This glossary accompanies the guide to applying for honours. It lists the research institutes that are external to university departments. When looking for labs, look up university department labs as well as external research institutes (some listed below).

If you find an institute not included in this list, please contact me or leave a comment below. Thanks!

Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI)

University affiliation: Monash University

Honours entry requirements (please check on websites and open day): WAM ≥ 70 at minimum

Alfred Health

University affiliation: Monash University, La Trobe University & Deakin University (part of Alfred Research Alliance)

Honours scholarships: $6,000 Alfred Research Alliance Honours Scholarship awarded based on undergrad WAM (must apply by Nov year before honours)

Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute

University affiliation: University of Melbourne, Monash University, La Trobe University, Swinburne University of Technology & Deakin University (part of Alfred Research Alliance)

Honours scholarships: $6,000 Alfred Research Alliance Honours Scholarship awarded based on undergrad WAM (must apply by Nov year before honours)

Bio21

University affiliation: University of Melbourne (Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

Bionics Institute

University Affiliation: Unclear. Many RMIT students go to the Bionic Institute. Possible for you to be enrolled in a different university and become a research student with the Bionics Institute if you’ve arranged a placement with a supervisor.

Burnet Institute

University affiliation: Accepts honours students from all major Victorian universities (part of Alfred Research Alliance)

Honours scholarships: $6,000 Alfred Research Alliance Honours Scholarship awarded based on undergrad WAM (must apply by Nov year before honours)

CSIRO

Summer Vacation Scholarship: Only available to third year students intending to do honours

La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science

University affiliation: La Trobe University

Murdoch Children’s Research Institute

University affiliation: University of Melbourne (Department of Paediatrics)

Honours Scholarships: $5,000 competitively selected based on undergrad WAM

Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute

University affiliation: Seems to accept students enrolled at most universities

Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity

University affiliation: University of Melbourne

Entry requirements (please check on websites and open day): WAM ≥ 65

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

University affiliation: University of Melbourne, but accepts students enrolled in any university

Undergrad Vacation Scholarship: Enquire from a supervisor and apply (applications open in July)

St Vincent’s Institute

University affiliation: University of Melbourne

Undergrad Vacation Scholarship: Enquire from your supervisor & apply (applications usually close by end of Nov)

The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health

University affiliation: University of Melbourne

Undergrad Vacation Scholarship: Some University of Melbourne Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience labs are co-located with the Florey Institute in the Kenneth Myer Building. If you are part of one one of these labs (not necessarily a Florey lab), the department offers vacation scholarships.

Walter & Eliza Hall Institute

University affiliation: University of Melbourne (Department of Medical Biology)

Honours Scholarships: $5,000 Alan W Harris Honours Scholarship awarded to all honours students

Entry requirements (please check on websites and open day): WAM of science subjects ≥  80 (note that it may be possible to get into WEHI honours with a slightly lower WAM if the supervisor is willing to take you on. So if you’re interested in a lab, still talk to them!).

Undergrad Vacation Scholarship: Enquire from your supervisor & apply (usually by end of year). WEHI also offers the Metcalf scholarship during semester for undergraduates (so honours students can’t use it to start early over the summer).