HDR Internship Scholarship

REGISTER NOW: INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT FOR RESEARCHERS WORKSHOP

Preparing for industry internships and engagement? Bring your supervisor and explore industry engagement training together.

THIS EVENT IS FOR UC HDR STUDENTS & HDR SUPERVISORS ONLY

Presented by Irene Zhen and Craig Davis - Canberra Innovation Network (CBRIN)

Date: Monday 24 August 2026

Time: 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Location: 23B05 or Online - Registration is essential

REGISTER

HDR Development and CBRIN present Industry Engagement for Researchers, a practical and interactive workshop for HDR candidates and supervisors looking to strengthen their industry engagement skills. Participants will gain insights into how industry identifies challenges and opportunities, learn how to communicate the value of their research expertise, and explore effective approaches to developing productive partnerships.

The workshop covers networking, pitching research ideas, and creating collaboration and internship opportunities, while providing practical strategies for managing expectations, communication, and timelines with industry partners. Whether you're preparing for an industry internship, seeking new collaboration opportunities, or looking to expand your professional network, this session will provide actionable pathways to turn research conversations into real-world impact.

APPLICATION ROUND IS NOW CLOSED

Key Dates

1 October 2026: Application round opens

13 November 2026 (11:59 AEDT): Application round closes

What is the UC HDR Internship Scholarship?

The new UC HDR Internship Scholarship provides funding to support eligible doctoral candidates while they undertake an unpaid research internship with an industry partner during their candidature.

To be eligible for a UC HDR Internship Scholarship, you must:

• be currently enrolled in a doctoral degree at the University of Canberra
• have successfully achieved Confirmation of Candidature
• not have previously received funding for participation in an internship
• not already be receiving payment from the industry partner related to your research
• not have an existing industry-funded PhD scholarship (internal or external)
• not be undertaking a PhD project with an embedded internship.

Domestic and international doctoral candidates (enrolled full-time or part-time) can undertake a research internship and apply for an internship scholarship.

Internship requirements

To be eligible for a UC HDR Internship Scholarship, the engagement must meet the requirements of an eligible research internship under the Higher Education Support (Commonwealth Scholarships) Guidelines 2025. The internship must:

• be agreed to, in writing, with an eligible research end-user (industry partner) within the first 18 months Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) of the candidate’s enrolment
• consist of research and development (R&D) activities related to your area of research
• be a minimum duration of three calendar months, with a total of at least 60 days FTE of engagement. This can be completed in a block period or regular days per week as agreed between the University, the partner and the candidate.

Internships can be completed remotely, online, on-site, in Australia or overseas.

The scholarship is valued at approximately $10,000 and will be paid in two installments:

• The first installment is 50% of the scholarship and paid once you start your internship
• The second installment is the remaining 50% of the scholarship and paid once you complete your internship. You will need to submit a Completion of Internship form to Graduate Research School (GRS).

See UC HDR Internship Scholarship Conditions of Award for more details on the scholarship entitlements and conditions.

Before you apply

Before you submit an application:

• Follow Steps 1 to 4 on How do I organise a research internship?
• You will need a Letter of Intent signed by you, your supervisor and the industry partner within the first 18 months of your candidature as part of your application.
  • The Letter of Intent is not legally binding but is required for your application. If your scholarship application is successful, you would need to work with your supervisor to execute a legally binding internship agreement with the industry partner before your internship begins.
  • If you already have an internship agreement signed but haven’t started your internship, speak to your supervisor about whether your internship meets the scholarship requirements. You may be eligible to apply for the scholarship and provide this written agreement for your application.
• Ensure you’ve submitted your Confirmation Seminar documentation to GRS for processing or have agreed on an anticipated Confirmation Seminar date with your supervisor (must be prior to your internship start date). You will need this information for your application.

Internship timeframes

We recommend scheduling your internship start date at least 2-3 months after the application closing date.

This allows time for scholarship outcomes to be announced and for you and your supervisor to finalise a formal internship agreement with your industry partner before your internship begins.

The application form will be made available when the next round opens on 1 October.

You would need to complete a faculty-specific application form so the application is sent to your Faculty’s HDR Officer for endorsement and ensure you have a copy of the signed Letter of Intent included in your application.