The Foundation is partnering with Western Sydney University to offer a PhD scholarship examining legal needs, access to justice and intersecting inequalities.

The scholarship is part of an ARC DECRA project, Advancing access to justice: identifying the causes of legal problems, and gives a Higher Degree Research candidate the chance to contribute theoretical and applied knowledge to a question central to our work: why do legal problems arise, and how do they compound disadvantage for people already experiencing hardship?

About the project

Legal problems touch most people’s lives at some point, but not evenly. People experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage are more likely to face legal problems, and more likely to face multiple or complex ones. Left unresolved, these problems can escalate, deepening disadvantage, inequality and poverty for individuals and communities.

This PhD forms part of a broader ARC DECRA project generating critical realist causal explanations of why and how legal problems arise for clients of Australia’s tax-funded legal assistance sector. It also contributes directly to the Foundation’s own research program, supporting our work toward a fair and equitable justice system that addresses the legal needs of the community.

There is flexibility in the thesis focus. Candidates can shape their project around a particular affected population, type of legal issue, experience of legal need, specific context, aspect of the legal assistance sector’s work, or another relevant topic of interest, provided it aligns with the aims of both partners.

Candidates will be based at the Institute for Culture & Society (ICS) at Western Sydney University’s Parramatta South Campus, working alongside researchers across sociology, human geography, anthropology, cultural studies and related fields. They will also have the opportunity to work with the Foundation’s multidisciplinary research team.

A timely opportunity: In 2026, the Foundation is conducting a large-scale national legal needs survey, generating a rich new source of data. This makes the scholarship particularly well suited to a candidate looking to build skills in quantitative analysis of social survey data.

The PhD will commence on 4 January 2027, under the primary supervision of Dr Catherine Hastings (ARC DECRA Research Fellow, Western Sydney University), with external co-supervision from the Foundation’s Research Director, Dr Kate Davies. Additional co-supervision will be arranged based on the candidate’s project and disciplinary background.

What the scholarship provides

• A tax-free stipend of $45,188 per annum for domestic candidates, including a $10,000 per annum top-up from the Foundation, supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset
• Support for conference attendance, fieldwork and additional costs as approved by ICS

Who we’re looking for

We welcome applicants with a disciplinary background in sociology, law, human geography, anthropology, psychology, public health, social work, cultural studies or other relevant fields.

The successful applicant should:

• Hold an Australian First Class Bachelor (Honours) degree, a coursework Masters with at least 25% research component, a Research Masters degree, or equivalent overseas qualifications
• Demonstrate strong academic performance in subjects relevant to the project
• Have an authentic interest in access to justice and the Australian legal assistance sector, a solid understanding of intersectional disadvantage, and a genuine concern for social justice
• Have, or be willing to learn, skills in descriptive interpretation of quantitative data, or knowledge of more complex statistical methods; a mixed-methods proposal is encouraged
• Be enthusiastic and highly motivated to undertake advanced study
• Experience in human-centred service delivery or policy making in human services or legal assistance contexts is highly regarded, though not essential

This scholarship is limited to domestic students.

How to apply

1. Contact Dr Catherine Hastings ([email protected]) to discuss your eligibility, the project requirements and your intention to apply.
2. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via the Online Portal by 12 noon (AEDT), Thursday 22 October 2026.
3. Once your EOI is approved, log back into the Online Portal and submit your completed application by the application deadline.
4. Refer to the knowledge article How to apply for a research degree for detailed instructions.

Your EOI and application must include:

• A 2000-word (maximum) Research Proposal with an explicit statement of how your proposed research aligns with the ARC DECRA project aims and the work of the Foundation
• A CV with contact information for two referees
• A certified copy of your academic transcripts
• A one-page document explaining how you satisfy the project’s eligibility criteria

Applications close 31 October 2026.

This is a rare opportunity to shape original research at the intersection of law, disadvantage and social policy, with direct pathways into both academia and the legal assistance sector. If you’re considering a PhD and want your research to make a genuine difference to access to justice in Australia, we encourage you to get in touch with Dr Hastings to discuss your fit for the project.