ACIAR Pacific Agriculture Scholarships and Support Program (PASS)

Group of 2024 PASS participants
Applications open 5 August 2024 

The Pacific Agriculture Scholarships and Support (PASS) Program provides scholarships and support to postgraduate students in agriculture, forestry and fisheries at The University of the South Pacific (USP) and Fiji National University (FNU). Since 2005, ACIAR has supported research scholarships at Pacific Universities.  The scholarship program has achieved significant results, strengthening agricultural innovation systems in the Pacific. It is part of the Australian Government’s support to our Pacific neighbours. 

ACIAR Pacific postgraduate scholarships are offered in the Pacific, to Pacific Islanders.  This 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.

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

Scholarship Program Outline

Scholarships are available at USP and FNU for:

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

Scholarships will be awarded for up to 2 years 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 regional priorities identified in the PASS-CR 2025 Compendium of potential research topics and themes, which may also be associated with an ACIAR research project. The compendium of research projects/topics and themes for the PASS-CR 2025 intake can be found on the USP and FNU websites (details below).

Scholarships are advertised annually in August 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
  • Applicants must directly align their research proposals with one of the research topics listed in the compendium or develop a unique research proposal that aligns with one of the broader research themes provided.
  • Applicants must be able to meet government and university mandated requirements for travel to Fiji for study at FNU or USP Laucala, or Samoa for study at USP Alafua.
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

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Fiji National University (FNU)

Ms Varsha Dutt

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Opportunities for Researchers Papua New Guinea (PNG)

ACIAR highly values PNG and its potential contributions to agricultural research and development.

We are actively engaged in discussions with partners in PNG to ensure that any capacity development or future programs are tailored to meet the specific needs and priorities of PNG. Our goal is to collaborate closely with PNG to support sustainable and impactful agricultural innovations.

While the PASS-CR program is currently not open to PNG, we encourage interested researchers to register for updates and to stay informed about future opportunities and capacity development activities. 

Register here

For further information about ACIAR’s Pacific work:

Ms Mai Alagcan
Regional Manager Pacific

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