John Allwright Fellowship Program 2026 (Funding available)

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About John Allwright Fellowship Program

The JAF program is the largest investment in the ACIAR Capacity Development Program. It provides Masters by Research or PhD scholarships to agricultural researchers, administered through the Australia Awards system. ACIAR provides additional pastoral care and development opportunities to strengthen the diverse and transferable skills of participants during their scholarship to help bridge the gap between study and the next stages of their careers. There are currently 39 JAFs enrolled in 15 universities across Australia.

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

Climate change 

Agriculture, fisheries and the broader food systems are on the front line of the climate challenge, and the Indo-Pacific is one of the regions most exposed to climate change risks. As the world's population grows, demand for food and agricultural products will continue to rise. Meeting future food demand in a sustainable way will require advances in climate resilient agricultural practices in addition to strengthening market systems and governance. Measures to adapt and build resilience to climate impacts are therefore urgently needed to defend against climate-induced loss and damage.

In recognition of this urgent need, the JAF program is allocating places in the 2026 intake round specifically for research dedicated to addressing climate change, climate adaptation or strengthening resilience to climate change impacts. All applicants are encouraged to consider how climate will affect the proposed research and action plans.

 

Award conditions

An offer of an award is only valid for the Australian academic year following the calendar year in which the offer is made. Applicants who accept a JAF Scholarship will be required to sign a contract with the Commonwealth of Australia declaring that they will comply with the conditions of the scholarship.

Scholars are required to leave Australia for a minimum of two years after completing their scholarship. Failure to do so will result in the scholar incurring a debt for the total accrued cost of their scholarship.

• Sponsor Organisation: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)

Benefits of John Allwright Fellowship Program

The JAF is offered for the minimum period necessary for the individual to complete the academic program specified by the Australian higher education institution, including any preparatory training.

The following benefits generally apply:

• Full tuition fees
• Return air travel – payment of a single return, economy class airfare to and from Australia, via the most direct route
• Establishment allowance – a once only payment as a contribution towards accommodation expenses, textbooks, study materials
• Contribution to Living Expenses (CLE) – a fortnightly contribution to basic living expenses paid at a rate determined by the department.
• Introductory Academic Program (IAP)–a compulsory program prior to the commencement of formal academic studies covering information on living and studying in Australia
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of the award (for award holder only) – provided to cover the scholar's basic medical costs (with the exception of pre-existing conditions)
• Pre-course English (PCE) fees–if deemed necessary PCE may be available for students for in-country and/or in-Australia training
• Supplementary academic support may be available to ensure a scholar's academic success or enhance their academic experience
• Fieldwork may be available for eligible research students for one return economy class airfare via the most direct route to their country of citizenship or within Australia.

Other benefits under the JAF Program

Completing a Masters by Research or PhD is a significant undertaking. To ensure that our fellows have the best possible experience studying in Australia, ACIAR offers additional scholarship support through the following activities.

JAF Support Facility (JSF) -The JSF provides tailored support to JAFs throughout their scholarship journey, such as additional pastoral care and facilitating networking events. This is a free service delivered in partnership with the  University of New England (UNE).

Alumni - On completion of scholarship, JAFs will automatically become part of the ACIAR Alumni cohort. ACIAR facilitates continued networking and learning opportunities, drawing on the expertise in the alumni to inform research for development projects.

Australia Awards - As a JAF scholar you will receive the same entitlement benefits as an Australia Awardsrecipient as well as be involved in any networking or alumni events.

John Allwright Fellowship Program Requirements

Applicants must meet the following key requirements at the time of applying:

• Must be citizens of the country in which they are working
• 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 within the last 24 months (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)
• Hold qualifications, equivalent to at least an Australian bachelor’s degree, in a discipline that is relevant to the proposed area of postgraduate study
• Have recently undertaken an English language testing program i.e. IELTs, TOEFL, PET or are prepared to take the test on receipt of application outcome
• Obtain written endorsements from their current employer, ACIAR Project Leaders (Commissioned Organisations and Country Collaborators) and their Primary Supervisor
• Obtain written approval from the employing institution which must agree to the absence of the applicant should he/she/they receive a scholarship for the period involved in obtaining the postgraduate qualification
• Currently employed on a permanent or long-term contract basis
• A well written research proposal that addresses the gender equity and social inclusion, climate change and project contribution to the development priority of your country. 

Application Date and Process

Applications for the 2026 intake roundopen on the 1 February 2025 and close on the 30 April 2025 via the Online Australia Scholarships Information System (OASIS). You must register an account in OASIS as this will enable you to logon, create and complete an application form. When starting an application you will need to select the ACIAR John Allwright Fellowships award program. 

For instructions on how to register and create an application in OASIS refer to the OASIS Applicant User Guide.

Please review the Frequently Asked Questions for further information. If you are still unsure, contact the ACIAR officein your region or email [email protected]

 

Supporting documents 

The following supporting documents are mandatory and must be uploaded with your application. Not providing these documents may impact your eligibility.

• Proof of citizenship (Birth certificate)
• An identity document (passport must have an expiry date more than 6 months from the application date)
• Certified copies of degree certificates
• Certified copies of academic transcripts
• Research proposal (consider how the proposed research will address gender equity and social inclusion, climate change, as well as the project contribution to the development priority of your country).
• Employer endorsement letter (Template available)
• Australian Project Leader referee report (Template available)
• Collaborating Country Project Leader referee report (Template available)
• Primary Supervisor endorsement letter (This can be a formal letter or copy of email correspondence)

TIP: Information on acceptable certified copies is explained at Section 2.7.7 of the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook. Also note, where documents are not in English, please provide the original copy and the English translation. 

In addition, we highly recommend you provide the following additional documents to strengthen your application: 

• Current curriculum vitae (CV)
• English Language Details (if applicable, IELTs/TOEFL/PET official report)
• Statement from university that English is the language of instruction
• List of publications (if applicable)
• Any other relevant documents in support of your application.

TIP: Download the following templates for your employer and Project Leaders to complete. 

Endorsement by Employing Organisation -​ Template

Project Leader Referee Report -​ Template

Application Deadline

30 April, 2025

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