The Scholarship AINSE ANSTO French Embassies (SAAFE) Program is an exciting international exchange opportunity open to Early Career Researchers at the Ph.D. and postdoctoral level. Each successful applicant is provided with costs towards a return flight and up to A$200 per week (up to a maximum of 26 weeks) to support accommodation expenses associated with a visit from:
- Australia/New Zealand to France, or
- France to Australia.
Eligible applicants must be a PhD student in, or hold a postdoctoral appointment at, a French university or AINSE-member university. The research project must be in collaboration with at least one researcher employed by ANSTO or another Australian AINSE-member institution (in the field of nuclear science and engineering and in the areas of Health, Environment or Nuclear Technologies), and at least one researcher employed by a French university or French research institution.
The research internship is required to take place over a period of 8–26 weeks between 1st October 2025 – 31st December 2026.
The terms & conditions are available through the SAAFE page on the AINSE website. Applications will remain open until 1st July 2025 via the AINSE Grants Portal.
International links
Since 2017, the SAAFE program has facilitated the conduct of research and fostered research collaborations between France and Australia, in nuclear science and engineering, in the research areas of Human Health, Environment, and the Nuclear Fuel Cycle.
In 2022, the SAAFE program expanded to allow postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers from AINSE New Zealand university’s to also access funding for travel to France for research collaborations.
The SAAFE program supports Early Career Researchers at PhD and postdoctoral levels to travel from Australia or New Zealand to France – and from France to Australia – to initiate sustainable research networks and linkages
Am I eligible?
Eligible applicants must be:
- A PhD student currently enrolled in a French university or AINSE-member university; OR
- Enrolled in a PhD in collaboration between French and Australian institutions; OR
- Hold a postdoctoral appointment at a French university or AINSE-member university.
In addition, eligible applicants must be carrying out a research project using nuclear science techniques that will stimulate research collaborations between France and Australia/New Zealand in the areas of Health, Environment, or Nuclear Technologies.
The research project must be in collaboration with at least one researcher employed by ANSTO or another Australian AINSE-member institution, and at least one researcher employed by a French university or French research institution.
The research internship must take place over 8 – 26 weeks within the period 1st October 2025 – 31st December 2026.