CSIRO's Industry PhD program supports a three-way partnership aiming to train new researchers in critical areas and facilitate long-term benefits between research organisations and industry.
Expressions of interest
If you are a CSIRO researcher who has a project idea and would like to commence the EOI process, please contact us.
Round one expression of interest opens from February 2025 for new projects to commence late 2025, early 2026.
Program benefits
Develop new, or strengthen relationships with industry partners and universities to:
- upskill PhD students to develop capability in CSIRO priority areas and in areas of national need
- build consortia aligned with CSIRO Missions through iPhD projects
- grow industry and university involvement with CSIRO exploratory research (Future Science Platforms)
- provide PhD students with industry-focused training.
Program funding and support
The iPhD program is funded by the Australian Government and the industry partner for up to four years. Funding for each year consists of three components:
- Student Scholarship of $47,020 p.a. (2025 rate) comprising of $35,020 p.a. provided by the Government and $12,000 p.a. provided by the industry partner.
- Project Expense and Development package of up to $13,000 p.a. provided by the Government for research operating costs and research skill development.
- Student career and professional development training funding provided by the Government and developed/delivered by CSIRO.
Program funding amounts increase annually. Please refer to our Program Rules for yearly rates.
Program requirements
iPhD projects must:
- align with CSIRO and Government priorities
- address an industry problem while complying with the university PhD requirements
- be with an Australian industry partner or an industry partner with an Australian presence
- be limited to domestic students
- be up to four years duration
- include at least 60 workdays of project related activities under the guidance of the industry partner, which is referred to as the Industry Engagement component.
CSIRO Business Units must:
- provide a suitably experienced researcher to supervise the PhD student
- provide access to facilities and infrastructure, if required for the project.
Project development stages
Expressions of Interest (EOI) are accepted from 1 February each year. The round will be divided into two phases, a primary phase with EOIs due on 19 April, and a secondary phase with EOIs due on 23 August. EOIs must meet program eligibility requirements and will be evaluated against assessment criterion. Please refer to our Program Rules for further information. If successful, a Collaboration Agreement will be executed between the involved parties and the project is then advertised via the participating university for a student. For EOI’s submitted in 2024, projects are expected to start late 2024/early 2025.
Program resources
Key documents
- Program Rules
- Program Rules
- Expression of Interest form (read only, request editable copy by emailing the iPhD team)
- Expression of Interest form
Promotional materials
CSIRO's Industry PhD program supports a three-way partnership aiming to train new researchers in critical areas and facilitate long-term benefits between research organisations and industry.
Expressions of interest
If you are a CSIRO researcher who has a project idea and would like to commence the EOI process, please contact us.
Round one expression of interest opens from February 2025 for new projects to commence late 2025, early 2026.
Program benefits
Develop new, or strengthen relationships with industry partners and universities to:
- upskill PhD students to develop capability in CSIRO priority areas and in areas of national need
- build consortia aligned with CSIRO Missions through iPhD projects
- grow industry and university involvement with CSIRO exploratory research (Future Science Platforms)
- provide PhD students with industry-focused training.
Program funding and support
The iPhD program is funded by the Australian Government and the industry partner for up to four years. Funding for each year consists of three components:
- Student Scholarship of $47,020 p.a. (2025 rate) comprising of $35,020 p.a. provided by the Government and $12,000 p.a. provided by the industry partner.
- Project Expense and Development package of up to $13,000 p.a. provided by the Government for research operating costs and research skill development.
- Student career and professional development training funding provided by the Government and developed/delivered by CSIRO.
Program funding amounts increase annually. Please refer to our Program Rules for yearly rates.
Program requirements
iPhD projects must:
- align with CSIRO and Government priorities
- address an industry problem while complying with the university PhD requirements
- be with an Australian industry partner or an industry partner with an Australian presence
- be limited to domestic students
- be up to four years duration
- include at least 60 workdays of project related activities under the guidance of the industry partner, which is referred to as the Industry Engagement component.
CSIRO Business Units must:
- provide a suitably experienced researcher to supervise the PhD student
- provide access to facilities and infrastructure, if required for the project.
Project development stages
Expressions of Interest (EOI) are accepted from 1 February each year. The round will be divided into two phases, a primary phase with EOIs due on 19 April, and a secondary phase with EOIs due on 23 August. EOIs must meet program eligibility requirements and will be evaluated against assessment criterion. Please refer to our Program Rules for further information. If successful, a Collaboration Agreement will be executed between the involved parties and the project is then advertised via the participating university for a student. For EOI’s submitted in 2024, projects are expected to start late 2024/early 2025.
Infographic explaining the project development stages and approximate timeframes of the CSIRO Industry PhD Program. PhD project development Collaboration agreement Student recruitment iPhD commencement
Program resources
Key documents
- Program Rules PDF (498 KB)
- Program Rules TXT (28 KB)
- Expression of Interest form PDF (1 MB) (read only, request editable copy by emailing the iPhD team)
- Expression of Interest form TXT (15 KB)
Promotional materials
- CSIRO researcher brochure PDF (116 KB)
- CSIRO researcher brochure TXT (3 KB)
- Program factsheet PDF (59 KB)
- Program factsheet TXT (3 KB)
FAQ: CSIRO researcher
Activities should provide students with relevant tools and experience to better contextualise and apply research in an industry setting. Activities should contribute to the development, research and outcomes of the larger PhD project, and be related to the student’s area of research. Potential activities may include:
- understanding the research needs of the industry partner and/or the broader industry
- undertaking practical research translation activities under the guidance of the industry partner
- testing research assumptions and innovations in an industry setting with end-users.
Generally, any results from these activities can be included in the thesis so long as confidentiality and publication clauses listed in the Collaboration Agreement and Student Agreement are complied with.
The Industry Engagement component must be a minimum of 60 full-time days or three calendar months in duration and should ideally take place at the industry partner’s premises. However, activities can be undertaken remotely, within reason. A mixture of online and in-person engagement is also acceptable. The Industry Engagement component should ideally be completed part-time or in short blocks, strategically placed throughout the PhD to encourage ongoing engagement between the industry partner and the student.
At the discretion and with the agreement of the supervisory team, alternate locations may be possible, but the university will need to approve any alternate location(s).
Examples of locations include:
- CSIRO site
- the university
- a combination of sites
- remote
- a mixture of remote and in-person attendance.