Deadline: June 30, 2026
Applications are open for the Forrest Research Foundation Fellowships 2027. Forrest postdoctoral fellows are more than just intellectually brilliant. They are adventurous, curious, open to ideas from anywhere. They embrace unusual approaches to problem-solving and take risks that others may not. They enjoy breaking with convention – the path less travelled is appealing because new frontiers offer new opportunities for discovery. They are intellectually generous and take time to understand and challenge ideas, collaborating to improve outcomes for the community and the world.
Forrest Fellowships are offered to early-stage postdoctoral researchers who have outstanding academic profiles and who have already made significant personal research contributions within and beyond their discipline. Forrest Fellows will have been among the top performing students in their undergraduate and graduate cohorts. They will already have gained high-level research experience through studying and researching in several different institutions, and their innovative doctoral research will be recognised well beyond their current institutional home. Forrest Fellows will wish to extend their postdoctoral research well beyond the focus of their doctoral dissertation and will aim to do so in a way that builds intellectual bridges within and between disciplines. Forrest Fellows are also committed to communicating their research to others, to have a positive impact on the world around us.
Benefits
The Forrest Research Foundation will provide funding for:
- Salary: Salary consistent with a Level A Step 8 appointment (for example, the University of Western Australia salary for this appointment is $112,371 in 2026) plus 17% superannuation
- Accommodation Allowance: An accommodation allowance of $25,740 per annum in 2026 (subject to marginal tax rate)
- Research and travel allowance: A once-off research and travel allowance of $12,000. This allowance is available for approved research-related expenses, overseas research and conference travel.
- Relocation allowance: All interstate and international Fellows can apply for a relocation allowance, including an economy airfare to Perth, which can be discussed with the Director if successful.
Forrest Fellows will support the general mission of the Forrest Research Foundation which could include providing mentoring, ambassadorial and leadership to Forrest Scholars, Forrest Hall and the Forrest Research Foundation. Appointments at Level B will be considered if supported by the employing university.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be in their final year of PhD or no more than two years post PhD conferral.
- For applications submitted in 2026 – with Fellowship commencement in 2027 – applicants must have had their PhD conferred on or after 1 January 2024, or will have successfully completed all the requirements for the award of their PhD by 31 December 2026.
Selection Criteria
Forrest Fellowships are highly competitive, with four Fellowships typically awarded in each round. As the Fellowships are open to applicants from any discipline, they assess academic achievement relative to opportunity and what is considered excellence in your field of research. They encourage applications from subject areas that are not represented by current Fellows.
Applications will be assessed using the following selection criteria:
- Excellence – a demonstrated commitment to research excellence remains a core focus of the Fellowship program.
- Exceptional academic achievement relative to opportunity and career stage.
- Evidence of intellectual contribution and independence, including a clear indication of the applicant’s own role in research outputs and projects.
- Resourcefulness and resilience, including the ability to overcome challenges and pursue ambitious goals.
- Leadership potential, including the capacity to contribute positively to academic and broader communities.
- Originality, ambition and significance of the proposed research, including its potential impact within the field and beyond.
- Potential to contribute to the intellectual and interdisciplinary community at the host university and within the Forrest Research Foundation community at Forrest Hall.
- Capacity to strengthen Western Australia’s research community by attracting outstanding researchers who may otherwise be difficult to recruit to the state.
- A desire to use research to create positive impact, both within Western Australia and globally.
Application
Applications close 30 June 2026, 11.59pm Australian Western Standard Time (AWST).
For more information, visit Forrest Research Foundation Fellowships.
