2027 Education Research Grant program


Expressions of interest for the 2027 Education Research Grant program (ERG) will open on 7 April 2026.

 

2027 application guide
PREVIEW THE EOI FORM
REGISTER FOR WEBINAR

2027 Education Research Grant program


Expressions of interest for the 2027 Education Research Grant program (ERG) will open on 7 April 2026.

 

2027 application guide
PREVIEW THE EOI FORM
REGISTER FOR WEBINAR
Education > Research > General Practice Research > Education Research Grant Program > 2027 Education Research Grant program

Selection of 2027 education research topics

For 2027, education research topics continue to draw on the research priority areas established for the 2026 grant round:

  • Supervision: Recruitment, selection, support and retention of high-quality general practice supervisors

  • Artificial Intelligence technologies in general practice: Exploring the implications and impact of emerging artificial intelligence technologies in GP training

  • Education and Assessment: Educational and assessment strategies in GP training: effectiveness, implementation, quality improvement and innovation

  • Career pathways: Career paths and types of practice of recent fellows, and implications for GP training

  • Training environments: Enabling and building positive training experiences in evolving training environments

  • Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, knowledge, practice and worldview: Exploring best practice approaches to how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, ways of knowing, being and doing, and a holistic worldview of health, healing and cultural safety are embedded across GP training, education and assessment

  • Rural general practice training: Supporting quantity, quality and attractiveness across rural GP training

  • Research capacity: Developing research skills and culture in general practice training environments

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander general practitioners: Pathways to success for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander GP trainees and GPs

For the 2027 ERG round, applicants may submit a proposal for either a 12 month project (up to $150,000) or a 24 month project (up to $300,000).

Please note that a proposal that does not fit within at least one of these broad priority areas may still be considered if a compelling case is presented.

The 2027 ERG round will adhere to the following schedule:
 
Date Item
7 April – 31 May 2026  Expression of interest (EOI) period

Applications to be submitted via Smarty Grants (link will open from 7 April)
Mid-July EOI submissions advised of outcome
Mid-July – first week of September 2026 (8 weeks) Application period for successful EOI submissions

(Only successful EOI applicants will be invited to submit a full application)

Applications to be submitted via Smarty Grants
Mid-October 2026 Applicants advised of outcome
Mid-October – early December 2026 Contracting period
1 February 2027 – 31 January 2028 ERG cohort research funded period

How to apply

RACGP Education Research Grants are awarded through a competitive process, where a panel assesses applications based on their academic rigour, as well as the likely outcomes and impacts on improving training quality, progressing defined Education Research Priorities, and building research capacity in the GP training and education sector.

  1. The proposal must be submitted by an eligible research team, that includes at minimum the following members/expertise:
    • Medical educator with expertise in GP training
    • Education research expertise
    • General practice academic expertise
    • Novice or early career researchers (eg., PhD candidates and current or recent academic registrars)

    Research teams must have active, collaborative relationships with regional GP training teams, which will facilitate the regional delivery and translation of research projects.

    Research teams must also have active, collaborative relationships with a university department of general practice or equivalent (including a rural clinical school).

    Also strongly encouraged:

    • Inclusion of GP registrars, recent Fellows, medical students, GP supervisors and/or training practices.

  2. The applicant must demonstrate that they address one of the 2027 ERG priority areas. The proposal will be assessed based on the following: 
    • Background and justification of research (including literature review)
    • Project goal(s) and research questions are clear and aligned with the proposed research design
    • Appropriateness of design and methods (including data collection and analysis)
    • Scope and feasibility of research
    • Plan for dissemination and translation into practice   Potential impact of findings on GP training 

Prior to submitting an expression of interest, the medical educator in the project team must discuss the research proposal with the relevant Director(s) of Training  and/or the National Clinical Leads. This should happen at the beginning of project development , and no later than 1 May 2026 (four weeks prior to the EOI closing date), to ensure Directors of Training and/or National Clinical Leads have adequate time to review the proposal and provide meaningful input.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to allow plenty of time to prepare their application.

Register for the 2027 webinar here

Applicants are encouraged to contact gpedresearch@racgp.org.au with any questions ahead of the webinar.

Watch the 2025 Education Research Grant Information webinar

Applications will open on 7 April 2026. Preview the EOI form here.

Please contact the Education Research Unit at gpedresearch@racgp.org.au.

Find out more

Contact us


Should you have further questions, please contact
Education Research Unit
gpedresearch@racgp.org.au