Future Leader Fellowship

Applications open now! 

Supporting the best and brightest in cardiovascular research

The fellowship supports aspiring leaders who are developing independence and developing their own research portfolio, through to established leaders of cardiovascular research groups with extensive research portfolios.

For applicants to be considered for funding, they must meet the following eligibility criteria: 

• The applicant will be considered the Chief Investigator A (CIA) on this project.
• CIA must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident or have applied for Australian permanent residency at the time of the application
• CIA must be involved in Cardiovascular Research (including stroke research)
• CIA must be from an NHMRC Administering Institution
• CIA must also be based in Australia for at least 80% of the funding period

• Applicants are expected to have at least two years of research experience relevant to the context of the grant.

• Applicants may choose to apply to one of three levels:
• Level 1 applicants to be a minimum three years and less than seven years post PhD
• Level 2 applicants to be a minimum seven years and less than ten years post PhD
• Level 3 applicants to be a minimum ten years and less than fifteen years post PhD
• Applicants should refer to the Indicative Criteria for the expectation of performance at each of the levels.
• Applicants may apply to progress through the Future Leader levels; however, they cannot receive the same level twice.
• Applicants may apply at a level higher than they are eligible for based on the number of years since their PhD confirmation, however, applications will only be considered in the requested category.
• Applicants may apply in a level lower than they are eligible for if they can demonstrate that their ‘effective’ number of years since the date that their PhD thesis was passed falls within the eligibility range, once Career Disruption is considered. For information on career disruptions please review the Research Funding Guidelines.
• Applicants may apply to undertake the Fellowship between 0.6 FTE to 1.0 FTE
• Applicants may only apply within one Heart Foundation Fellowship category or type (including the Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships) in any year. Should an applicant apply within multiple Fellowship categories or types, all applications from that candidate will be removed from further consideration.
• An applicant may not concurrently hold more than one Fellowship. For more information, please refer to the Research Funding Guidelines.

What’s the value and duration of the Fellowship?  

Full time Future Leader Fellowships are funded for four years, with salary support and project support at the levels specified below. The salary support component will be adjusted pro rata for part time fellowships (minimum 0.6FTE).

Note: The increased salary support rates apply to grants awarded from 2026 onwards, with payments commencing in 2027 or later. These changes do not apply to existing funded grants.

When can you apply?

Stage 1

• Applications open: Monday 9 February 2026
• Applications close: Friday 13 March 2026

Stage 2 (by invitation only)

• Applications open: Monday 18 May 2026
• Applications close: Friday 26 June 2026

Stage 3 Interviews (shortlisted applicants)

• Planned for September, dates to be advised.
• Successful applicants notified: Late October 2026

How should you apply?

Applications must be submitted via the Heart Foundation Grants Management Portal.