International Postdoctoral Forrest Fellowships 2026 Now Accepting Applications
If you’re a bold, boundary-pushing researcher ready to make a mark on the world, the Forrest Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship in Australia may be your perfect launchpad. Known for supporting outstanding early-career postdoctoral scholars, the Forrest Fellowship offers a prestigious and fully funded opportunity to work at one of Western Australia’s top universities—and applications for 2026 open on 15 May 2025.
Overview: Who Are the Forrest Fellows?
Forrest Fellows are visionary researchers who:
- Think unconventionally and take calculated intellectual risks.
- Thrive on interdisciplinary exploration and collaborative problem-solving.
- Are committed to creating research with real-world impact.
- Have studied and researched at multiple institutions, achieving global recognition.
This fellowship is tailored for exceptional postdocs who not only led their graduate cohorts but are now pushing the boundaries of their field—and beyond.
Forest Fellowship Benefits (2026 Intake)
Successful Forrest Fellows will receive:
- Salary: Approx. AUD $108,362 per year (Level A Step 8), plus 17% superannuation
- Accommodation Allowance: AUD $25,116 per year (2025 rate, subject to tax)
- Research & Travel Allowance: One-time AUD $12,000 for research and international conferences
- Relocation Support: Economy airfare and relocation expenses to Perth for interstate or international fellows
- Leadership Opportunities: Mentoring, ambassadorial roles, and active involvement with the Forrest Research Foundation community.
Appointments at a higher salary level (Level B) may be considered based on university support.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the 2026 Forrest Postdoctoral Fellowship, applicants must:
- Be in the final year of their PhD or have completed it no earlier than 1 January 2023.
- Successfully complete all PhD requirements by 31 December 2025.
- Demonstrate a record of outstanding academic achievement and international research experience.
Courses and Research Scope
There are no disciplinary limitations—you can apply from any research field, as long as your work is groundbreaking, collaborative, and globally relevant. Your research project should ideally:
- Extend beyond your PhD focus
- Bridge intellectual gaps within and across disciplines
- Aim for community and global impact.
Greetings. My name is Girma Moti Geletu. I obtained my PhD in Curriculum Studies, Design, Development, and Instruction from Addis Ababa University, and I am currently working at Hawassa University (Ethiopia). I am interested in applying for the 2026–2027 Forrest postdoctoral fellowship, but I have not yet found a host supervisor or a direction. How can I find the fellowship’s address/contact, and how do I approach a potential host supervisor? My research focuses on education, curriculum, pedagogy, and teacher professional development.
Hi Girma Moti Geletu—thanks for sharing your background. Based on your experience in curriculum/teacher development, you’ll want to align your proposal with a host researcher at a Western Australia university.
For the 2026 intake, applications open on 15 May 2025. The article doesn’t say how to contact supervisors, so please verify the official application guidance for how hosts are arranged.
In the meantime, identify relevant faculty/lab groups in your topic area, review their recent postdoctoral or related projects, and send a concise email with your 1–2 page research summary and how your work fits their current directions.
Greetings. My name is Girma Moti Geletu. I have obtained a PhD in curriculum studies, design, development, and instruction from Addis Ababa University and I am working at Hawassa University in Ethiopia. I am interested in applying for the 2026–2027 Forrest Postdoctoral Fellowship, but I couldn’t find a host supervisor. I don’t know how to approach identifying and contacting potential hosts. How can I find and contact a postdoctoral fellowship host supervisor? I work on education, curriculum, pedagogy, and teacher professional development.
Hi Girma—thank you for sharing your background. Since the program is at Australian universities, a practical approach is to first shortlist researchers/professors whose work matches education/curriculum, pedagogy, and teacher professional development at the Western Australia host universities. Then read their recent publications and tailor a brief email that includes (1) your PhD focus, (2) your current research question, and (3) what you’d propose for a postdoc. Start with their university profile/contact details (department pages) and send a concise, one-paragraph inquiry plus your CV. If the fellowship requires a specific host, verify that requirement in the official application guidance.