Gilbert Postdoctoral Career Development Fellowships

About

The Gilbert Postdoctoral Career Development Fellowships aim to foster the career development of recently completed PhD students in History with support for a postdoctoral writing project.

Applications open

10 August 2026

Applications close

21 September 2026

Benefits

Up to $8,000 is available for each fellowship and up to three awards may be offered. Award payments will be made as a single lump-sum.

The purpose of the fellowship is to enhance the recipient’s research track record by supporting the further development of their PhD research so that it is suitable for publication as a journal article, book chapter or book.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this fellowship, you must:

• have completed a PhD in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies History program after 1 June 2023; and,
• not be a full-time academic employee.

Selection criteria

The fellowship will be awarded to the applicants who make the most compelling case for support by demonstrating:

• the quality and feasibility of the proposed further development of their PhD research;
• academic merit; and,
• the skills, experience and aptitude required to carry out the proposed project as evidenced by the application.

Conditions

Recipients are required to:

• accept the award online within 21 days; and,
• submit a final report

Outcome

Applicants are advised of the outcome via email within 8-10 weeks.

Application process

Eligible applicants must complete the online application form, including:

• the proposed research topic or title;
• a 300-500 word statement outlining how this fellowship would positively impact your life, assist with your writing project and further develop your PhD research;
• intended publication formats;
• at least one academic reference;
• a two-page resume, including a list of publications;
• a PhD examiners report; and,
• any other information to support the application that may assist the committee in making its decision.

Apply

Enquiries

artsawards-info@unimelb.edu.au

About the donors

The Gilbert Postdoctoral Career Development Fellowships are supported by the History Trust Fund, which was established by a donation by Fay and Barry Gilbert in 2014. The Gilbert’s gift is informed by a desire to elevate the relevance of history as a foundation for many fields of endeavour. Hoping that students would not take a narrowly vocational view of their education, Barry Gilbert emphasised that during his international business career it was not enough to understand contemporary issues; it was important to understand the history from which they had developed. Fay Gilbert, Deputy Chair of the Melbourne Humanities Foundation and a supporter of scholarships for history students, expects the donation to enhance History and humanities education at Melbourne University, and in doing so, increase its appeal to the student body in general.

Recipient feedback

Hannah Loney

This Fellowship will support the development of my PhD research for publication, including a book that I am co-editing, as well as a book chapter. It will enable me to focus on career development through publication and grant applications, while also providing me with much-needed financial support.

The information listed here is subject to change without notice. Information describing the number and value of scholarships awarded is indicative.