AustraliaARC Future Fellowships 2027 supports mid-career researchers to undertake high-quality research in areas of national and international benefit. The ARC Future keyword denotes the ARC Future Fellowships grant opportunity which normally provides four-year fellowships and additional non-salary funding to enhance research scale and collaboration.
The scheme is administered through the Australian Research Council (ARC) and hosted at eligible Australian administering organisations such as the University of Queensland (UQ). UQ’s Research Office provides internal processes, templates, information sessions and support to applicants preparing FT27 applications.
ARC Future Benefits
- Successful Future Fellows receive salary support at one of three fellowship levels. In addition, the ARC provides up to AUD 60,000 per year in project funding for four years.
The project funding can support:
- Research assistants and other research personnel
- Research equipment
- Laboratory consumables
- Research facilities and technical services
- Publication and dissemination
- Specialised computer equipment and software
- Workshops and conferences
- Data and research resources
- Outreach activities
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ARC Future Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants should carefully check the official FT27 guidelines before applying.
- You should have a PhD or equivalent research higher degree.
- For FT27, the PhD award date must fall between March 1, 2012 and March 1, 2022, unless eligible career interruptions extend the period.
- You should demonstrate a strong record of research.
- You should show evidence of research leadership, training, supervision or mentoring appropriate to your Future Fellowship level.
- You should have the capacity to develop national and international research collaborations.
- You must apply through an eligible Australian administering organisation.
- A person nominated for a Future Fellowship on three previous occasions cannot submit another application during the eligible period.
Required Documents
Applicants should prepare their research materials early.
- Updated academic CV
- Research publication record
- Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence (ROPE)
- Research proposal
- Research questions and objectives
- National Interest Test statement
- Supervision and mentoring experience
Research Areas
- Plant and agricultural sciences
- Plant biotechnology
- Plant pathology
- Molecular biology
- Biotechnology
- Bioinformatics
- Agricultural genomics
- Environmental science
- Climate and sustainability
- Engineering
- Artificial intelligence
- Computer science
- Data science
- Materials science
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Social sciences
- Economics
- Education
- Humanities
How to Apply for ARC Future
- Update your full profile in the RMS ‘Person Profile’. We strongly recommend starting this process early.
- Log into RMS and complete the application. Please ensure UQ is listed as the Administering Organisation.
- Use the UQ templates available below to draft your documents to be uploaded to your application in RMS.
- When ready for review, ensure all online components are complete and valid, generate a whole application PDF for your records and select ‘Submit to Research Office’ in RMS to submit the application.
- To initiate internal review, email your completed Application Certification Form and UQ Pending and Newly Funded ARC grants form to the Research Office at ARC@research.uq.edu.au.
- When your application is complete and fully compliant, the UQ Research Office will submit the application to the ARC through RMS.
Don’t miss this deadline
Applications close on Friday, 6 November 2026. We’ll email you 7, 3 and 1 days before.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are the most frequently asked questions about the ARC Future Fellowships. These answers cover key eligibility rules, benefits, deadlines, and how to apply using UQ and ARC processes.
What is the ARC Future Fellowships grant opportunity?
The ARC Future Fellowships grant opportunity seeks to retain and attract mid-career researchers to undertake high-quality research programs in areas of national and international benefit. The scheme normally provides four-year fellowships and additional non-salary funding to enhance research scale and collaboration.
Who administers the ARC Future Fellowships and how does UQ support applicants?
The scheme is administered by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and must be lodged through an eligible Australian administering organisation such as the University of Queensland (UQ). UQ provides internal notice of intent, information sessions, templates, internal review and submission support through its Research Office.
What are the key dates for the 2027 round?
Key dates for ARC Future Fellowships 2027 include release of grant guidelines and round opening on 23 September 2026, UQ Notice of Intent due to the Research Office by 7 October 2026, applications due to the Research Office by 12 October 2026, and applications close with ARC on 6 November 2026. Rejoinder period and anticipated announcement dates are also listed on the UQ page.
What is the eligibility PhD award date range for FT27?
To be eligible as at the grant opportunity closing date, candidates should have a PhD award date on, or between, 1 March 2012 and 1 March 2022, or have allowable career interruptions that make their award date commensurate with that range. Details are in the Discovery Fellowship Grant Guidelines (2026 edition).
How do I request an Eligibility Exemption Request (EER) at UQ?
If you received your PhD prior to 1 March 2012 and have allowable career interruptions, you must request an Eligibility Exemption through UQ’s Research Office. Steps include familiarising with ARC’s Eligibility and Career Interruptions Statement, using the UQ FT27 Eligibility Exemption Calculator, completing the UQ FT27 Eligibility Exemption Request Form and submitting evidence via email to ARC@research.uq.edu.au for endorsement.
What funding does a Future Fellowship provide?
The scheme normally provides four-year fellowships and up to $60,000 per annum in additional non-salary funding to enhance the research program. This funding is intended to support research scale, collaboration, and associated project costs as outlined in the ARC overview.
What internal steps must UQ applicants complete before submission?
UQ applicants must submit a mandatory internal Notice of Intent by 7 October 2026, update their RMS Person Profile, use UQ templates to prepare documents, submit application materials for internal review via email to ARC@research.uq.edu.au, and once compliant the UQ Research Office will submit to ARC through RMS.
Are there UQ resources and templates to help prepare the application?
Yes. UQ provides mandatory forms, application templates (including Research Load, ROPE, Project Description, Letter of Support and Budget templates), guides such as the FT27 How-to Application Guide, a budget tool, indicative salary scales, and library support resources to help prepare ROPE and data management plans.
What is the rejoinder process mentioned on the UQ page?
In the ARC assessment and rejoinder process, applicants may receive assessor comments and be given the opportunity to submit a rejoinder. Detailed instructions for accessing assessment reports and submitting rejoinders are available via the ARC website, and UQ provides a Rejoinder Tip Sheet with FAQs to assist applicants.
Who can I contact at UQ for scheme or RMS queries?
For scheme queries contact ARC@research.uq.edu.au. For RMS queries contact RGUoperations@research.uq.edu.au. UQ also lists the Pre-Award ARC Team as round coordinators and advises contacting your Faculty/Institute Research Manager for local support.
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