The University of Queensland (UQ) offers four fully funded PhD scholarships. These focus on co-developing solutions to climate-driven loss and damage in the Pacific. If you care about climate change and want to help Pacific Island communities, this could be your chance to make a real difference through research.
Why These Scholarships Stand Out
These PhD positions come from an ARC Industry Laureate Fellowship. You will work with communities, governments, and partners in the Cook Islands, Fiji, and Vanuatu. The goal is to tackle the social, cultural, and justice issues tied to climate change.
Each scholarship covers all costs. This includes tuition fees, a living stipend of AU$37,500 per year (tax-free), and health cover for overseas students. You get access to top facilities at UQ’s School of the Environment. Plus, the program funds fieldwork trips and teamwork with NGOs, regional groups, and government agencies. Professor Karen McNamara leads as the main supervisor, giving you guidance from a top expert.
Key Areas of Research
Your PhD project will fit the fellowship’s goals. You and your advisors will design it together based on your skills and community needs. The main focuses include four areas:
- Develop methods for loss and damage: Create and adjust tools to measure climate impacts.
- Document experiences: Record stories from people in Pacific communities and their own ways to respond.
- Test local solutions: Put community-based actions into practice and check how well they work.
- Shape policy: Share findings to guide decisions at local, national, and global levels.
Projects stay flexible. They match your background in fields like geography or environmental science.
Who Can Apply
You need strong grades in relevant fields. These include geography, environmental science, Indigenous studies, or development studies. Past work or interest in climate adaptation, community research, or policy helps a lot. People from Pacific Island nations, especially the Cook Islands, Fiji, and Vanuatu, get special encouragement.
No specific experience is required, but passion for applied research matters. The program welcomes diverse backgrounds to bring fresh ideas.
Steps to Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)
The first step is an EOI. This lets supervisors review your fit before a full application. Follow these steps carefully.
Prepare Your EOI Details
List your proposed supervisor, scholarship info, past degrees, and at least two referees. Add proof of English skills if needed.
Upload Documents
Send files as PDFs only. Name them like LASTNAME_firstname_document-name.pdf. Include your CV, transcripts, degree certificates, and English tests. Translate non-English documents officially.
Build a Strong Academic CV
Keep it to academic and research highlights. List your name, contacts, nationality, languages, and ORCID ID. Cover education, awards, jobs, research, publications, and grants. Add a short 200-word note on your achievements if it helps explain your path. Skip photos, hobbies, or personal info.
Choose Referees
Pick two people who know your academic or research work. UQ contacts them directly, so no need for letters from you.
What Happens Next
Your chosen supervisor reviews the EOI, often within two weeks. If interested, they may set up a chat to talk about your ideas. A good match leads to a full application invite. That needs extra items like your passport, citizenship proof, or agent help for some internationals.
If the first supervisor passes, try another and resubmit. Act fast to meet the deadline.
Deadline and Application Links
Submit EOIs by April 15, 2026. Apply early for the best shot. Start at the UQ PhD Projects page. For project details, check this UQ study page.
Questions? Email Professor Karen McNamara at [email protected]. This program opens doors to fieldwork, policy impact, and a career in climate solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do these UQ PhD scholarships focus on?
They focus on co-developing solutions for climate-driven loss and damage in Pacific Island communities in places like the Cook Islands, Fiji, and Vanuatu.
What benefits does each scholarship provide?
Each one covers tuition fees, a tax-free living stipend of AU$37,500 per year, health cover for overseas students, and funds for fieldwork trips.
Who can apply for these scholarships?
Applicants need strong grades in fields like geography, environmental science, or development studies, with encouragement for people from Pacific Island nations.
What is the deadline and first step to apply?
Submit an Expression of Interest by April 15, 2026, through the UQ PhD projects page, starting with your proposed supervisor and required documents.
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