Associate Student program - opens 1 October 2026

Natural Hazards Research Australia’s Postgraduate Research Associate Student program supports eligible students undertaking research in an area that aligns with the Centre’s research themes.

Applications are currently closed. The next round will open on 1 October 2026.

Through the Associate Student program, the Centre provides opportunities for students undertaking postgraduate research in a relevant field to become part of the natural hazards research community in Australia and New Zealand.

The Centre particularly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Indigenous communities, women, culturally and linguistically diverse people, people with disability, LGBTIQ+ people, and people with family and caring responsibilities.

If you are looking for scholarship funding, please see our Postgraduate Research program information here.

Natural Hazards Associate Student Program details

The Associate Student program is open to university students enrolled, and actively studying, a postgraduate research degree. 

Associate Students will be able to: 

• apply for funding support to attend a relevant conference, and to participate in events and activities run by the Centre 
• participate in professional development activities offered by the Centre, which may include writing skills, media and public speaking training, poster design and other skills 
• apply for short-term placements in Centre partner organisations 
• apply for a Natural Hazards Early Career Researcher Development or Industry Fellowship through the Centre, in the final stages of their study. 

Preference will be given to students enrolling in full time PhD studies, but applications from students studying Masters by Research degrees or intending to study part time will be considered.

Key dates 

• Applications are currently closed. The next round will open on 1 October 2026.
• Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application within eight weeks of submitting their fully completed application.

Priority study areas 

Applications for Associate Student membership must demonstrate a connection between the student’s research project and the Centre’s core research themes: 

Foundational themes 

• Communities and workforces of the future 
• Sustainable, safe and healthy natural landscapes 
• Resilient built environments 

Functional themes 

• Resilient communities 
• Situational awareness 
• Operational response and innovation 

Driving change themes 

• Evidence-informed policy, strategy and foresight 
• Learning from disasters 

Detailed information about each theme can be found in the discussion paper, Research priorities for disaster risk reduction and community resilience to the impacts of natural hazards.

Detailed eligibility criteria

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible to apply to be an Associate Student of the Centre: 

1. Applicants must be currently enrolled in a postgraduate research degree at a university 
2. Australian and international students are eligible to apply, noting that only Australian and New Zealand students are able to apply for funding support from the Centre to attend conferences and workshops