Elite Researcher Grants

1. Nominations will only be accepted from eligible host organisations. 
2. Intention to Nominate forms are due via email to moh-ohmrgrants@health.nsw.gov.au  by 5pm (AEST) on 1 December 2025. 
3. The host organisation then prepares a full nomination using the 2025 Elite Researcher Grants Nomination Form and submits it to NSW Health via email to moh-ohmrgrants@health.nsw.gov.au by 5pm (AEST) on 2 March 2026. A maximum of one nomination may be submitted per host organisation. 
4. All applications will receive an email to acknowledge receipt within 72 business hours. It is the applicant’s responsibility to follow up if no acknowledgement email is received. 
5. The maximum email size is 20MB. Larger emails will be rejected by the NSW Health server and you may not be notified that the email has been rejected. 

For all enquiries, please email MOH-OHMRGrants@health.nsw.gov.au.  

Can a researcher who previously lived in NSW be nominated? 

Elite Researcher Grants are open to researchers who currently live and work overseas. Researchers already residing in Australia, even if on temporary visas, are not eligible. The researcher must not currently live or work in Australia but may be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia who has been living and working overseas prior to 1 September 2025. 

Can a researcher who is not an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia be nominated? 

Yes, however awarding of funding will be conditional on obtaining an appropriate working visa for the full term of the funding period. 

Will relocation costs for the nominated researcher be included in the grant? 

A one-off funding amount of up to $10,000 for the researcher’s relocation expenses (and up to another $20,000 for family relocation expenses) may be available with appropriate justification. See section ‘How to claim for reimbursement of relocation costs’ in the Elite Researcher Grant Guidelines 2025 V1 for further information on reimbursement for eligible relocation costs. 

Can an Elite Researcher Grant recipient continue clinical duties? 

Yes, however the nature, FTE commitment and alignment with research activities for these should be detailed in the nomination. The Chief Executive of the Local Health District or other employer will be required to sign the declaration on the nomination form to confirm the employment opportunity. 

What can the Elite Researcher Grant funding be used for? 

• Research that is conducted the New South Wales public health system or an affiliated organisation (university, medical research institute, industry partner). 

• A combination of salaries of the elite researcher, research team, backfill for clinicians to quarantine research time, consumables and equipment. 

What expenses/activities are not eligible to be included in the Elite Researcher Grant budget? 

• Non-research activities such as teaching. 

• Capital works, general maintenance costs, organisational infrastructure or overheads, telephone/ communication systems, basic office equipment such as desks and chairs, rent and the cost of utilities.