Reading Australia Fellowship

Reading Australia Fellowship

The Copyright Agency’s Reading Australia Fellowship will support an experienced English and literacy teacher or teacher librarian to undertake research in a dedicated area to benefit the study of Australian Literature in schools.

The Fellowship will provide an opportunity for professional development and research for English and literacy teachers and teacher librarians to enhance their skills and abilities in the teaching of Australian Literature to students.

Research projects may be undertaken in Australia or overseas but ultimately Australian teachers, teacher librarians and students should benefit from the research findings.

Reading Australia has identified the following areas of study as priorities for 2026:

• Teaching Australian Literature in the classroom with a focus on First Nations literature, incorporating culturally appropriate protocols and strategies
• Developing lifelong readers (reading for pleasure, reading identity, choosing strategies, the role of teachers/teacher librarians)
• Teaching diverse texts with a focus on inclusive practices
• Using novels, information texts, picture books and graphic novels to engage with reluctant readers and readers with diverse learning needs
• Teaching poetry in classrooms, exploring Australian stories in verse
• Community and cultural connection (writers-in-schools, cultural educators and engaging local authors)

Previous Fellowship recipients have undertaken research into various topics, including diversity in Reading Australia picture books; developing a respectful, culturally appropriate, and responsive approach to how First Nations literature is taught in schools; AI and the Australian voice in texts; and Aliteracy and Australian Literature.

This Fellowship complements Reading Australia, a Copyright Agency initiative to encourage the teaching of Australian Literature in schools by creating and publishing freely-available resources for teachers, by teachers. Reading Australia has more than 300 resources to books by Australian writers mapped to the curriculum priorities for teachers to use in schools.

AMOUNT OF GRANT

• $15,000
• One Fellowship will be awarded each year
• Projects should start after Monday 3 August 2026
• Fellows will have up to 18 months to undertake and complete their project

 WHO CAN APPLY

This Fellowship is open to English and literacy teachers and teacher librarians.

To be eligible to apply for this Fellowship, applicants must:

• have a minimum of five years’ teaching experience in Australian schools or libraries
• be employed in a primary or secondary school at the time of application
• be Australian citizens or permanent residents
• acquit any overdue Cultural Fund grants

 HOW TO APPLY

• Submit your application by the closing date and time via the online SmartyGrants system
• Applicants may submit only one application per round
• Incomplete or late applications will not be considered

YOUR APPLICATION  

ASSESSMENT

• • Applications are assessed by an independent panel of peers from the teaching community

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND GRANT OBLIGATIONS

• Once your application has been submitted, no changes can be made, regardless of whether it is submitted before the round closes
• Successful applicants must submit an acquittal report on their funded activities within eight weeks of the completion of the project via the SmartyGrants online system

More information and contact

For further information, see our Frequently Asked Questions.

Please contact us before the application closing date if you’re unsure about your eligibility to apply for a Fellowship. Our email is culturalfund@copyright.com.au