Candidature Support Funds

All SABEL HDR candidates are eligible to apply for Candidature Support Funds (CSF) to support their research and development activities throughout their candidature. Funding is available up to a total of $6,000 for doctoral candidates, $4,000 for MPhil candidates, and $2,000 for MRes candidates.

These funds are intended to support activities directly related to your research and academic development, including conference participation, fieldwork, research materials, and other project-related costs.

What can CSF be used for?

CSF can be used for a wide range of research-related expenses, including:

  • Conference attendance and travel
  • Fieldwork and data collection
  • Research materials and equipment
  • Transcription and participant costs
  • Academic publishing and editing
  • Software or specialised resources
  • Technical or creative production costs

Western’s Essential Resources Policy describes standard resources available to research candidates. If you are unsure whether an expense is eligible, your School’s Research and HDR Officer can provide advice.

How to apply

CSF must be applied for and approved in advance. To get started:

  1. Discuss your funding requirements with your supervisor(s)
  2. Contact your School’s Research and HDR Officer for guidance

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Important conditions

To ensure your application is approved, please note the following:

  • Do not incur any expenses before receiving formal approval, as costs incurred prior to approval will not be reimbursed
  • All CSF requests are subject to School-level approval processes
  • Travel requests must be submitted well in advance (at least 4 weeks prior to departure for domestic travel; at least 6 weeks for international travel)
  • Preliminary budget discussions at Confirmation of Candidature do not constitute approval
Planning your CSF

We recommend planning how you will use your CSF early in your candidature. This will help you make the most of available funding and align it with your research milestones (e.g. fieldwork, conferences, specialised equipment, or final-stage writing support).

If you need advice, contact your School’s Research and HDR Officer.