John Allwright Fellowship (JAF) 2024 – Apply Now

Applicants must be citizens of the country in which they are working.

To be eligible for selection, a candidate must:

• have worked on an ACIAR project within 24-months of applying
• at the time of applying, hold qualifications that would be assessed to be equivalent to at least an Australian bachelor’s degree in a discipline that is relevant to the proposed area of postgraduate study
• be a scientist or economist from the developing country partner (excluding India and Myanmar) who is actively involved in a collaborative research project supported by ACIAR at the time of application (in some cases, ACIAR will consider supporting researchers from “advanced pipeline” projects, i.e. in cases where a full project proposal has been approved by ACIAR)
• must be jointly supported in the application by the Australian and partner country Project Leaders where the ACIAR project is commissioned to an Australian partner;
  or must be jointly supported in the application by the partner country Project Leader and the international leader where the ACIAR project is commissioned to an international partner.
• obtain approval from the employing institution who must agree to the absence of the candidate should he/she receive a scholarship for the period involved in obtaining the postgraduate qualification
• confirm (in writing) support from proposed Research Supervisor/s, and
• demonstrate that they are employed on a permanent rather than short-term contract basis.

What is included in the scholarship?

The John Allwright Fellowship (JAF) is offered by ACIAR as part of the broader Australian Awards framework. Scholarship inclusions can be found via the link below. Successful ACIAR JAFs will receive additional pastoral care through the JAF Support Facility and can participate in our JAF Executive Leadership Program (JAFel), a professional development program covering a range of topics to support JAFs bridge the gap between study and the next stages of our Fellow’s career development.

Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook | dfat.gov.au (PDF)

How does this program support women leaders?

In its Gender Equity Policy and Strategy 2017-​2022, ACIAR committed to achieving gender parity in its Capacity Building Program by 2020. In line with this commitment, women now comprise at least half of new John Allwright Fellowship Awardees.

What can I study?

Applicants must be a scientist or economist from the developing country partner who is actively involved in a collaborative research project supported by ACIAR at the time of application. Note active projects include those that have completed in the last 24 months. Research proposals and proposed study programs will be assessed and weighted according to how they align with the work that ACIAR does and the priorities of the agricultural research within the partner country.

Where can I study?

A list of Australian Universities will be provided on the application website when you need to select your preferred institution of study. We currently have JAFs studying at 18 different universities across Australia.

Can I apply for an award if I’m intending to migrate or if I have permanent residency?

No. Australia Awards are not available to intending migrants or those who have Australian permanent residency. Awardees are required to leave Australia for a minimum of two years after completing their scholarship. Failure to do so will result in the awardee incurring a debt for the total accrued cost of their award.

Which countries are eligible this round?

This round, applications are welcome from countries in the African region, South Asia, East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific region.

Applicants must be a scientist or economist from the developing country partner (excluding India and Myanmar) who is actively involved in a collaborative research project supported by ACIAR at the time of application (in some cases, ACIAR will consider supporting researchers from “advanced pipeline” projects, i.e., in cases where a full project proposal has been approved by ACIAR).

What is the eligibility criteria?

Applicants must be citizens of the country in which they are working.

In addition to the selection criteria outlined in the Australia Awards framework, to be eligible for selection, a candidate must:

• have worked on an ACIAR project within 24-months of applying
• at the time of applying, hold qualifications that would be assessed to be equivalent to at least an Australian bachelor’s degree in a discipline that is relevant to the proposed area of postgraduate study
• be a scientist or economist from the developing country partner (excluding India and Myanmar) who is actively involved in a collaborative research project supported by ACIAR at the time of application (in some cases, ACIAR will consider supporting researchers from “advanced pipeline” projects, i.e. in cases where a full project proposal has been approved by ACIAR)
• must be jointly supported in the application by the Australian and partner country Project Leaders where the ACIAR project is commissioned to an Australian partner;
  or must be jointly supported in the application by the partner country Project Leader and the international leader where the ACIAR project is commissioned to an international partner.
• obtain approval from the employing institution who must agree to the absence of the candidate should they receive a scholarship for the period involved in obtaining the postgraduate qualification
• confirm (in writing) support from proposed Research Supervisor/s, and
• demonstrate that they are employed on a permanent rather than short-term contract basis.

Is there an age limit on applicants?

No, the Australia Awards Policy does not impose age limits on applicants.

I am involved in an ACIAR project, but I am unsure if I meet the eligibility criteria. What should I do?

Please contact your Project Leader, as endorsement from Project Leaders is considered when we assess applications.

Can I still apply if I’ve work on an ACIAR project over 24 months ago?

Unfortunately, this does not meet the required eligibility criterion for the John Allwright Fellowship program, but please visit the ACIAR website – you may be eligible for our other Fellowship opportunities!

Why is my country not included in this round of applications?

This round of applications will focus on equitable participation of ACIAR partner countries in the JAF program. This includes the African region, South Asia, East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific region.

ACIAR partner countries not included in this round, may be eligible next year. Please check back in with us then!

When should I seek the support of my Australian project leader, partner country leader and employer?

Unfortunately, this eligibility criterion is vital to the success of any application.

Written endorsement or support should be attached to your applications before submission. Failure to provide this will directly impact your eligibility.

We highly recommend that you inform all relevant parties of your intention to apply as early as possible, to enable enough time to seek, receive, and provide endorsement letters and referee reports with your application.

Is written support from my proposed Supervisor a requirement?

Although this is not a specific eligibility criterion, we highly recommend you confirm supervisory support in writing with your application (an email will suffice).

Do I need to have publications to apply?

No. Publications, while helpful, are not a requirement.

What are the visa requirements for the scholarship?

Awardees need to have a Student visa (subclass 500) to travel to and study in Australia. Awardees who hold dual citizenship must apply for their visa and travel to Australia using the passport of the eligible country for which they have received their JAF Scholarship.

Awardees will need to meet the Department of Home Affairs’ financial, health and character requirements and demonstrate that their intention to stay temporarily in Australia is genuine.

Awardees must ensure they have a valid passport and visa for the whole time that they are on-scholarship.

Awardees must apply for their visa as soon as possible after accepting the scholarship, and ensure they read the information on the Student visa (subclass 500), and the various requirements on the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website:

• Student visa (subclass 500)
• Document checklist tool

How long to visa applications take to process?

The Department of Home Affairs (DFAT) advises that in some circumstances applications may take up to three months. ACIAR will provide you with further visa advice once an offer has been made.

Can I bring my family with me to Australia?

Yes. You will be asked to indicate your accompanied status (accompanied or unaccompanied).

Health insurances and visas will need to be organised for any family members accompanying Awardees to Australia. For more information, see blow.

What are the visa requirements for accompanying dependent family members?

Awardees must declare all dependent family members on their visa application, even if the family members do not plan to join the awardee in Australia.

An awardee’s accompanying dependent family members must have a Student visa (subclass 500) in order to travel to and remain in Australia for the duration of the awardee’s study.

Awardees are responsible for the visa application, including all costs associated with the visa requirements for their dependents.

An awardee must read the information on visa requirements for dependent family members at: Subclass 500 Student visa