DECRA Fellowships

Status: DECRA 2026

Internal deadlines

Please note applications for DE26 will now be submitted to the ARC in March 2025 rather than late 2024.

Stage REQUIRED? SUBMISSION

**NEW PROCESS** Applicants to contact faculty/institute Research office to check their nomination process. Applicants approved by faculty to submit NOIS via online form

FoH applicants – FoH Nomination Form required

M Monday 18th November 2024 
Any queries, please email Deakin Research Grants
DE26 scheme opens in RMSn/a
M
Thursday 30th January 2025
Supported applicants contact Deakin Research Office to arrange an external review of their proposalOEmail Deakin Research Grants
Final application submitted to Research Office via RMSM

Via RMS - Submit to Research Office
- Email Deakin Research Grants

(from) Tuesday 18th February 2025

Request Not to Assess O

New process - Submit to the Research office Via RMS. Further instructions will be sent to all applicants closer to the submission date.

Wednesday 26th February 2025

(due at Research Office)

O - Optional / M - Mandatory

Overview - based on Discovery Fellowships Grant Guidelines 2023 edition

A scheme for early career researchers (ECRs), which forms a part of the ARC's Discovery program.  The objectives of the DECRA grant opportunity are to:

  1. support outstanding early-career researchers with demonstrated capacity for high-quality research and emerging capability for leadership and supervision;
  2. foster collaboration, with national or international researchers;
  3. support excellent and innovative research that addresses a significant problem or gap in knowledge and represents value for money;
  4. create new or advanced knowledge resulting from the outcomes of the research with economic, commercial, environmental, social and/or cultural benefits for Australia; and
  5. advance promising early career researchers and promote enhanced opportunities for diverse career pathways in high-quality and supportive environments.

DECRAs will be awarded funding in 2026 for a period of up to 3 years on a full time-basis. A researcher may only apply for up to 2 DECRAs over the period in which they are eligible.

DE26 is open to applicants who have been awarded a PhD on or after 1 March 2020, or have an award of PhD date together with an allowable period of career interruptions that would be commensurate with an award of PhD date on, or after 1 March 2020. The allowable career interruptions set out and the period allowed for each are in Table 8 of the Discovery Fellowships Grant Guidelines 2023 edition. Dates for DE26 TBC

Funding amounts

ARC funding :

Up to a maximum of $162,897 per year of funding. Per annum salary contribution from the ARC is fixed at $112,897 (inc. 30% on costs) and up to a maximum of $50,000 for project costs per year.

PhD stipend rates (DE25, DE26 TBC):

  • ARC - $32,212 pa
  • Deakin - $34,400 pa

How to apply

  1. Read the Grant Guidelines, Instructions to Applicants and FAQs
  2. Liaise with your mentor and your faculty/institute Research office to check their nomination process.
  3. Complete the NOIS via online form
  4. DR Grants liaise with Faculty / IFM / IISRI/ A2I2 / ADI to get an approved NOIS list

  5. Applicants will receive further information on the next steps in the process from DR Grants
  6. Contact the Deakin Library team via this form to assist with Research Metrics.
  7. Applicants to commence application in the ARC Research Management System – RMS.
  8. Use the Deakin University templates provided below and liaise with the DR-Grants ARC team as necessary
  9. Complete submission of your application via RMS to the Research Office for compliance checking by the date selected via Eventbrite booking.

Documents and information

The ARC will no longer publish scheme specific documents on its website, but will make these available through GrantConnect. Links to scheme specific documents can be found below.

Policies and Strategies can still be found on the ARC website.

Templates, forms and tools

    Templates, certification forms and other resources are available below, or will be made available as relevant information is released by the ARC.

    Templates:

  • B4 - Research Load - non ARC Grants
  • B8 - Details of the DECRA candidate career
  • C1 - Project Description
  • C2 -  Administering Organisation letter of support
  • D2 - Justification of non-salary funding from the ARC
  • D3 - Details of Non-ARC Contributions

Other resources: