Research Futures Scholarship Program

Some projects, such as systematic reviews and other desk-based research, can be completed primarily online and may not require regular on-campus attendance.

Other projects may involve activities that need to be conducted in a specific location, such as a laboratory, clinic, community setting, or research facility. If a project has location-specific requirements, these will be clearly outlined in the project description and discussed during the selection process.

The campus or location associated with your project will vary depending on where the research is being conducted and where the project team is based. Any expectations regarding attendance, travel, or face-to-face participation will be communicated before you accept a scholarship offer.

Meeting arrangements with supervisors, mentors, and research team members are often flexible and may include a combination of online and in-person meetings, depending on the needs of the project.

The presentation seminar is an important part of the Research Futures Scholarship Program and provides an opportunity for students to share their research findings and reflections with peers, academic staff, industry partners, and invited guests. It also marks the successful completion of the program and celebrates students' achievements.

Details of the seminar, including the date, time, and location, will be communicated to participants each year. For example, the 2025 seminar was held at Southern Cross University's Gold Coast campus.

If you have concerns about attending in person due to exceptional circumstances, we encourage you to discuss these with the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) as early as possible.

While the expected workload is similar to full-time study, the specific hours are often flexible. In most cases, you will work with your supervisor to agree on a schedule that supports the needs of the project and accommodates reasonable personal commitments.

Because of the time commitment involved, the program may not be suitable for students who have substantial competing commitments, such as full-time employment, a full-time internship, or other activities that would significantly limit their availability during the scholarship period.

Students are expected to actively participate and make satisfactory progress on their project. Failure to meet agreed expectations may affect continued participation in the program and could result in the scholarship being withdrawn. Please refer to the program's Terms and Conditions for further details.

The scholarship is intended to support your participation in the program, and you will not be charged tuition fees or research project fees as part of your involvement.

However, if your project or program activities require you to travel, you will generally be responsible for covering your own travel, accommodation, and related expenses unless otherwise advised.

Any project-specific requirements or expected out-of-pocket costs will be communicated to you before you accept a scholarship offer.

If you are enrolled at another Australian university, you may be eligible to apply if you are currently studying a naturopathy degree and meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the program's Terms and Conditions.

For applicants who are not enrolled in a naturopathy degree at another Australian university, you must be enrolled in an undergraduate degree at Southern Cross University at the time of application and during the scholarship award period.

If you are due to complete your degree at the end of Term 5, you can still participate in the Research Futures Scholarship Program during the following summer term, provided you meet all other eligibility requirements.

However, students enrolled in the Master of Naturopathic Medicine at Southern Cross University are also eligible to apply for the Research Futures Scholarship Program.

If you are unsure whether your current course meets the eligibility requirements, please refer to the program's Terms and Conditions or contact the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) for advice.

To be eligible, you must either:

• Be residing in Australia at the time of application and participation; or
• Hold a valid visa that allows you to enter, remain, and undertake the activities required as part of the scholarship program.

Unfortunately, students who are studying entirely online from outside Australia and do not have the ability to enter or remain in Australia during the program are not eligible to participate.

If you are unsure about your eligibility or visa status, we encourage you to contact the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) before applying.

Students who are due to complete their Bachelor's degree later in the year, including those finishing shortly before or during the summer period, may still be eligible to participate, provided they meet all other program requirements.

If you are unsure whether your expected graduation date will affect your eligibility, please contact the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) for advice before applying.

The program is designed to provide students with meaningful research experience and to encourage further engagement with research pathways. While Honours students already have an established interest in research, they may still benefit from participating in a research project through the program.

When applications are assessed, consideration may be given to how the scholarship aligns with the program's objectives, including supporting students who are exploring research for the first time. However, being enrolled in an Honours program does not prevent you from applying.

If you are interested in the opportunity, we encourage you to submit an application and outline how participation in the program will contribute to your academic and career goals.

The amount of time required to complete a project will depend on the type and scope of the research. Some projects, such as systematic reviews or focused research tasks, may be completed within six weeks. Other projects may require additional work beyond the scholarship period to finalise outputs such as manuscripts, conference presentations, or publications.

While the scholarship funding covers a six-week period only, many supervisors are happy to discuss opportunities for students to continue contributing to their project after the program has ended. Any ongoing involvement is optional and can be agreed upon between the student and supervisor.

There is no expectation that students must continue working on a project after the scholarship period concludes. However, some past participants have chosen to remain involved and have gone on to contribute to publications and other research outputs.

We understand that unexpected personal, academic, health, family, or work commitments can arise. If this happens, we will work with you to understand your situation and explore any available options.

Depending on the circumstances, it may be necessary to withdraw from the program, and the scholarship may be cancelled. Any decisions regarding your participation will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Early communication is important, as it gives us the best opportunity to support you and discuss potential solutions.

In many cases, scholarship payments may be considered exempt income and may not be subject to income tax. However, tax circumstances can vary depending on your individual situation.

Because the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) and Southern Cross University cannot provide personal tax advice, we recommend seeking independent financial or taxation advice if you have questions about how the scholarship may affect your tax obligations.

However, participation in the program can provide valuable research experience and help you develop skills that are highly regarded in academic and research careers. For example, if your project leads to a conference presentation or a published research paper, this may strengthen future applications for research opportunities, Higher Degree Research programs, or Research Training Program (RTP) scholarships.

Research Training Program scholarships are highly competitive and are awarded on the basis of academic merit and research potential. Demonstrated research experience and research outputs, such as publications, can help make an application more competitive.

This option is not available to all students and depends on your degree requirements, academic progression, and eligibility to enrol in HLTH3001 Independent Studies Unit – Health. Approval from your Course Coordinator is also required.

If you are interested in receiving course credit rather than the scholarship payment, you should contact the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) as early as possible. We can discuss your eligibility and advise whether this option is feasible for your particular course of study.

Please note that the standard format of the Research Futures Scholarship Program is a paid scholarship, and course credit arrangements are considered on a case-by-case basis.

If you receive a scholarship that supports your study-related expenses, such as general higher education costs, you will typically remain eligible to apply for the Research Futures Scholarship Program.

However, if you are already receiving funding for a research project, particularly a scholarship that supports research activities during the same period as the Research Futures Scholarship Program, you may not be eligible to receive both awards simultaneously.

Because scholarship arrangements vary, we encourage you to contact the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) before applying and provide details of your existing scholarship. We can then advise whether you meet the program's eligibility requirements.

If you are unable to participate during the summer term, there may be opportunities to become involved in research at another time. However, these arrangements would be outside the Research Futures Scholarship Program and are not eligible for a Research Futures Scholarship.

Students who are interested in undertaking research outside the summer term are encouraged to contact a National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) academic to discuss potential research opportunities, project ideas, and career development goals.

To access your transcript:

1. Log in to MyEnrolment..
2. Navigate to your student records or academic history section.
3. Download your unofficial academic transcript.

If you are applying from another university, you should obtain a transcript through your institution's student portal or academic records office and provide it as part of your application.