Australia-USA Mobility Fund

Applicant eligibility

At the time of submission, the Australian applicant must: 

• be an Australian citizen or permanent resident and be residing in Australia at the time of application and of the visit
• be either:
  • currently, actively undertaking PhD study at an Australian institution (evidence of enrolment is required), or,
  • an early career researcher within five years post PhD*
• propose a visit aligned to a health-related field of natural science, with preference for cancer-related research 

* An extension to this limit may be approved in the case of significant career interruptions, such as leave or periods of unemployment. 

Partner eligibility

The proposed visiting researcher must:

• be working at a research organisation located in the United States at both the time of application and time of travel  
• be employed as a scientist or faculty member at a research organisation located in the United States
• have a PhD awarded in a field of research relevant to the proposed research visit 

Project eligibility

Eligible proposals must: 

• directly contribute to the advancement and opportunities for the Australian applicant, with flow-on benefits to the host organisation as a secondary priority
• be a collaborative research project between the Australian PhD candidate or ECR applicant based in Australia, and the senior US researcher based in the United States of America
• demonstrate the visit’s value to the proposes activities and clearly articulate why the visit should occur and what the benefit of the visit is over virtual collaboration.

The visit should be research-focused and applicant-centred. Examples of eligible visit activities include seminars, methods clinics, short bench rotations, co-design sessions and similar research-focused engagements 

Fields of research 

Proposals in any health-related field of natural science will be considered. Preference will be given to proposals relating to cancer research within the broader health-related natural sciences. 

The Adam J Berry Memorial Fund provides a grant of up to A$5,000 GST exclusive to support an Australian institution to host a senior visiting researcher from the United States for a short, focused visit in Australia. The grant funding can be used towards: 

• an international economy airfare of up to A$2,500 for the US visitor, including taxes
• a living allowance component for the US visitor, up to A$200 per day to a maximum of A$2,500. 

The approved visit must take place during the 2027 calendar year and be for a period of between 14 and 28 days.  

The grant funds will only be paid directly to the awardee’s Australian organisation on receipt of a valid tax invoice and the finalised flight itinerary, showing all associated airfare and taxes. 

Airfare support is provided as reimbursement of actual eligible international economy airfare costs, up to the approved maximum amount. Any unspent amount from this component is not retained by the awardee and must be returned to the Academy. 

Accommodation must be supported by the Australian host institution. The grant cannot reimburse accommodation costs.  

All travel arrangements, visas and other requirements are the responsibility of the Australian awardee, Australian host institution and visitor. 

Comprehensive travel and medical insurance is required for the visitor, and agreement to this condition must be given at award acceptance. 

Dependants of the visitor may accompany them on the travel at their own cost. The grant does not provide any funding for bench fees, project costs, or institutional overheads.  
 

Applications must be submitted via the Academy's Good Grants online portal, and include the following material and supporting documentation:

• a curriculum vitae for the Australian applicant, including publication list, of no more than six pages
• Evidence of current PhD enrolment (for PhD candidate applicants), or PhD conferral (for ECR applicants)
• a letter of support from the applicant’s Australian organisation confirming accommodation will be covered by the host institution. Read information for host organisations letters of support in the PDF attachment below.
• a referee report for the Australian applicant from a current or previous supervisor. Read information for referees in the PDF attachment below.
• a curriculum vitae for the visiting US researcher, including publication list, of no more than six pages
• a letter of support from the visiting researcher confirming their agreement to the proposed visit outline, availability to travel at the proposed time, and commitment to undertake the activities outlined in the application. Read information for visitor letters of support in the PDF attachment below.

Applications must be complete at the time of submission to be considered. Incomplete applications, including those missing any required supporting material, will be deemed ineligible and will not proceed to merit assessment. 
 

Eligible applications will be assessed competitively against the criteria below, with final recommendations considered in accordance with the Fund’s governance arrangements.

1. Merit and feasibility of the proposed activities, including the clarity of the applicant-focused visit plan and the value of the expected outcomes.
2. The proposed visit’s value to both the proposed activities and the collaborative relationship between the Australian applicant and the US visiting researcher.
3. Demonstrated capacity of the Australian host organisation to undertake the proposed activities, including institutional support arrangements and accommodation.
4. Suitability of the US visiting researcher for the proposed activities and applicant-focused outcomes.
5. Value for money, including whether the proposed visit provides opportunities for the Australian applicant and host organisation that could not otherwise be achieved.

The Academy is not able to enter into discussion or correspondence regarding the reasons an application is successful or unsuccessful. 
 

Awardees are required to submit a report within three months of the visit completion. The report template will be provided to awardees prior to the commencement of travel.

Any publication resulting from the project funded by the Australia-USA Mobility Fund, supported by the Adam J Berry Memorial Fund, must mention the support granted to the project by the Fund and the Australian Academy of Science.