AUKUS Nuclear-Powered Submarines Technical Scholarships Program

The scholarship program is intended to increase interest and awareness of opportunities in the Nuclear-Powered Submarine (NPS) enterprise workforce. It will ensure there is a continuous pipeline of suitable STEM graduates for the NPS enterprise, particularly in Western Australia, South Australia and other geographic locations that will play a vital role in delivering the Optimal Pathway.

The scholarships will align with the Australian Government’s broader investment to increase the STEM for the NPS enterprise, including through the Student Pathways Program for additional Commonwealth Supported Places, the Defence STEM Cadetship and the ASA Nuclear Graduate Program.

Objectives

• The AUKUS Nuclear-Powered Submarine Pathway was announced by the Leaders of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States in March 2023.
• The objectives of the AUKUS Nuclear-Powered Submarine Pathway are to:
  • deliver Australia a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine (NPS) capability
  • ensure Australia safely and securely operates and sustains its nuclear-powered submarines
  • expand their individual and collective undersea presence in the Indo-Pacific and contribute to global security and stability in the region.

Funding Information

• A grant of up to $15.848 million to cover up to 100% of eligible expenditure.

Eligible Projects

• You must complete your project by 31 March 2029.
• Your project must:
  • be undertaken in Australia
  • include eligible activities
  • be aimed at co-designing and managing a national scholarship program which will provide scholarships to domestic students undertaking undergraduate degrees in priority STEM study areas and support the Nuclear-Powered Submarine enterprise.

Eligibility Criteria

• You can apply if you:
  • have an Australian business number (ABN)
• and are one of the following entities:
  • an entity, incorporated in Australia
  • an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
  • an incorporated not for profit organisation.

Ineligibility Criteria

• You can’t apply if you are:
  • an organisation not listed above
  • an organisation, or your project partner is an organisation, included on the National Redress Scheme’s list of Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme
  • an employer of 100 or more employees that has not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012)
  • a publicly funded research organisation (PFRO)
  • an individual
  • a partnership
  • an unincorporated association
  • a trust (however, an incorporated trustee may apply on behalf of a trust)
  • a Commonwealth, state and local government agency or body (including government business enterprises other than eligible PFRAs)
  • a non-corporate Commonwealth entity.

For more information, visit Australian Government.