ARC Discovery Projects

ARC Discovery Projects

Funds Australian university teams developing long-term, university-led research through a two-stage concept pathway.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

Discovery Projects 2027 (DP27) is a flagship competitive grant under the Australian Research Council's Discovery Program, designed to expand Australia's fundamental and applied knowledge base across all disciplines except medical research. The scheme funds individual researchers or research teams at Australian universities and eligible research organisations to undertake projects delivering economic, commercial, environmental, social, or cultural benefit. DP27 introduced a two-stage application process for the first time: applicants first submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI) and only shortlisted applicants were then invited to submit a full application. Both windows have now closed—the EOI ran 3 November to 12 December 2025, with outcomes released 25–27 February 2026, and the full application window ran 2 March to 22 April 2026.

Project funding is AUD 30,000 to AUD 500,000 per year for up to five consecutive years. Allowable expenditure covers research personnel (associates, assistants, technicians), stipends for higher-degree-by-research students, teaching relief, infrastructure access, essential fieldwork, expert third-party services, equipment and consumables, travel essential to the project, web hosting, workshops and conferences, and essential carer support for researchers who need it. The Selection Advisory Committee meets 17–28 August 2026, with the funding announcement expected between 15 January and 15 April 2027. All ARC deadlines close at 5:00 pm Canberra time. Applications are administered through a university Research Office and submitted via the ARC's Research Management System; individual researchers cannot apply directly.

To compete effectively, applicants must demonstrate compelling research significance, a clear benefit to Australia, and a track record commensurate with career opportunity. Medical research is explicitly out of scope—it falls under NHMRC. The two-stage EOI filter is designed to manage submission volumes at universities, meaning internal shortlisting at the host institution is a practical gateway before a proposal reaches the ARC. Documentation references are GrantConnect Forecast Opportunity DProgDP2025, EOI GO8009, and full application GO8260.