Clifford Family PhD Scholarship

About

This Scholarship, supported by the generosity of Sue and Leigh Clifford, is offered as a top-up scholarship to support the best and brightest clinical health professionals to undertake postgraduate research training at the Melbourne Children’s Campus to develop their career as a clinical researcher. First awarded in 2014 the Clifford Family PhD Scholarship will be awarded again in 2020.

The scholarships are offered as a “top-up” to the best ranked PhD students in this category who are undertaking study into children’s health at the Melbourne Children’s Campus.

Each scholarship is offered to top-up a competitive PhD multi-year, primary scholarship (e.g. RTP, MRS, NHMRC) at a rate of 75% of the living allowance or stipend component of the primary scholarship to a maximum of $25,000pa. The Clifford Family PhD Scholarship is awarded for a maximum of three years at any stage within the student’s candidature. A further 6 month extension, subject to satisfactory progress may be awarded on a case-by-case basis (within a maximum student candidature of four years).

Benefits

• Applicants must be enrolled in the PhD through the Department of Paediatrics and been awarded a competitive scholarship such as RTP, NHMRC, ARC, University of Melbourne Prestigious Scholarship (eg MRS), Melbourne Children’s Postgraduate Health Research Scholarship (PHRS) or other comparable scholarship.
• Clifford Family PhD Scholarship recipients will undertake their research on the Melbourne Children’s Campus and will be associated with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) for the duration of their candidature funding. Progress will be monitored by the Melbourne Children’s Graduate Research Training Committee.
• Scholarship funding may be used for a living allowance (Stipend) or to support Direct Research Costs (DRC) to a maximum of 25% of the scholarship value. Students must nominate in their application the amount they are seeking in each category.
• Stipend payments will be made by the University of Melbourne Scholarship Office, with payments made fortnightly into the recipient's bank account. Direct Research Costs will be administered through the Department of Paediatrics.
• Recipients will be required to present an additional bound copy of their final thesis (cost to be funded from within the scholarship allocation) to the scholarship donors.
• No leave or additional benefits are associated with the Clifford Family PhD Scholarship. Most primary scholarships offer leave benefits, a relocation allowance and thesis binding payment.
• Recipients will be expected to acknowledge the support of the Clifford Family PhD Scholarship and their association with MCRI (alongside their UoM student candidature) in any presentation of their research
  work, particularly at their submission seminar and in their thesis.

_{Disclaimer: The benefit amount for this award is approximate. It will be confirmed at the time of awarding and determined by the committee according to the terms of the award.}

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• be a graduate in the fields of medicine, surgery, nursing or allied health.
• have a research or clinical connection at the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), with research work being conducted on the Melbourne Children’s Campus and be associated with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI).
• be a domestic or international student currently enrolled full-time, or due to commence full-time enrolment in a PhD no later than 31 December 2020.
• have been awarded a competitive peer-reviewed scholarship (e.g. APA, MRS, NHMRC, PHRS) or equivalent competitive scholarship.

Selection

The Clifford Scholarship Selection Committee will comprise the Chair of the Melbourne Children’s Graduate Research Training Committee, the Head of the Department of Paediatrics (or delegate), the Department Manager of the Department of Paediatrics and two senior members of the
Melbourne Children’s Graduate Research Training Committee with clinical backgrounds.

Applications will be ranked by the Selection Committee taking into account:

1. University of Melbourne Scholarship Application ranked score, where applicants have applied for such scholarship
2. Ranked score calculated by the Melbourne Children’s PHRS Selection Committee, where applicants have applied for such scholarship
3. Additional weighting will be given to applicants who are recipients of an NHMRC Clinical Research Postgraduate Scholarship.
4. Preference will be given to candidates whose field of research is deemed to best align with the strategic priorities of the Melbourne Children’s Campus and can clearly demonstrate the benefit of the scholarship to their clinical career.
5. The Committee may invite applicants to attend an interview in order to further elucidate item (4).

Application

Guidelines for the Clifford Family PhD Scholarship

Application for the Clifford Family PhD Scholarship must be made on the Application Form.

Submit applications as a PDF attachment to: GR-MC@unimelb.edu.au

Please include 'Clifford Scholarship Application' in the subject line of the email.

Outcome

All applicants will be advised the outcome of their application for the Clifford Family PhD Scholarships by email within 4 weeks of the closing date.

Enquiries

For enquiries contact GR-MC@unimelb.edu.au

More information

Conditions and Reporting:

• The Clifford Family PhD Scholarship will commence from whichever is the later of 1 October 2020 or the student’s enrolment date.
• Applicants will be required to provide a brief written report to the donors at the conclusion of their scholarship that demonstrates the impact and benefit to both their research and their career which resulted from being awarded the Scholarship.