National Industry PhD Program

National Industry PhD Program — Round 8

Administers students and early career scholars with mentoring support for National Industry PhD in artificial intelligence, agriculture innovation, and materials science.

The National Industry PhD Program is a AUD 296 million Australian Government initiative, delivered under the Increase Workforce Mobility agenda, with a target of funding 1,800 industry-embedded doctoral candidates over ten years. The program is administered by the Department of Education and operationally delivered by Campus Plus (industryphd@campusplus.com.au). Two streams are offered: the Industry Linked PhD stream, in which outstanding candidates undertake co-designed research with opportunities to work embedded within an industry setting, and the Industry Researcher PhD stream, in which experienced industry professionals pursue a PhD project in partnership with a university while retaining their industry employment and salary. Research topics are co-designed by the university and industry partner under both streams.

Eligibility is restricted to Australian universities; industry partners sponsor or co-supervise candidates but do not apply directly. Round 7 applications closed and are under assessment as of mid-2026. Based on the program's established cadence — with rounds roughly every six months (Round 3 outcomes July 2024, Round 4 outcomes November 2024, Round 5 outcomes July 2025, Round 6 outcomes December 2025) — Round 8 is expected to open in approximately mid-2026. There are no published TRL restrictions; the program targets any stage of research that has a defined industry application.

Priority sectors span advanced manufacturing, agritech, energy, medtech, defense, and climate technologies, consistent with the Department of Education's broader research translation agenda. Campus Plus manages the application portal, assessment, and candidate-matching process on behalf of the Department. University applicants should contact Campus Plus directly for the most current application timeline and requirements, as Round 8 had not been formally announced as of May 2026. A per-scholarship dollar value is not publicly specified in available English-language sources.