of finalising the HDR internship agreement.
   • Need to be signed by you, your supervisor and the industry partner within the first 18 months of your candidature and included in your application.

If you already have an internship planned and a written agreement in place but haven’t started your internship, speak to your supervisor about whether your planned internship meets the scholarship requirements. You may be able to apply for the UC HDR Internship Scholarship and provide this written agreement (instead of the Letter of Intent) to support your application.

When you submit your application, ensure you:

• Select your faculty-specific application form – this will ensure your application is sent to the correct HDR Officer for endorsement.
• Have your signed Letter of Intent to attach to the application.
• Have submitted your Confirmation Seminar documentation to Graduate Research School (GRS) for processing or you have agreed on an anticipated Confirmation Seminar date with your primary supervisor (must be prior to your internship start date).