Australian Research Council Linkage Scheme 2026

The Australian Research Council Linkage Scheme is a research funding programme run by the Australian Research Council (ARC) in Australia. Rather than operating as a single direct-to-student scholarship, the scheme primarily funds collaborative research projects between Australian universities and partner organisations such as industry, government agencies, and community bodies. Students may then be recruited onto specific ARC Linkage-funded projects as research candidates.

Based on the referenced opportunity, the scheme can support PhD-level research through fully funded project-based scholarships at Australian universities. In the example provided, a 3-year PhD project at the University of New South Wales was co-funded under the ARC Linkage Scheme and carried out in collaboration with Transport for New South Wales and the University of Sydney.

Funding under ARC Linkage-supported student positions may include a stipend and other research support, but benefits can vary by project and host institution. The referenced posting described a fully funded PhD scholarship for a 3-year research project. Eligibility is also project-specific: in that case, the position was open to domestic students and required a strong mathematical background and understanding of econometrics.

Host institutions are typically in Australia, and available research topics depend on the funded partnership project. Areas may span engineering, mathematics, economics, statistics, transport, and many other disciplines depending on the collaboration.

Students interested in this scheme should note that applications are usually made through the recruiting university or project lead, not via a single central scholarship portal for all students. Check individual university research vacancies, ARC-funded project advertisements, and supervisor announcements for current opportunities, eligibility rules, and application instructions.