Wicked Problems Scholars - PhD Scholarship at Flinders University 2026

At Flinders University, we are committed to addressing the wicked problems and big issues of our time—complex, interconnected challenges that matter deeply to society and cannot be solved by single disciplines alone. That is why, through the Flinders Wicked Problems ReportTM, Flinders University has engaged with over 30,000 Australians to understand what matters most to them. Solving wicked problems will require a transdisciplinary and collaborative research approaches to generate impactful, solutions?focused outcomes. We are recruiting six PhD candidates to work as part of a cohort on this ambitious program, supported by access to the Wicked Problems dataset.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineApril 30, 2026
• Value$36,061 per annum
• Study LevelPhD
• SponsorFlinders University
• City to studySouth Australia
• School to studyFlinders University
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

The scholarship includes:

• A stipend valued at $36,061 (tax free), indexed annually
• The scholarship will be awarded for 3.5 years
• The project includes an inbuilt internship
• International students are eligible to apply for this opportunity.

Requirements

To be eligible for the award of this scholarship a student must:

• Be an Australian citizen; or New Zealand citizen; or have been granted permanent resident status; or are international citizens; and
• meet PhD admission requirements including: have an Australian Honours degree Class 1 or 2A or equivalent qualification (at least AQF Level 8), including a research component of at least 6 months’ full-time study achieving Distinction (75%) OR including evidence of equivalent research experience, such as a substantial first-author refereed publication or track record as an investigator on a competitive grant; and
• be available to commence as a full-time PhD student at Flinders University in semester 2, 2026;

• Overseas students are eligible to apply, however, they may be required to pay international fees.

Check also:
ANU Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend Scholarship 2026
University of Canberra Research Scholarships 2026

Application Deadline

How To Apply

Those who apply for the scholarship opportunity that have not already applied for admission to a relevant HDR must also apply for admission. Instructions on how to apply for admission can be found here: https://www.flinders.edu.au/study/apply/apply-research-degree/how-to-apply?utm_source=ScholarshipAu

By lodging this separate application, applicants acknowledge:

• The ‘Supervisor confirmation’ must refer to the application for this scholarship
• The application for PhD admission will only be assessed where:
• The applicant is successful in being awarded the scholarship

Prior to submitting an application for the scholarship, prospective applicants must contact the supervisor of the specific project they are interested in (email addresses in the Scholarship webpage) to discuss their interest in, and eligibility for, the opportunity. The Project lead may invite you to apply and request a copy of your CV together with a covering letter outlining your relevant qualifications, experience, research experience and reasons for applying for the scholarship.

N.B. applications for a scholarship must be submitted directly to the relevant lead supervisor (via the supervisors email address in the Scholarship webpage).

For more information, kindly visit the Flinders University Scholarship webpage.