QUT is offering two PhD scholarships as part of an Australian Research Council Linkage Project.

The project will undertake the first comprehensive analysis of how Australian VAD systems are being implemented and are operating in practice.

The project will provide impactful and tangible solutions for practice, policy and law reform to solve real-world challenges in the operation of VAD and be of wide-ranging national benefit.

These scholarships present a fantastic opportunity for individuals aiming to make a meaningful impact in the area of end-of-life law while collaborating with leading researchers and key stakeholders.

About the project and scholarships

The PhD candidates will be part of the Australian Centre for Health Law Research. The centre is Australia's largest group of health law researchers. We conduct interdisciplinary and innovative research at the intersection of law, health, ethics and policy. We aim to generate new knowledge to inform reforms to law, policy and practice. The centre offers a vibrant research culture and a strong focus on collaborative interdisciplinary projects in cutting-edge areas of health law research.

The two PhD positions are linked to an Australian Research Council Linkage Project, and you would work with the project’s chief investigators (Professors Ben White and Lindy Willmott, and Dr Rachel Feeney) and collaborate with the project’s seven partner organisations (state health departments and VAD Boards).

Our supervisory approach emphasises good communication, supervisory teams with a combination of relevant experience, expertise and skills, and a supportive and inclusive research culture where our students are encouraged to participate in centre activities and events.

The project is interdisciplinary. Although based at the QUT School of Law, applications are welcome from other disciplines including regulation, social science, bioethics, health services, health/public policy and other relevant disciplines.

You will receive a living allowance for three years, indexed annually ($37,010 in 2026). The scholarship is tax exempt for full-time students and can be used to support living costs.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this scholarship, you will need to meet the QUT entry requirements for a PhD.

The conditions for retaining the scholarship are set out in the rules of the QUT Postgraduate Research Award (Domestic) or QUT Postgraduate Research Award (International).

Applicants will be assessed against the Faculty of Business and Law’s scholarship criteria, namely:

Criteria 1: Academic excellence exceeding the minimum required for entry.

Criteria 2: Research or professional experience reflecting outstanding research skills and/or high-quality publications.

Criteria 3: Quality of research proposal (in this instance because the PhDs are aligned with an existing project, the focus will be on ability and experience to undertake a PhD in the broad project field).

Criteria 4: Strategic alignment with centre research strengths and priorities (in this instance, alignment will be assessed with the broad project field).

Additionally, experience in quantitative and/or qualitative research is preferred.

As previously mentioned, the project is interdisciplinary and therefore applications are welcome from a range of disciplines, however some grounding in law and/or regulation is highly desirable.

Eligibility for admission to a research degree is determined by the Graduate Research Centre.

Application closing date

Applications close at 5:00pm AEST on Sunday, 31 August 2025.

More information

Applications are required to be submitted by email to Professor Ben White at [email protected]

Your application must include:

a cover letter

an up-to-date CV

full academic transcript

a sample of academic or research writing that you have produced.

Should you wish to discuss your application prior to submission, please contact Professor White via the email address above.