Dennis McDermott Research Scholarship 2026 in Australia | Fully Funded
Apply for the Dennis McDermott Research Scholarship 2026 at La Trobe University, offering fully funded support for Indigenous Australian Master's and PhD students.
Overview
The Dennis McDermott Research Scholarship is designed to support Indigenous Australian students of exceptional research promise who wish to undertake a higher degree by research at La Trobe University. Named in honour of Professor Dennis McDermott, the university's inaugural Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous), the programme provides financial support and professional development opportunities across La Trobe campuses in Albury-Wodonga, Bendigo, Melbourne, Mildura, and Shepparton.
Benefits
- A Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend valued at $36,000 per annum (2026 rate) for up to 3.5 years for doctoral studies or 22 months for a Master's by research.
- A special top-up stipend of $10,000 per annum for the duration of the scholarship.
- A research support grant of up to $3,000 per annum for eligible study periods to help cover costs like fieldwork, laboratory consumables, and conference attendance.
- An RTP Fees Offset scholarship and an RTP Allowance to assist with relocation and thesis production.
- Access to La Trobe’s professional development programmes and research networks.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin.
- Must be an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident.
- Must meet the course entrance requirements and undertake research at a La Trobe University campus (prioritised).
- For doctoral research, candidates require a completed Master's by Research or an equivalent significant body of research evaluated at a La Trobe standard of 75 or above.
- For Master's by research, candidates must hold the equivalent of a first-class honours degree from an Australian or recognised overseas university.
How to Apply
Prospective candidates should follow these application steps:
- Review candidature requirements and develop a research proposal or choose an available Graduate Research project.
- Identify and contact a suitable supervisor via the La Trobe University website to obtain in-principle agreement for supervision.
- Complete the official application, select the 'Graduate Research Applicants' scholarship option, and submit.
- Candidates already enrolled in a graduate research degree at La Trobe can apply for the scholarship separately by starting a new application, selecting 'next' at the course prompt, and choosing the 'Graduate Research – Scholarship Only' option.
Deadline
The closing date for applications is 31 December 2026.