2026 THECA Research Student Scholarships
THECA is pleased to invite applications from Honours and Masters at UQ, QUT and Griffith University for its 2026 round of THECA Research Student Scholarships to support projects with an environmental or ecological focus that are relevant to Mt. Coot-tha and surrounds.
Awards will be up to $1,000 for up to one year (Honours students), $1,500 for up to 18 months (Masters students). (Please note: we made a 3-year PhD award in 2025 so this will not be available in the 2026 round.)
Scope
Project topics are not restricted. They may focus, for example, on particular ecosystems, species interactions, threats to biodiversity, conservation strategies, novel monitoring and survey methods, the effects of human activities, planning and development, or any other relevant topic. Preference will be given to projects which include data collection on Mt. Coot-tha or surrounds.
Criteria
Applications will be evaluated by a panel appointed by THECA’s Management Committee for:
Scientific merit (30%)
Relevance to Mt-Coot-tha and surrounds (30%)
Potential to guide future policies and/or practices for conservation, planning etc. (20%)
Feasibility (10%)
Enhancement of the project with the requested expenditure (10%)
How to apply
After checking that the following requirements can all be met, complete the online application below (by 5 pm AEDT on Friday, 27 February 2026).
Requirements
You must be enrolled in a relevant Honours or Masters degree course at one of the three universities at the time of application (or if not yet admitted, by March 1st 2026).
You should discuss the application and proposed project fully with your University Academic Supervisor (or proposed Supervisor if not yet enrolled) before submitting, and will need to confirm in your application the Academic Supervisor’s approval of the proposal and agreement to provide necessary supervision and support.
You must comply with all processes required by your university
If successful, you will be invited to make a presentation to THECA members on your proposal at the beginning of the project and of its outcomes once completed, and will be encouraged to involve THECA members in their projects, as appropriate.
Funds must be used to support direct project costs. Examples include data collection or analysis equipment, supplies and consumables, costs incurred for field data collection or specialized analysis.
Funds may not be used for items that are already available to you through your research group or other university resources, and may not be used for ordinary living expenses, publication expenses, or conference travel.
For multi-year projects, annual progress reports will be required, and funding for subsequent years will be contingent on your university’s assessment of satisfactory progress.
The Panel may request a short web-based interview with you and your Supervisor if you are short-listed.
Application form
Please complete each of the items below, and, where indicated, upload a file containing your project summary. Don’t forget to press the ‘Submit’ button at the bottom when you are ready! If you have any problems with the form, email president@theca.org.au. Please submit your application by 5 pm AEDT, Friday, February 27th, 2026.