The Australian Research Council (ARC) offers the Future Fellowships 2027 program to support outstanding mid-career researchers undertaking high-quality research in Australia. The fellowship provides four years of support and may include salary funding and up to AUD 60,000 per year in non-salary project funding. The 2027 application cycle is scheduled to open on September 23, 2026, with applications closing on November 6, 2026. Researchers who have demonstrated strong research capability, leadership, training, and mentoring experience may benefit from this opportunity, subject to the official eligibility requirements. Applications are submitted through eligible Australian administering organisations.
Scholarship Overview
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Host country: Australia
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Provider: Australian Research Council (ARC)
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Opportunity type: Research Fellowship
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Funding: Fully Funded
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Application deadline: November 6, 2026
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Assessment period: November 2026 – May 2027
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Current status: Upcoming
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Duration: 4 years
Benefits
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Salary support: Provided at one of three fellowship salary levels for four years.
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Research funding: Up to AUD 60,000 per year for eligible project costs.
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Travel: Eligible project-related travel may be covered.
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Research expenses: Funding can support personnel, equipment, field research, facilities, consumables, and other approved research costs.
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Tuition fees: Not listed as a separate benefit.
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Health insurance: Not listed as a separate benefit.
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Accommodation: Not listed as a separate benefit.
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Visa/settling-in allowance: Not listed as a separate benefit.
The official ARC information confirms salary support and research/project funding, rather than a standard student-style package covering tuition, accommodation, health insurance, and living stipend.
Eligibility Criteria
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Nationality: International researchers may be eligible, subject to the official Future Fellowships 2027 requirements.
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Academic qualification: Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent research qualification and meet the scheme’s career-stage requirements.
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Career stage: Designed for outstanding mid-career researchers with a strong research track record.
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Work experience: Relevant research experience and demonstrated research capability are required.
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Age limit: No specific age limit is stated.
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English language: No separate English-language test requirement is currently specified by ARC.
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Australian host: Applicants must apply through an eligible Australian Administering Organisation. Direct individual submissions to ARC are not permitted.
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Nomination route: The Australian host organisation submits the application to ARC on behalf of the researcher.
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Application preparation: Researchers should contact potential Australian host institutions early, as universities may have internal deadlines before the ARC closing date.
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Application limit: A maximum of three submission attempts is permitted.
Note: The detailed Future Fellowships 2027 Grant Opportunity Guidelines are expected before the September 23, 2026 opening date, so applicants should confirm the final eligibility requirements when the guidelines are published.
Available Fields or Programmes
The Future Fellowships 2027 (FT27) call does not publish a fixed list of degree programmes or participating university programmes. It supports high-quality basic and applied research across disciplines, with encouragement for research addressing national priorities.
For your article, use:
- Basic Research
- Applied Research
- Interdisciplinary Research
- Research addressing Australian national priorities
- Research with economic, commercial, environmental, social or cultural benefits
Note: Specific research topics and projects depend on the applicant and eligible Australian administering organisation. The official 2027 guidelines should be checked when released.
How to Apply
The Future Fellowships 2027 application is submitted through an eligible Australian host organisation, not directly by the individual researcher. The ARC uses its Research Management System (RMS) for grant applications.
- Identify an eligible Australian host organisation that can support your proposed research.
- Contact the relevant university or research organisation and discuss your research proposal and fellowship application.
- Work with the host organisation to prepare the required application and supporting information.
- Submit the application through the ARC Research Management System (RMS) via the eligible administering organisation.
- The host organisation submits the application to the ARC before the official deadline.
- ARC assesses the application through its Future Fellowships assessment process.
Application route: International applicants → Eligible Australian host organisation/university → ARC Research Management System → Australian Research Council (ARC).
There is no embassy or separate nominating agency route.
Required Documents
The Future Fellowships 2027 application guidelines are not yet fully published. ARC has confirmed that the 2027 round documentation will be provided in due course.
For now, list only the following as required application components:
- Research proposal – prepared according to the ARC application requirements.
- Researcher/Candidate information – details of the applicant’s research track record and relevant experience.
- Supporting information required in the ARC RMS application form.
- Host organisation information and certification – the eligible Australian administering organisation submits the application through RMS.
Not yet confirmed for FT27: separate English-language proof, passport copy, academic transcripts, degree certificates, or reference letters. Do not list these as mandatory documents until the official 2027 Grant Guidelines confirm them.
Important Dates
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Application Opens: September 23, 2026
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Application Deadline: November 6, 2026, 5:00 PM Canberra time
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Nomination Deadline: Not applicable; applications are submitted through eligible Australian administering organisations
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Assessment Period: November 9, 2026 – May 28, 2027
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Interview Period: Not specified by the Australian Research Council
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Expected Results: October 26 – November 9, 2027
The Future Fellowships 2027 is a fully funded research fellowship rather than a tuition-only scholarship. It provides a four-year fellowship salary at one of three salary levels, along with up to AUD 60,000 per year in project funding for eligible research-related expenses.
However, the ARC does not list separate tuition-fee coverage because this is a research fellowship for mid-career researchers, not a university degree scholarship.
Nationality: The Future Fellowships 2027 is intended for outstanding mid-career researchers who may be resident in Australia or overseas. Previous ARC Future Fellowships rounds have accepted candidates from both Australia and overseas.
Study Level: This is not a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD scholarship. It is a four-year research fellowship for mid-career researchers with a PhD or equivalent research qualification, subject to the final 2027 eligibility requirements.
Note: The detailed Future Fellowships 2027 Grant Guidelines are yet to be published, so applicants should confirm the final nationality and PhD eligibility requirements when the official guidelines are released.
No. Separate university admission is not required in the usual sense. Future Fellowships 2027 applications are submitted through an eligible Australian administering organisation, such as a university or research organisation. The researcher must work with the eligible organisation to prepare and submit the fellowship application through the ARC system.
This is a research fellowship, not a degree admission scholarship, so applicants do not need to first obtain admission to a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD program.
The Future Fellowships 2027 (FT27) application deadline is November 6, 2026, at 5:00 PM Canberra time. Applications are scheduled to open on September 23, 2026.
The ARC notes that these dates are indicative and may be subject to change.
No. There is no application fee for the Future Fellowships 2027 program. The Australian Research Council (ARC) provides the fellowship through eligible Australian administering organisations, and no application fee is listed as part of the application process.
