How do I apply for an Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellowship?

Prior to applying for a Fellowship, please refer to the es Guidelines (available soon) to confirm your eligibility. Applications must be made via the Online Application Form (available soon).

When do applications open for the 2025 round?

The 2025 launch date is yet to be announced.

How do I calculate my career interruptions to determine if I am eligible to apply?

Please use the Career Interruptions calculator (available soon) on the website to determine if you are eligible to apply for this round.

Do I have to know who my supervisor is before I apply?

Yes, the online application form requires you to identify your preferred supervisor and you should also work with this person to prepare your Research Project proposal, which is required as part of the application process. Please refer to the contacts page for a list of Faculties and Institutes to assist you in identifying which area would align best with your research.

Can you please recommend a supervisor at Deakin for me? / I have not been able to find a potential supervisor at Deakin can you please assist?

Please refer to the contacts page for a list of Faculties and Institutes to assist you in identifying a potential supervisor.

Can a Deakin Emeritus or Honorary Professor be a supervisor?

An Emeritus Professor or Honorary appointment is granted only to selected retiring academics. Staff supervision is a management responsibility and we would not expect an Honorary (or Emeritus Professor) to carry that responsibility. We therefore ask that the Emeritus Professor support you in a mentor capacity and an alternate, formal supervisor, be identified.

Is it possible to have a primary supervisor at Deakin and a co-supervisor from another Australian University?

A Deakin supervisor is a requirement. A mentor from another Institution is permitted should your Deakin Supervisor, and the area appointing you, be comfortable with this arrangement.

Is it possible to meet with potential supervisors at Deakin to discuss the research proposal before applying?

Yes. The online application form requires you to identify your preferred supervisor and you should also work with this person to prepare your Research Project proposal, which is required as part of the application process. Please refer to the contacts page for a list of Faculties and Institutes to assist you in identifying which area would align best with your research.

Does the proposed supervisor need to be Academic Level C or higher?

It is recommended that a supervisor be at a more senior level to the ADPRF but there may be circumstances where this might not be possible. We are encouraging all applicants to liaise with their Faculty/School/Institute/SRIC via the contacts page to discuss further.

If a potential supervisor is already supervising an Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellow who was successful in a previous round, are they able to be selected as a proposed supervisory for this round?

It is recommended a supervisor only supervise one successful ADPRF at any one time but this is not mandatory.  We are encouraging all applicants to liaise with their Faculty/School/Institute/SRIC via the contacts page to discuss further.

Are potential supervisors allowed to be selected as the proposed supervisor on more than one application?

It is recommended a supervisor only be nominated as a potential supervisor for one candidate per round but this is not mandatory.  We are encouraging all applicants to liaise with their Faculty/School/Institute/SRIC via the contacts page to discuss further.

What would be considered as acceptable evidence for my non-academic career disruptions?

You can provide a Statutory Declaration outlining your non-academic employment as evidence. (This link is for a Victorian Statutory Declaration. Equivalent Statutory Declarations are also accepted as long as they are in English).

I am still currently in the process of finishing my PhD and will not have it conferred in time to apply for this Fellowship. Can I still apply?

Yes, however you must attach a letter from your institution to the online application form confirming the expected date you will have qualified for the award of a PhD. This letter must be on an approved letterhead and signed by your head of department/professor. Please note that evidence must state you are in the process of having qualified, or being on track to qualify, for the award of PhD by no later than 31st December 2024.

What is the latest possible time to start my fellowship in 2025?

This information is yet to be announced.

Are practice-led research projects encouraged to apply? What type of research proposals are you encouraging applicants to submit?

Please refer to the Assessment Criteria section of the Guidelines (available soon) which will provide further information. To discuss your particular proposal further we would encourage you to connect directly with the Faculty or Institute which best aligns with your research area.

Does the Fellowship require the research proposal to focus on research in Australia or can an applicant also submit a proposal for carrying out international research?

Each successful applicant will be required to be physically located in Australia and based out of one of our campuses. Further discussions regarding the research proposal will need to be held with the local area that will be potentially hosting you, please refer to the Contacts Page.

Assessment Criteria 3 – Alignment & Research Environment 10%. How do I gather the information relevant to this criterion?

Applicants are not required to gather any information that sit under Assessment Criteria 3 - Alignment & Research Environment. Your preferred host environment is part of the assessments which the faculty/institute selection panel members will be scoring internally.

Will I be asked to provide referee reports as part of my application?

Referee reports will be requested for candidates who reach the informal offer stage. Nothing is required from you as part of the application process in regards to referees.

Can I obtain feedback on my application if it is unsuccessful?

Unfortunately, due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide individual feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

What is the difference between the Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and the Executive Dean Health Research Fellowship? How can I apply and where do I find out more information?

The application process for the Executive Dean Health Research Fellowship is the same as the Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.

The terms and duration of both fellowships are the same; however, applicants successful in obtaining an Executive Dean Health Research Fellowship will undertake their fellowship within health and medical areas of research strength, whereas applicants successful in obtaining an Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellowship may undertake their fellowship in any area of research strength at Deakin.

Successful applicants will be notified of which fellowship they have been successful for from mid-November 2024.

For further information relating to the Executive Dean Health Research Fellowship, please contact the Office of Faculty of Health at healthrs@deakin.edu.au.

If I have two PhD degrees, which one do I use for the purpose of eligibility?

If an ADPRF candidate has more than one PhD, the awarded PhD that aligns with the ADPRF proposed project must fall within the timeframe outlined in the Guidelines (available soon).

Do I need to hold Australian Work rights at the time of application?

Applicants can be Australian or non-Australian citizens. The appointment of Fellows who do not hold Australian citizenship or permanent residency status will be subject to the recipient being granted an appropriate visa (Refer to Conditions of Award in the Guidelines (available soon)).

Key contacts

For a full list of contacts, visit our Faculty, Institute and SRIC contacts page.

For further information regarding the fellowships please email adprfellowships@deakin.edu.au