Current HDR Opportunities
Prospective applicants are requested to visit the Western Sydney University Graduate Research School (opens in a new window) for announcements and information on research scholarships.
We encourage candidates to check this page regularly as scholarships may be added throughout the year as projects are awarded. Please note that some scholarship applications may have closed.
For more details about the Research Scholarships, please click here (opens in a new window). For details about MRes Programs, please click here (opens in a new window).
To find out more, talk to the ICS HDR Director, Professor Louise Crabtree-Hayes, at L.Crabtree-Hayes@westernsydney.edu.au
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PhD Scholarship: Legal needs, access to justice and intersecting inequalities
This PhD scholarship is part of the ARC DECRA Project Advancing access to justice: identifying the causes of legal problems and is offered in partnership with the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW (the Foundation). The PhD project aims to contribute theoretical and applied knowledge to better understand inequalities in people’s experiences of legal problems and the opportunities for meaningful reforms that address intersectional disadvantages.
The PhD project will commence on 14 September 2026. Primary supervision will be provided by Dr. Catherine Hastings, ARC DECRA Research Fellow, with external co-supervision by Dr Kate Davies, Research Director, Law and Justice Foundation of NSW. Additional co-supervision will be developed according to the needs of the candidate’s project and/or disciplinary background.
Applications close: 31 July 2026
Learn more [PDF]
PhD Scholarship: Transforming Sepsis Care at Western Sydney University
Sepsis survival relies on the critical "golden hour," yet hospital-wide patient flow issues often disrupt the delivery of time-sensitive treatment. This project addresses a vital research gap by establishing how overcrowding mitigation strategies impact clinical outcomes within Greater Western Sydney Local Health District Emergency Departments. This research is essential given the high burden of sepsis, which accounts for approximately 9% of Intensive Care Unit presentations, with 81% of these requiring emergency admission.
The candidate will investigate how systemic bottlenecks hinder recognition and management within an hour of onset. For instance, you might analyse the impact of ambulance diversions, the efficacy of digital health interventions like automated alerts, or the role of workforce burnout in delaying care. This project is ideal for candidates from diverse backgrounds, such as healthcare professionals, biostatisticians, or digital health specialists, who wish to analyse large-scale system data and electronic medical records to improve clinical trajectories.
Interested Candidates from healthcare, digital health, data science, biostatistics or related fields are welcome to apply.
Applications close: 31 August 2026
Learn more [PDF]