David Ashton Travel Award 2026

The David Ashton Travel Award was established by a gift from David Hungerford Ashton to the University of Melbourne Botany Foundation and is offered to students who are enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours), a graduate coursework or research degree with the Faculty of Science and undertaking travel for the purpose of research in field of Plant Ecology. 

To be eligible for this award, students must be enrolled in a bachelor degree with honours, a graduate coursework or graduate research degree with the Faculty of Science and undertaking research in the field of Plant Ecology.

NOTE: This scholarship is to support travel associated with fieldwork.

The award is offered to eligible students who are ranked highest by the selection panel based on their written statement.

When determining the successful candidate for this award, other awards for the same purpose received by candidates are considered.

Students must submit an application and provide a personal statement outlining:

• The details of their proposed travel, including purpose of travel, itinerary, and cost estimates,
• The relevance of the proposed travel to their research in Plant Ecology

Students must undertake travel in the year the award is made.

In addition, students must agree to the University sharing their name and course details with the donor of their scholarship and provide a note of appreciation and a brief report on the benefits of the scholarship if requested.

All scholarship outcomes will be sent via SmartyGrants.

Please see outcome timing below:

• Round 1 (Jan-March applications): May-July
• Round 2 (June-August applications): September-October

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