Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) Scholarship 2027

The Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) 2027 provides three years of salary support plus project funding to outstanding early-career researchers in Australia, enabling them to lead independent research projects. It targets post-PhD researchers seeking to establish a leadership track and produce high-impact research with national and global relevance. Successful applicants receive salary support, project funding, and access to research infrastructure and collaboration opportunities.

Salary and employment on-cost support for three years; up to $50,000 per year in project funding; access to infrastructure, laboratories, and travel/field costs; support for research staff and dissemination activities.

Early-career researchers who show potential for leadership and high-quality research, generally positioned in teaching-and-research or research-only roles and ready to lead a defined project over three years.

Applications are submitted through the ARC funding portal; see official ARC page for details and timeline.