Australia India Research Students Fellowship program

Update: Results have been issued. Please contact us if you did not receive your outcome.

The Australia India Research Students Fellowship (AIRS Fellowship) program supports emerging researchers from India and Australia to undertake short-term research exchanges.

70 fellowships of up to AUD $10,000 are available, with 35 awards available to applicants from higher education institutions in each country. The program is open to eligible research students and post-doctoral scholars (early-career researchers) across all disciplines. AIRS Fellows will undertake a research project during an exchange of 4 to 8 weeks, to be completed by mid-October 2023.

airs fellowship

The AIRS Fellowship program was jointly proposed at the fifth Australia India Education Council in Delhi in November 2019. It was launched in August 2022 at the sixth Australia India Education Council meeting, co-chaired by Australian Education Minister The Hon Jason Clare and Indian Minister of Education and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship The Hon Dharmendra Pradhan. The program is run by the Australia India Institute and funded by the Australian Government Department of Education.

The Hon Lisa Singh, CEO of the Australia India Institute, encourages research students to apply for the new AIRS Fellowship program.

Are you eligible to apply?

Applicant eligibility

Eligible applicants	Masters by research students (includes Master of Science and Master of Philosophy) Masters by coursework students undertaking a research subject or research component Doctoral research students (including Doctor of Philosophy) Post-doctoral scholars (early career researchers) up to 5-years post-doctorate
Not eligible	Undergraduate students Doctoral students already participating in a joint Australia-India PhD program
Enrolment	Students must remain enrolled and post-doctoral scholars must remain employed at the eligible Australian or Indian institution for the duration of the fellowship
Citizenship	Applicants from eligible Australian institutions must be Australian citizens or permanent residents and applicants from eligible Indian institutions must be Indian citizens

Eligible institutions

Australian higher education institutions	Higher education institutions located in Australia which have pre-existing engagement with the Indian institution that will be hosting an Australian AIRS Fellow
Indian higher education institutions	Higher education institutions located in India which have pre-existing engagement with the Australian Institution that will be hosting an Indian AIRS Fellow

Funding

AIRS Fellows will receive a lump sum to cover all travel and standard living expenses, taking into account length of stay and country in which the fellowship is undertaken.

AIRS FELLOWSHIP AWARDS	AUD 4 TO <6 WEEKS	AUD 6 TO 8 WEEKS
Australian AIRS Fellows travelling to India	$6,200	$7,600
Indian AIRS Fellows travelling to Australia	$8,000	$10,000

AIRS FELLOWSHIP AWARDS

AUD

4 TO <6 WEEKS

AUD

6 TO 8 WEEKS

Australian AIRS Fellows travelling to India

$6,200

$7,600

Indian AIRS Fellows travelling to Australia

$8,000

$10,000

Key dates

Applications open	5 October 2022
Applications close	18:00 IST/23:30 AEDT, 20 November 2022
Notification of outcomes	23 December 2022
Fellowship duration	Research exchanges span from 4 to 8 weeks
Last date to complete fellowship	15 October 2023

Information session

Interested in applying for the Australia India Research Students Fellowship program? Potential applicants are encouraged to watch this information session to learn more about the AIRS Fellowship program, including answers to some frequently asked questions.

Ready to apply?

Applications closed 20 November (18:00 IST/23:30 AEDT)

Important documents

You will need to supply the following documents to complete your online application.

Letter of Recommendation [PDF/docx]
Letter of Support from the Host Institution [PDF/docx]
Letter of Support from the Home Institution [PDF/docx]

Frequently asked questions

What host institutions are eligible?

The Australia India Institute is unable to provide you with information on eligible host institutions. Please contact your home institution about the institutions in Australia/India it may have a pre-existing engagement with.
My home institution does not have an MoU with my preferred host institution, can I still apply?

Eligible host institutions must have a pre-existing engagement with your home institution. This includes a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for academic cooperation, but can also include a broad range of other institutional or researcher engagement. Examples include:

research collaboration

joint / co-authored publications

guest lectures

co-presenters at events or co-panellists on panel discussions hosted by the home or host institution

hosting short-term study abroad students

joint or dual degrees

visiting fellowships

Please contact your home institution about its pre-existing engagements with potential host institutions.
I graduated from my doctoral research studies in 2017, am I still eligible to apply?

Post-doctoral scholars (early career researchers) need to be at or below 5 years post-doctorate at the close of applications on 13 November 2022. A fellowship could therefore be completed in the 6th year in 2023.

Does the eligibility criteria for post-doctoral researchers accommodate career interruptions?

Post-doctoral scholars (early career researchers) who are beyond five-years post-doctorate are not eligible to apply. As the assessment criteria for the Fellowships does not consider the time or experience spent building a research career, a career interruption will not impede an application.

Which post-doctoral scholar professions are eligible for the program?

Post-doctoral scholars (early career researchers) must be employed in academic roles at an eligible higher education institution.

I am an Indian citizen enrolled/employed at an Australian higher education institution, am I eligible to apply?

Unfortunately, research students or post-doctoral scholars enrolled/employed outside their home country are not eligible to apply. Applicants from eligible Australian institutions must be Australian citizens or permanent residents and applicants from eligible Indian institutions must be Indian citizens.

My home institution cannot provide travel and health insurance. Can I make my own insurance arrangements?

Yes, you will need to obtain all necessary insurances to meet your requirements. In the Letter of Support from your Home Institution you may amend the line relating to insurances to:

"The applicant has been advised to obtain all necessary insurances to meet their individual circumstances."

My home/host institution does not have an International Office. Who else can sign the Letter of Support?

The signature on the Letter of Support should reflect institutional support for the Fellowships. It can also be signed by a Dean, Head of School or Department, or Director of an Institute or Centre.

Australia India Research Students Fellowship program

Fostering connections and deeper research collaboration between Australia and India

Update: Results have been issued. Please contact us if you did not receive your outcome.

Are you eligible to apply?

Applicant eligibility

Eligible institutions

Research project

Funding

Key dates

Information session

Ready to apply?

Important documents

Frequently asked questions

FAQs

What host institutions are eligible?

My home institution does not have an MoU with my preferred host institution, can I still apply?

I graduated from my doctoral research studies in 2017, am I still eligible to apply?

Does the eligibility criteria for post-doctoral researchers accommodate career interruptions?

Which post-doctoral scholar professions are eligible for the program?

I am an Indian citizen enrolled/employed at an Australian higher education institution, am I eligible to apply?

My home institution cannot provide travel and health insurance. Can I make my own insurance arrangements?

My home/host institution does not have an International Office. Who else can sign the Letter of Support?

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