Conference Support Grants

The WIL Australia Board invites researchers and practitioners to promote and exchange best practice in WIL at the WIL Australia Conference 2026. To help foster a vibrant and interactive conference, the Board is pleased to announce the availability of 10 Conference Support Grants, each worth $795, to cover the cost of conference registration for WIL Australia members. Applications for the Conference Support Grants are open to higher degree research students (HDRs), early career researchers (ECRs) and professional staff (non-academic staff). The grant is available for individual applicants – it does not cover a team application.

Preferencing Criteria

Preference will be given to award applicants who:

  • are a student or employee of a WIL Australia member institution that are unable to provide financial support for their conference registration;
  • can attend the full conference;
  • have had no, or limited, opportunities to attend similar conferences;
  • have not previously received a WIL Australia Conference Support Grant of any kind; and
  • submit their applications by or before the standard (not extended) conference abstract submission deadline of 30 May 2026.

Eligibility Criteria for Conference Support Grants

All applicants must:

  • be a current WIL Australia member;
  • be a  HDR, ECR or professional staff;
  • submit an oral or poster abstract by the standard (not extended) abstract deadline of 30 May 2026. For a conference abstract with multiple presenters, this means that the only presenter who can be eligible is the presenter who submits the abstract;
  • have their conference abstract selected for oral or poster presentation;
  • provide a signed letter from their supervisor on institutional letterhead confirming that the institution is unable to provide financial support for conference registration for the applicant; and
  • agree to the Support Grant Conditions below.

Further, ECR applications must demonstrate conferral of PhD within the 5 years prior to the date of the conference abstract submission deadline.

Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application Process

  1. Applications are to be submitted during the abstract submission process prior to the submission deadline.
  2. Abstracts will be peer reviewed and ranked to select the Conference Support Grant recipients.
  3. Applicants will be notified of the Conference Support Grant outcomes by 30 June 2026.

Conference Support Grant Conditions

Successful Conference Support Grantees:

  • must agree to meet all other travel and accommodation costs of attending the conference;
  • must acknowledge the support of WIL Australia during/on their oral/poster presentation using the WIL Australia logo/acknowledgement slide provided to them by WIL Australia;
  • agree for their photograph to be included on the conference website and app;
  • are expected to attend the entire conference including the closing ceremony;
  • are required to write a brief reflection on the value of the conference experience, using the template provided by WIL Australia; and
  • agree for their written reflections (or appropriate excerpts) and photo to potentially be published on the WIL Australia website and/or in future WIL Australia material.

Conference Support Grant Assessment Process

Applications will be assessed by members of the WIL Australia Board and its sub-committees. Applications that meet the Eligibility Criteria will be ranked based on the Preferencing Criteria and the quality of conference abstract. Decisions are final.

Important Dates

Support Grant Applications Close

30 May 2026

Support Grant Notifications Issued

30 June 2026

Speaker/Grant Registration Deadline

30 July 2026

Enquiries

For questions regarding Conference Support Grants, please contact Daryl McMahon.

Having issues with the submission process? Contact Julie Jerbic.