Funding Support

Travel Funding

A special feature of the Australian Synchrotron is that it provides funding to assist users from Australia and New Zealand who have to travel to Melbourne to use the facility. The rationale for this is that users in locations outside of Melbourne should not be disadvantaged by the additional cost of travel. For New Zealand users, the travel funding scheme is administered by NZSG.

All groups that are awarded Merit time or Preferred Access time and are staff or students of one of the funding institutions listed below are eligible to receive funding support.

Eligible institutions are:

  • The University of Auckland
  • AUT Auckland University of Technology
  • The University of Waikato
  • Massey University
  • Victoria University of Wellington
  • University of Canterbury
  • University of Otago
  • AgResearch Ltd

The amount of funding depends on the home location of the users and which beamline is being used. (Some beamlines can have remote use so the funding support is for sample shipping instead.)

All successful applicants for beamtime will be notified by the NZSG Secretariat of their travel funding entitlement shortly after the have received advice of the outcome of their beamtime application. They will be asked to complete a travel funding application to be sent to synchrotron@royalsociety.org.nz. A notice of approval will be sent to the applicant.

Claims for reimbursement of eligible costs (return airfares to Melbourne and ground transportation for the group in Melbourne) can be made after the group returns to New Zealand. This is normally by the applicant’s institution invoicing NZSG.

Additional Student Travel Funding

NZSG is currently providing additional travel funding support for groups that want to take more than the usual 3 people (covered by the standard travel funding entitlement) to the Synchrotron. The purpose of the additional support is to expand the capability base and provide experience for new user. It is limited to students who have not previously been to the Australian Synchrotron.

This scheme has a limited duration. It will be in place for the 2024/2, 2042/3 and 2025/1 application periods. Support will be offered as travel grants of NZ$1,500 or reimbursement of actual costs up to a maximum of NZ$1,500.

Applications can be made in conjunction with the group’s travel funding application described above.