NHMRC Investigator Grants
Supports outstanding Australian health and medical investigators at every career stage with stable project backing.
NHMRC Investigator Grants are the council's flagship support line for outstanding health and medical researchers at all career stages in Australia. The scheme can combine salary support, where needed, with a Research Support Package, so an investigator can pursue a longer research direction without stitching together several separate awards. The program spans biomedical, clinical, public health, and health services research, with career levels from Emerging Leadership EL1 and EL2 through Leadership L1 to L3. Standard duration is five years and can extend to seven, and the 2026 guidance gives women at EL1 and EL2 structural priority funding under the Sex Discrimination Act special measures. It is best suited to university or research-organisation applicants who already have a credible research trajectory and want room to move into new work or collaboration. Some rounds can be co-funded by partner organisations, and the public landing page does not publish fixed award amounts, so selection is based on assessment rather than a posted cap.
Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.