Thérèse and Ronald Ridley Scholarship

Key scholarship details

Application status

Not open yet

Applications open

6 Jul 2026

Applications close

24 Aug 2026

Benefit amount

Up to $10,000

Eligible study level

Graduate research

Eligible student type

Domestic and international students

Eligible study stage

Current study

Benefit duration

One-off

Summary

The Thérèse and Ronald Ridley Scholarship is offered to a PhD student enrolled in the Classics and Archaeology program to travel to the British School at Rome to conduct research that will assist PhD completion.

About the donor

The Thérèse and Ronald Ridley Scholarship is supported by the generous contribution of Emeritus Professor Ronald Ridley and Mrs Thérèse Ridley.

Professor Ridley (MA Syd.) began his career as a researcher, teacher and supervisor at the University of Melbourne in the then History Department in 1962 before joining the faculty as a Lecturer in 1965. After being awarded a DLitt by international examination for contributions to learning in 1992, he was appointed to a Personal Chair in ancient history in June 1997 and eventually became a Professor Emeritus following his retirement in 2005. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries (est, 1707) and the Royal Historical Society (both London), the Pontifical Academy of Roman Archaeology (Rome), and the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

Benefits

This scholarship provides a one-off payment of up to $10,000.

This amount is offered to fund a two-month placement at the British School at Rome.

Eligibility and selection criteria

Eligibility

To be considered for this scholarship, you must:

Be a current PhD student in the Classics and Archaeology program at the University of Melbourne
Not be in the final writing-up stage of your PhD
Be able to conduct your research at the British School at Rome

The British School at Rome is located just north of Rome’s historic centre and is within walking distance of a number of similar institutes and academies. Staying at the British School at Rome includes 24-hour access to their library collection and, when possible, the opportunity to attend site visits and excursions. Read about the benefits here.

Selection criteria

The scholarship will be offered to the student(s) who demonstrates:

The relevance of the overseas placement to their intended research
The quality and feasibility of the proposed program of research overseas
Academic merit
The skills, experience and aptitude required to carry out the proposed project as evidenced by the application

Preference will be given to students whose research is related to ancient Roman history.

Conditions

Students must:

Accept the award online within 21 days of receiving their offer letter
Submit the relevant travel documents
Submit a report within two months of returning from travel

Application

How to apply

You must submit an online application and include:

Details of your proposed program of research overseas
A summary of your proposed program of research at the British School at Rome
A 300-500 word statement outlining how the scholarship would positively impact your life and assist with your studies, and how pursuing study and research overseas is important to your academic work
An indicative budget
At least one academic reference
A current statement of results
Any other information to support your application that may assist the committee in making its decision

For further queries contact: Faculty of Arts - Scholarships and Prizes

When will I know the outcome?

Applicants are advised of the outcome via email within 8-10 weeks.

Submit an application

The information listed here is subject to change without notice. Where we have listed information about jointly run scholarships programs, please also see our partners' websites. Information describing the number and value of scholarships awarded is indicative.

Looking for more study options?

Browse all undergraduate and graduate courses, study areas and career pathways on the Study website. Explore courses

Whatever your passion, you'll discover stimulating research opportunities at Australia's #1 ranked university. Research at Melbourne

Find support, advice and what to expect living and studying as an international student at the University of Melbourne. Learn more