Southern NSW Innovation Hub’s Honours Research Support Scholarships program for 2026 provides financial support to help students complete their studies to a high standard and extend their research beyond the university.

Applications are now open via an Expression of Interest (EOI) for the 2026 program. Through this round, the Southern NSW Innovation Hub will offer financial support to a limited number of Honours students commencing in Session 1 2026. Each scholarship is valued at $5,000, with four scholarships available.

Eligibility criteria:

• Applicants must be, at the time of award, enrolled or accepted in a Charles Sturt University honours course, or in the final year of a course with integrated honours and enrolled in the dissertation subject.
• Applications may be submitted prior to formal acceptance; however, scholarships will not be awarded until acceptance and commencement can be demonstrated.
• The proposed project must align with the Hub’s Key Impact Areas (i.e. investment planning priorities).

To apply, please send a succinct written application (maximum one A4 page) to southernNSWhub@csu.edu.au, addressing the criteria outlined in the EOI form. Applications close at 5:00 pm on Friday, 16 January 2026.

Specific project opportunities available

1. Rice weed management now and into the future: This is an honours research project to assess current and potential impactful rice weed species, identifying current and future control measures. Project partners include: Agropraisals Pty Ltd, Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia (RGA), Rice Research Australia, and Rice Breeding Australia. Download the project proposal to find out more.

Project funding

The Honours Research Support Scholarships program received funding from the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund, through the Southern NSW Innovation Hub.