The Anita B. Lawrence PhD Scholarship 2026 at UNSW Sydney is a fully funded doctoral scholarship for students who want to undertake research in acoustics and the built environment. The scholarship is attached to a PhD project in the School of Built Environment within UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture. For the current advertised round, the scholarship supports the research project “Managing Drone Noise in the Built Environment.” It provides a full living stipend, an annual research allowance, and tuition fee support for international students.
About the Anita B. Lawrence PhD Scholarship
UNSW Sydney offers the Anita B. Lawrence PhD Scholarship in Acoustics to support doctoral research related to acoustics and the built environment. The scholarship sits within the School of Built Environment and supports a research candidate working on a specialist PhD project in the area of sound, urban environments, buildings, and environmental design.
For the current advertised scholarship round, UNSW links the award to the project “Managing Drone Noise in the Built Environment.” This PhD project examines how drone noise affects urban and built environments and how planners, researchers, and designers can assess and manage the impact of emerging drone activity in cities and public spaces. The project combines built environment research with acoustics, urban planning, environmental analysis, and sound-related policy questions.
UNSW offers the scholarship to both domestic and international candidates. The award is highly competitive and is intended for applicants with strong academic records, research ability, and a clear interest in acoustics, urban sound, or built-environment research.
Why Choose The Anita B. Lawrence PhD Scholarship?
This scholarship allows you to complete a funded PhD at one of Australia’s leading research universities while working on an emerging topic in acoustics, urban environments, and environmental planning.
You benefit from:
- A full annual stipend for living expenses
- A research allowance to support project-related work
- Tuition fee support for international students
- Access to UNSW’s School of Built Environment and its research environment
- Supervision in a project that connects acoustics, planning, architecture, and environmental research
- A chance to work on a timely research issue involving drone noise, cities, and the built environment
Anita B. Lawrence PhD Scholarship Summary
- Host Country: Australia
- Host University: UNSW Sydney
- Faculty: Arts, Design & Architecture
- School: School of Built Environment
- Scholarship Name: Anita B. Lawrence PhD Scholarship
- Study Level: PhD
- Research Area: Acoustics and the Built Environment
- Current Advertised Project: Managing Drone Noise in the Built Environment
- Scholarship Type: Fully funded PhD scholarship
- Eligible Applicants: Domestic and international students
- Stipend Value: AUD 39,200 per annum (2026 rate)
- Research Allowance: AUD 5,000 per annum
- Tuition Support for International Students: Yes, through a tuition fee scholarship
- Application Mode: Direct application by email to UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture
- Selection Basis: Academic merit, research suitability, and fit with the scholarship/project requirements
Scholarship Benefits
The Anita B. Lawrence PhD Scholarship provides the following benefits:
- AUD 39,206 per year as a living stipend for the PhD candidate
- AUD 5,000 per year as a research allowance to support research-related costs
- Tuition fee scholarship for international candidates
- The opportunity to undertake doctoral research in acoustics and the built environment at UNSW
- Access to an interdisciplinary research environment in built environment studies, planning, and acoustics
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the Anita B. Lawrence PhD Scholarship, applicants must generally:
- Meet the admission criteria for a PhD or MPhil in the relevant UNSW faculty/programme
- Meet the UNSW English language requirements for the faculty, where applicable
- Demonstrate a strong academic background and research potential relevant to the scholarship area
- Show a clear interest in acoustics, the built environment, or the advertised research project area
- Submit the required scholarship application documents to UNSW by the stated process and deadline, where applicable
Because the scholarship is linked to a specialist research project, applicants also need to show that their academic preparation and research interests align with the project’s focus on acoustics and the built environment.
Required Documents
UNSW asks applicants to submit the following materials for the Anita B. Lawrence PhD Scholarship:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Copy of academic transcripts
- Names of two academic referees
- One sample of written work appropriate for an academic audience, such as:
- an undergraduate dissertation
- a peer-reviewed journal article
- another suitable academic writing sample
- A Statement of Purpose explaining:
- your reasons for applying
- how you meet the eligibility criteria
- your longer-term goals
Length: maximum 1–2 pages
Application Process & Timeline
To apply for the Anita B. Lawrence PhD Scholarship, follow these steps:
- Check that you satisfy the UNSW admission criteria for the relevant PhD or MPhil programme.
- Confirm that you meet the English language requirements for the faculty if they apply to you.
- Prepare your scholarship application documents, including your CV, academic transcripts, academic writing sample, referee details, and Statement of Purpose.
- Email your application to [email protected].
- Use the subject line: “Anita B. Lawrence PhD Scholarship in Acoustics”.
- If UNSW selects you for the scholarship, the faculty will then direct you to submit an Expression of Interest for admission to the PhD at UNSW Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture.
