Thrive: NextGen Scholarship

Scholarship code: PS2024_012_Thrive

About the project:

We invite high achieving Higher Degree Research students to become part of the ‘Thrive’ project, an innovative, cross-University and mixed-methods project currently underway to better understand the barriers and facilitators to school success for students across New South Wales. You will be embedded in a broad partnership of leading researchers in the social sciences from Western Sydney University (WSU) and the Australian National University (ANU), leading researchers in data science from the University of Technology (UTS) and industry experts. The project will support the development of new methods of machine learning for social good and co-design of innovative solutions to improve school engagement. This scholarship will enable Higher Degree Research students to build substantial new cross-disciplinary capacity and knowledge, both in data-driven discovery for socio-technical systems and in qualitative methods to address the substantial and challenging problems posed by social disadvantage in the context of education.

The NextGen scholarship program is open to Higher Degree Research candidates at the doctoral level, at Masters level, and at Honours level for exceptional students.

This program offers doctoral students a 6-month placement, and Masters students a 3-month placement, at the Department of Education to gain real-world experiences and be job ready. Beyond a generous stipend, this scholarship provides students with additional funds for training and travel. Additional top-ups are available from WSU to support students experiencing personal hardship or other educational barriers which can make it difficult to access and succeed in tertiary education.

What does the scholarship provide?

The Next Generation AI program provides:

  • A living stipend PhD scholarship for 3 years of $41,650 per annum (tax exempt).

OR

  • A living stipend MPhil scholarship for 2 years of $41,650 per annum

OR

  • A living stipend MRes scholarship of 1 year (Second year of the MRes) of $30,000

OR

A living stipend Honours scholarship of 1 year of $10,000

AND

  • Training allowance of $5000 per annum for up to three (3) years, based on candidature type.

In addition, PhD and MPhil students will receive:

  • Travel allowance of $5000.
  • Thesis allowance of $840.

Eligibility criteria:

To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must be domestic students as per the Higher Education Support Act at the time of award. Domestic students include:

  • Australian citizens,
  • Australian permanent residents,
  • a person entitled to stay in Australia, or to enter and stay in Australia, without any limitation as to time; or
  • a New Zealand citizen.
  • Scholarships are available for students at Honours and all postgraduate levels across Australian universities. Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) scholarship holders must enrol in a full-time degree.

Commonwealth supported students enrolled in Honours and Coursework Masters programs are eligible to apply.

How to apply:

Follow the step-by-step instructions on the how to apply for a project scholarship page.

* Note: You do not need to complete 'Step 5: Submit an online application for admission' when applying for this scholarship. You must complete 'Step 6: Submit an online application for a project scholarship'.

For questions and advice about the research project, please contact Professor Rebekah Grace at Rebekah.Grace@westernsydney.edu.au, the project requirements and your intention to apply.

For questions and advice about the scholarship application process, please submit your scholarship enquiry:

  • Currently enrolled WSU HDR candidate, please submit your enquiry here
  • Not currently enrolled WSU HDR candidate, please submit your enquiry here

You may also find answers to your questions by visiting our Higher Degree Research (HDR) Knowledge Directory.

Applications close 31 March 2024

*Applications close at 11.59pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).

Scholarship code: PS2024_012_Thrive