SQA Undergraduate Research Scholarships

If you are interested in gaining research experience in quantum technology, then an SQA Undergraduate Research Scholarship is an invaluable opportunity.

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olivia using quantum technology

SQA's Undergraduate Research Scholarships provide enthusiastic undergraduate students with invaluable research experience in quantum technology. 

The program aims to provide students partway through their undergraduate degree with an opportunity to develop their research skills and inspire them to consider further quantum technology research or related activities. 

Candidates undertake an exciting six-week project at one of our four partner universities, supervised by a leading quantum researcher. Several projects can also be completed partly or fully online.  The scholarships are open to students studying at our partner universities or attending a university in NSW.

There will also be a number of scholarship places reserved for students identifying as women, to ensure the future of the quantum sector is more gender diverse. We strongly encourage students who identify as women to apply.

KPMG is a sponsor of the 2024 Undergraduate Research Scholarship Program.

Application details

  • Projects are offered from across our four partner universities, with some on offer for remote students. Browse Round 4 projects here.
  • The SQA Undergraduate Research Scholarship total value is AU$3,333.
  • The project period is for six weeks in January to February (exact dates will depend on project supervisor availability), on a full-time basis (35 hours/week for six weeks during normal working hours unless advised otherwise by the supervisor). Flexible arrangements can be made to accommodate, for example, carer responsibilities.
  • Eligible applicants will be awarded on academic merit, their personal statement and suitability to the projects offered.
  • Applicants of all genders are welcome to apply.  Some scholarship places will be reserved for students who identify as women.
  • If you are a domestic student, you must an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and be enrolled in an undergraduate program at a university in NSW.
  • If you are an international student you must be enrolled at an SQA partner university (the University of Technology Sydney, the University of Sydney, UNSW Sydney, or Macquarie University).
  • You must have completed a minimum of the equivalent of 1.5 years of full-time study towards your undergraduate degree by the time you commence your research project.
  • If you were previously awarded an SQA Undergraduate Research Scholarship, you are not eligible to apply.

To be considered, please upload a copy of your university transcript and a 1-page personal statement in your application.

In your application, you will be asked to note your project preferences. Browse the list of available projects here.

Please also read through the SQA Undergraduate Research Scholarships Conditions of Award before submitting your application. Please note, the Conditions of Award are currently under review and may be subject to minor changes.

Hear from past undergraduate research scholarship recipients

"I enjoyed the interactions with the higher-level academics as well as the actual content of our research. Although I am currently studying a quantum degree, this scholarship introduced a new field that I didn't know about before." Tianhui, UNSW

"I thoroughly enjoyed the combination of theory and experimentation in my project. The process of researching and learning about the project, fabricating devices, testing and characterising them, and analyzing the data was incredibly fulfilling." Tegan, Macquarie University

"The SQA Scholarship gave me the opportunity to try professional research for the very first time, which is a transformative experience....it has motivated me to continue further studies in science and engineering, potentially in quantum." Wil, Macquarie University

2 students working in a lab

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Image courtesy of the University of Sydney.