Interns
Mentors
Industry Partners

Interns (Hons, MSc, PhD and post-docs)

Who is eligible to be an AMSI Intern?
Interns must be undertaking post-graduate studies at an Australian university. Those that have just completed a PhD are welcome to apply too.

I am an undergraduate student. Am I eligible for an internship?
Not at this time. The AMSI Intern program is for post-graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. However, students may apply for an internship to take place in the summer before they commence their Masters or PhD, providing they have been accepted into a Masters or Doctoral program at an Australian university.

Can I apply for an AMSI internship if I am attending a university outside Australia?
No. You must be either enrolled at an Australian university or have recently completed your MSc or PhD at an Australian university or have some association with an AMSI member university.

I am not an Australian citizen but attend an Australian university. Am I eligible for an internship?
Yes you are eligible as long as you are enrolled at an Australian university and the terms and conditions of your visa permit you to work in Australia.

What is the turn-around time on approvals after the proposal has been submitted?
It takes approximately 2 - 3 weeks for approval of an internship proposal.

Can an internship be held outside of Australia?

I am an international student holding a student visa can I apply?
Yes, provided you are an international student and you are allowed to stay in Australia on a student visa. You need to be aware that your visa must allow you to work in Australia.

Before applying for this program please check with your supervisor or university and find out if you can legally work in Australia. More information about working while studying is available at the Australian Immigration website.

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Mentors

What is expected of an academic mentor?
AMSI expects academic mentors to oversee the scientific rigour of the research project, ensure the intern is paid their allowance, oversee reporting and actively engage with the industry partner. To foster a relationship with industry partners Mentors should touch base (meet or talk on the phone) with their industry partners at least once per month.

What is in it for me when I act as an academic mentor?
The academic mentor will receive $5,000 for their support and supervision of an intern. This money will be paid to the university and placed in the mentors research account for use to cover placement related expenses; i.e. travel associated with the internship, the purchase of hardware, software, books, journals or conference attendance. It cannot be paid to the mentor as a salary top-up.

I am interested in taking part in the AMSI Intern program but do not have an industry partner. Can you assist me with finding an industry partner?
Yes we can assist with locating an appropriate organisation if your research interests can be well defined and if you can suggest several prospective partners. This is the most difficult method of securing a partner and can take a considerable amount of time.

Can the industry partner be outside of Australia?
The eligibility of a foreign company to participate in the scheme shall be considered on a case by case basis. AMSI will need to be convinced that the equivalent opportunity is not available with a Australian partner.

Is any money taken out of the grant for overhead by my university? In other words, do we get the full amount of the internship grant?
The mentor's university may not take any of the funding from the internship grant for overhead.

Who prepares and submits the proposal, the intern or the mentor?
Project proposals should be developed collaboratively and submitted by the academic mentor.

I hold an adjunct position at an Australian university. Am I eligible to participate as an academic mentor and receive the internship grant?
An adjunct fellow is eligible to be a mentor for a intern and receive $5K for their support and supervision.

Is an internship renewable?
While not technically "renewable", a follow-up proposal can be submitted to further research undertaken in a previous internship. However, this second proposal will be considered using the same procedure as the original internship. Please note that the final report must be submitted for the original internship before the second internship proposal will be reviewed.

Is there a deadline for submitting proposals?
Proposals can be submitted at any time.

Is it possible to extend the internship period beyond the end date stated in the Terms and Conditions agreement?
The internship award is usually awarded for 4 or 5 months. The schedule in your Terms and Conditions agreement will state the "End Date" of the award. Any funds not spent by this End Date must be returned to AMSI unless an extension is granted. To obtain an extension, you must contact AMSI before the End Date and provide a justification for your request.

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Industry

What is AMSI's policy regarding Intellectual Property (IP)?
AMSI makes no claim whatsoever to IP. Ownership of Project Intellectual Property created during the project will vest upon its creation in the Industry Partner.

What is the program's policy regarding confidentiality and disclosure?
We support the creation of confidentiality and non‑disclosure agreements between participating parties providing the reasonable rights of interns and their mentors are maintained. It is important that these agreements don’t impair the ability of academic mentors or interns to publish their results or for a student to complete his/her thesis. In some instances, these agreements can call for delays in the period before which publications should take place.

Can our industry contribution be "in-kind"?
No. Industry partners are required to contribute $3,000 per month towards a 4-5 month internship.

Can the industry partner be outside of Australia?
The eligibility of a foreign company to participate in the scheme will be considered on a case‑by‑case basis.

Can an internship be held outside of Australia?
Foreign companies can be industry partners but at present the internship has to be conducted in Australia with a mentor based at an Australian university.

How are projects developed?
The industry partner identifies a challenge requiring the expertise of an AMSI Industry Intern, this challenge is then developed into a project by the intern, mentor and industry partner. All projects are refereed by 2–3 senior researchers before they commence.

How long are projects?
4–5 months depending on the nature of the project.

How are the projects funded?
Industry Partner contributions of $3,000 per month paid to the intern. The Industry Partner pays only the intern stipend. AMSI provides training for interns and $5,000 for academic mentors. Government grants fund AMSI’s overheads.

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