Future Fellowships

Research Office contact:

research-applications@newcastle.edu.au

This scheme is OPEN

The round for Future Fellowships for funding commencing in 2024 opened Thursday 5 October 2023 and closes Thursday 23 November 2023. The university deadline for final application is 9:00am Wednesday 9 November 2023.

The ARC Future Fellowships scheme supports excellence in research by supporting excellent mid-career researchers to undertake high quality research in areas of national and international benefit.

At present many highly qualified mid-career researchers choose to work overseas to further their careers due to lack of opportunities in Australia. The Future Fellowships scheme aims to address this problem and expand knowledge base and research capacity in Australia.

Future Fellowships provides four-year fellowships to outstanding Australian mid-career researchers. In addition, the ARC may award the Administering Organisation up to $60 000 of non-salary funding per annum which may be used for personnel, equipment, travel and field research costs directly related to the Future Fellow's research.

The objectives of the scheme are to:

  • Support excellent basic and applied research and research training by outstanding mid-career researchers to be recruited and retained by universities in continuing academic positions
  • Support national and international research collaboration
  • Enhance the scale and focus of research in Australian Government priority areas

To be eligible, the Future Fellowship candidate must, as at the grant opportunity closing date:

  • Have an award of PhD date on or between 1 March 2009 and 1 March 2019; or
  • Have a PhD award date with an allowable period of career interruptions that would be commensurate with an award of PhD date on or between 1 March 2009 and 1 March 2019.

Future Fellowships will encourage proposals from researchers working in areas of national priority. Preference will be given to Australian researchers.

For further information, please visit the ARC Future Fellowships page.

Please subscribe to the ARC mailing list to receive up to date information on  this scheme if advised throughout the application period by the ARC and for other ARC funding opportunities.


Key Dates

For Funding Commencing in 2024

Please subscribe to the Research Office ARC mailing list to receive updates for this scheme.

Applications open in RMSThursday 5 October 2023
College Deadline for Admin Org Letter of Support and CoversheetWednesday 18 October 2023
University Eligibility and Compliance Check Booking PeriodMonday 16 October - Thursday 2 November 2023
Applicants to finalise NIT Statement in RMS10am Wednesday 25 October 2023
University Deadline for Eligibility Exemption Request form (if claiming career interruption for eligibility purposes) Thursday 26 October 2023
Deadline for Admin Org Letter of Support and Coversheet to Research Grants officeTuesday 31 October 2023
University Deadline for 'Request not to Assess'Thursday 2 November 2023
ARC Deadline for 'Request not to Assess'Thursday 2 November 2023
University Deadline for Final Application9:00am Thursday 9 November 2023
ARC closeThursday 23 November 2023

Please note:

  • To enable the allocation of appropriate resourcing, bookings must be made prior to the defined scheme Eligibility and Compliance Check period. Access to book an Eligibility and Compliance Check will no longer be available once the Eligibility and Compliance Check period has commenced.
  • The University deadline for final applications is 9:00am two (2) weeks prior to the ARC closing date and requires provision of a final, submission-ready application and all associated documentation including a fully signed External Application Coversheet (DOC).
  • Schools and Colleges have their own internal dates for the purpose of peer review/Head of School and Assistant Dean (Research) approval etc. Please contact your School Executive Officer and College Research Officer for further information on School/College internal processes.
  • Applicants are strongly encouraged to commence their application ASAP after the scheme opens in RMS so that they can:
    • book their preferred day for an Eligibility and Compliance Check
    • receive a copy of the scheme specific Essential Instructions developed by the Research Grants office to assist you with the completion of your application.

Please review our ARC/NHMRC Grant Rounds Submission Procedures (PDF) for essential information regarding application submission under this scheme


Documents

ARC Supporting Documents

The ARC is now required to publish Funding Guidelines and associated documents on GrantConnect, the Australian Government whole-of-government, centralised, web-based, grant information system. You will need to sign in or create a User Registration account in GrantConnect to access all relevant documentation for ARC Future Fellowships including Discovery Program Grant Guidelines, Instructions to Applicants and the Sample Application Form.

If you encounter any problems using Grant Connect or accessing any of the relevant documentation, please contact research-applications@newcastle.edu.au or phone on (02) 4921 7733

University of Newcastle

Other Useful Information

A Guide to auto-populating Research Outputs and ORCID, Preparing Research Budgets and other useful information is available on the Preparing ARC Grants page.


College Contacts

Please contact the following key staff within your College regarding your interest in the Future Fellowship. Colleges can also assist with preparing your Statement by the Administering Organisation (SAO). It is recommended you inform the College contact as soon as possible regarding your intention to apply, as each College may have their own deadline for aspects of the application process including preparation of the SAO.

CollegeContact for Scheme Coversheet Contact
Engineering, Science and EnvironmentCollege Research Officer
E:
CESE-Research@newcastle.edu.au
College Research Officer
E:
CESE-Research@newcastle.edu.au
Health, Medicine and WellbeingCollege Research Officer
E:
chmw-researchandinnovation@newcastle.edu.au
College Research Officer
E:
chmw-adr@newcastle.edu.au
Human and Social Futures Senior Manager Research & Innovation
E: Catherine.Oddie@newcastle.edu.au
College Research & Innovation Officer
E: CHSF-research@newcastle.edu.au

Eligibility Exemption Requests

Career Interruptions

All ARC Fellowship candidates who claim career interruption to meet the eligibility criteria must have an Eligibility Exemption Request approved by the DVCRI. See Key Dates for submission deadlines. The allowable career interruptions set out, and the period allowed for each are in Table 5 of the Discovery Program Grant Guidelines - Fellowships (2023 edition).

The ARC accepts the following types of career interruptions:

  • Disruption due to international relocation
  • Caring responsibilities
  • Disability
  • Disaster management and recovery
  • Limited or no access to facilities and resources – such as through workplace interruptions
  • Medical conditions
  • Non-research positions, not concurrent with research employment
  • Parental leave
  • Unemployment
  • Primary carer of a dependent child

Please contact the Research Office for further information and timing of Eligibility Exemption Requests.


Further Information

For further information regarding the Future Fellowships, please contact research-applications@newcastle.edu.au or phone on (02) 4921 7733.