The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and James Cook University (JCU) are offering prestigious AIMS@JCU Higher Degree Research (PhD) Scholarships in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, for the 2026–2027 academic intake.
Research Focus & Marine Science Scope
As Australia’s premier tropical marine research partnership, AIMS@JCU connects doctoral researchers with world-leading infrastructure, including the National Sea Simulator (SeaSim) and direct access to the Great Barrier Reef:
- Coral Reef Ecology & Climate Adaptation: Investigating thermal tolerance mechanisms, coral larval biology, reef restoration interventions, and bleaching resilience.
- Marine Megafauna & Fish Biology: Tracking coastal and pelagic fish species, elasmobranch ecology, acoustic telemetry networks, and marine protected area effectiveness.
- Tropical Marine Biogeochemistry & Water Quality: Monitoring land-sea nutrient runoff, marine carbonate chemistry, coastal sediment dynamics, and microbial community responses.
Scholarship Package & Support Details
- Host Institutions: Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) & James Cook University (JCU), Townsville, Australia.
- Duration: 3.5 to 4 Years full-time doctoral candidature.
- Financial Package: Full Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) stipend (~AUD $37,500/year tax-free) plus substantial AIMS@JCU operational research support allowances and tuition fee waivers for international candidates.
Candidate Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree with First Class Honours or Master’s degree by research in Marine Biology, Oceanography, Aquatic Ecology, Coral Reef Science, or related field.
- Experience in marine fieldwork, scientific diving (ADAS/PADI), laboratory aquaria systems, or statistical modeling in R/Python.
- Fluency in English (meeting Australian university postgraduate entry requirements).
How to Apply
Applicants must identify an eligible co-supervisory team comprising researchers from both AIMS and JCU. Formal applications are submitted through the James Cook University Higher Degree by Research admissions system and the AIMS@JCU scholarship portal.