ACIAR Pacific Scholarships

PASS-CR cohort 2023
Applications open July 2023 

ACIAR offers scholarships to postgraduate research students in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries at The University of the South Pacific (USP) and Fiji National University (FNU). This is part of ACIAR’s Pacific Agriculture Scholarships and Support and Climate Resilience (PASS-​CR) Program.   

Scholarships for Pacific Islanders to study in their home region enables scholars to research agricultural problems within the context that the solutions need to work, to build professional networks which will be relevant post-study and to remain close to family and culture. 

Scholarship program outline

Scholarships are available at USP and FNU for: 

  • USP - PhD and Masters by research 
  • FNU – PhD primarily for FNU faculty,  Masters by Research or Masters by Coursework (with a thesis component) 

Scholarships will be awarded for up to 24 months for Master’s students and up to 3 years for a PhD candidate.  

Tuition is paid directly for the relevant program of study. Student research grant costs are shared between ACIAR and USP or FNU. Funds to present research results at an international conference are included in the scholarship. 

Scholarships are aligned to ACIAR research projects, this includes the provision of an international co-supervisor who is part of the ACIAR project.  

Please note the following priority project areas for the PASS-CR scholarships: 

  • Soils are a priority area for USP  
  • Forestry is a priority area for FNU  
  • Research proposals which consider issues of gender, social systems, youth engagement, food systems and climate adaptation for both universities 

The Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research (ACPIR) at the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) provides additional support to PASS-CR scholars and academic staff including professional development, access to the USC library, peer-to-peer learning, research collaboration, and higher degree research supervision training. Student work placements and career development are included under PASS-CR to build ongoing industry connections. 

 

Scholarships are advertised annually in July through USP and FNU for commencement the following year. Online briefing sessions about the program, how to apply, meet the project leaders and how to put together a research proposal will be held to support you through the application process.  

Scholarship criteria
  • Applicants must be a citizen of and currently reside in Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, or Vanuatu 
  • Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for postgraduate study at USP or FNU 
  • Applications must be aligned to active or upcoming ACIAR research projects and must address a nominated thesis research question from the supplied list.  This is the previous list. 
How to Apply

For more information on how to apply and to check your eligibility, please contact: 

The University of South Pacific (USP) 
Mr Josevata Cava, ACIAR - USP Graduate Officer 
Email and weblink. 

Fiji National University (FNU) 
Dr Archibold Bakare 
Email and weblink. 

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs have been provided to answer any questions you may have on the scholarship program, allowances, the application process, and timelines. We encourage you to review these prior to applying. 

For further information about ACIAR partnership in the Pacific 
ACIAR Pacific