RSPCA Australia Scholarships

Every year, RSPCA Australia offers three scholarships to encourage students to take an active interest in animal welfare issues, to support animal welfare research that might not otherwise attract funding, and to promote the objectives of the RSPCA within the research community.

The RSPCA Australia Alan White Scholarship is offered to students for the funding of original research aimed at improving the welfare of animals in Australia. The Hugh Wirth Humane Animal Production Scholarship is for specific projects aimed at improving the welfare of farm animals. The RSPCA Australia Sybil Emslie Animal Law Scholarship is offered to law students and lawyers who engage in legal scholarship and practice dedicated to advancing animal welfare.

Through the scholarship program, the RSPCA has supported many interesting and valuable research projects on a variety of animal welfare issues. Since 2005 scholarship recipients have provided reports on the progress of their research. These progress reports can be accessed from the link below.

Previous scholarship recipients

RSPCA Australia Alan White Scholarship for Animal Welfare Research

The RSPCA Australia Alan White Scholarship for Animal Welfare Research was established in 1989 to advance the cause of animal welfare in Australia. The scholarship is named after Mr Alan White, a past President of RSPCA Australia and a past President of RSPCA Queensland. The Alan White Scholarship is available to full-time or part-time students in Australian tertiary institutions for the funding of original research aimed at improving the welfare of animals in Australia. The 2022 scholarship award will be for $9,588 and can be used towards any area of research that fits the general scholarship criteria.

Scholarship criteria

The following general criteria apply to applications for these Scholarships:

Applications should be for a discrete research project (which may or may not form part of a larger research program).

Applicants must demonstrate in their application that their proposed research project is supportive of the policies of RSPCA Australia and will be used to further animal welfare in Australia. All current policies can be viewed on the RSPCA Australia Knowledge Base.

Applicants must be enrolled in full-time or part-time education in an accredited course at an Australian University or College in the year their application is considered.

The Scholarships are not restricted to any particular academic discipline. However, applicants demonstrating a major commitment to and/or involvement with animal welfare issues are strongly favoured.

Application information

Application forms for the RSPCA Australia Scholarships can be downloaded here or can be mailed on request from the RSPCA Australia office.

Download application form (Word) Download application form (PDF)

Applications for the 2022 Scholarships close on Friday 23th September 2022.

The 2022 Scholarship award for this scholarship will be for $9,588.

Completed applications should be forwarded either by mail or email to …

Mail

Chief Scientist
RSPCA Australia
PO Box 265
Deakin West ACT 2600

Email

science@rspca.org.au

If you require further information please contact RSPCA Australia.

Hugh Wirth Humane Animal Production Scholarship

This scholarship category is available for individual research projects that are related to the development of humane alternative farm animal production systems. The 2022 scholarship award will be for $9,588 and is available to full-time or part-time students in Australian tertiary institutions. Applications can be made for research involving any farm animal species.

Scholarship criteria

The following general criteria apply to applications for these Scholarships

Applications should be for a discrete research project (which may or may not form part of a larger research program).

Applicants must demonstrate in their application that their proposed research project is supportive of the policies of RSPCA Australia and will be used to further farm animal welfare in Australia. All current policies can be viewed on the RSPCA Australia Knowledge Base.

Applicants must be enrolled in full-time or part-time education in an accredited course at an Australian University or College in the year their application is considered.

The Scholarships are not restricted to any particular academic discipline. However, applicants demonstrating a major commitment to and/or involvement with animal welfare issues are strongly favoured.

Application information

Application forms for the RSPCA Australia Scholarships can be downloaded here or can be mailed on request from the RSPCA Australia office.

Download application form (Word) Download application form (PDF)

Applications for the 2022 Scholarships close on Friday 23th September 2022.

The 2022 Scholarship award for this scholarship will be for $9,588.

Completed applications should be forwarded either by mail or email to …

Mail

Chief Scientist
RSPCA Australia
PO Box 265
Deakin West ACT 2600

Email

science@rspca.org.au

If you require further information please contact RSPCA Australia.

RSPCA Australia Sybil Emslie Animal Law Scholarship

The RSPCA Australia Sybil Emslie Animal Law Scholarship is intended to celebrate Sybil Emslie’s life-long commitment to the care and protection of animals by encouraging legal scholarship and practice dedicated to advancing animal welfare. The $1,000 annual scholarship will be awarded to a law student or lawyer who has a strong academic record and a commitment to the practice of animal law through active and substantial engagement with animal law and animal protection organisations and initiatives. The Scholarship is administered by RSPCA Australia with funds contributed by Sybil Emslie’s family and other donors.

Scholarship criteria

Applicants for this Scholarship must …

Be either enrolled in an undergraduate law degree, or enrolled or aspiring to enrol in a higher research degree within an Australian law school, or be a practising lawyer within an Australian jurisdiction;

Demonstrate their commitment to the practice of animal law through active and substantial engagement with animal law and animal protection organisations and initiatives;

Demonstrate how their research or practising activity will benefit the development and application of animal law and animal protection more broadly.

Interested applicants are invited to submit the following …

A curriculum vitae

a 500 word statement outlining

• their commitment to animal law including their active and substantial engagement with animal law and animal protection organisations and initiatives; and
• how their research or practising activity benefits the development and application of animal law and animal protection more broadly.

Application information

Applications for this Scholarship close on Friday 26 August 2022. The 2022 award for this Scholarship will be for $1,000.

Completed applications should be forwarded either by mail or email to …

Mail

Chief Scientist
RSPCA Australia
PO Box 265
Deakin West ACT 2600

Email

science@rspca.org.au

If you would like to contribute to this fund, please go to the RSPCA Donations page and make a donation referencing the ‘Sybil Emslie Animal Law Scholarship’ in the comments section.

Download scholarship PDF