University of Melbourne Visiting Fellowship 2027 in Australia

University of Melbourne Visiting Fellowship 2027 offers an excellent research opportunity for academics, researchers, practitioners, and educators working on issues related to statelessness. Hosted by the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness at Melbourne Law School, the fellowship is designed to support international research collaboration and provide visiting scholars with an opportunity to engage with the Centre’s research, events, workshops, and wider academic community.

For 2027, the Centre is offering one funded Visiting Research Fellowship to an individual whose proposed research focuses on an area related to statelessness. The selected fellow will receive up to AUD 6,000 to support international travel and accommodation expenses in Melbourne. The fellowship has a suggested duration of one to two months and can be undertaken between August and October 2027.

The fellowship is open to applicants at different stages of their academic careers, from postdoctoral early-career researchers to tenured academics. Applications from non-academic professionals are also considered where they propose an applied research project relevant to the work of the Centre. Researchers with lived experience of statelessness are strongly encouraged to apply.

About University of Melbourne Visiting Fellowship

The Visiting Fellowship Scheme is offered by the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness, based at Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne. The programme provides researchers and professionals with an opportunity to spend time at the Centre, develop their research, participate in academic activities, and strengthen international collaborations.

During their fellowship, visiting fellows are expected to actively participate in the life and work of the Centre. This includes taking part in relevant events and workshops and contributing to the Centre’s research environment. Fellows are also provided with a workspace as well as access to library and computer facilities.

The 2027 programme includes one funded fellowship. The opportunity is particularly suitable for individuals whose current research or professional activities directly address statelessness and related questions of nationality, citizenship, migration, displacement, human rights, law, policy, or social protection.

Fellowship Benefits

The University of Melbourne Visiting Fellowship provides financial and academic support to the successful applicant.

The benefits include:

• Up to AUD 6,000 in fellowship funding.
• Support for international travel expenses.
• Support for accommodation in Melbourne during the fellowship.
• A suggested fellowship duration of one to two months.
• Opportunity to undertake research at the University of Melbourne.
• Access to a workspace during the fellowship.
• Access to library and computer facilities.
• Opportunity to participate in Centre events and workshops.
• Opportunity to present research through a Faculty or public seminar or work-in-progress meeting.
• Opportunity to contribute a post to the Critical Statelessness Studies blog, where appropriate.
• Opportunity to build international academic and professional collaborations.

The AUD 6,000 funding is intended to support travel and accommodation costs rather than serving as an unrestricted stipend. Applicants must indicate the amount requested and provide a budget breakdown as part of their application.

Eligibility Criteria

The fellowship is intended for applicants whose research or professional work is connected to statelessness.

Eligible applicants include:

• Postdoctoral early-career researchers.
• Tenured academics.
• Researchers working on statelessness-related topics.
• Practitioners and educators working in the field.
• Non-academic visiting professionals proposing an applied research project relevant to the Centre.
• Researchers with lived experience of statelessness.

The Centre specifically encourages researchers with lived experience of statelessness to apply.

There is no indication on the official fellowship page that applicants must be citizens of a particular country. The programme is designed to engage with researchers and professionals working on statelessness from around the world.

Applicants from outside Australia should note that they are responsible for obtaining and funding any necessary visa or insurance requirements associated with their visit. These costs are not identified as part of the AUD 6,000 fellowship support.

Available Research Areas

The fellowship is specifically intended for research work in an area related to statelessness.

Applicants may therefore come from a range of academic or professional backgrounds, provided their proposed research has a clear connection to the Centre’s work.

Potential areas can include:

• Statelessness and nationality
• Citizenship and nationality law
• Human rights
• International law
• Migration and displacement
• Refugee protection
• Identity documentation
• Public policy
• Legal and policy responses to statelessness
• Experiences of stateless communities
• Statelessness and discrimination
• Protection of people at risk of statelessness

Applicants should ensure that their research proposal clearly demonstrates how their work relates to statelessness and why a period at the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness would benefit their research.

Required Documents

Applicants for the funded fellowship must submit their application in one PDF document.

The application should include:

• Curriculum vitae (CV) and list of publications.
• A research plan of no more than 1,000 words.
• Proposed dates for the fellowship visit.
• The amount of fellowship funding requested, up to AUD 6,000.
• A budget breakdown, including international airfare costs where applicable.
• One letter of reference.

For non-academic applicants, the reference should instead be a letter of support from their employer or another organization or entity with which they are professionally associated.

The research plan should explain the proposed research, activities and collaborations during the visit, and the applicant’s anticipated contribution to the work of the Centre.

Selection Criteria

Applicants should demonstrate a strong connection between their proposed research and the field of statelessness.

A competitive application should clearly communicate:

• The purpose and significance of the proposed research.
• How the research relates to statelessness.
• The activities the applicant intends to undertake during the visit.
• Potential research collaborations.
• How the applicant would contribute to the work and intellectual life of the Centre.
• Why a visiting period at the University of Melbourne would be valuable to the proposed research.

Because the Centre is offering one funded Visiting Research Fellowship, applicants should make their research plan focused, practical, and clearly connected to the Centre’s objectives.

How To Apply

Interested applicants should follow these steps:

1. Review the official University of Melbourne Visiting Fellowship information.
2. Confirm that your research or professional work is related to statelessness.
3. Prepare an updated CV and list of publications.
4. Develop a research plan of no more than 1,000 words.
5. Identify your proposed fellowship dates between August and October 2027.
6. Prepare a budget showing the amount of funding requested, including airfare where necessary.
7. Obtain one letter of reference, or an employer/organizational support letter if applying as a non-academic professional.
8. Combine all application materials into one PDF document.
9. Email the application to law-statelessness@unimelb.edu.au.
10. Use “Visiting Fellowship Application” as the email subject line.

Applicants should prepare their materials early, particularly the research plan and reference letter, to ensure that the complete application can be submitted before the deadline.