James and Valerie McNiff Scholarship

• The purpose of the James and Valerie McNiff Scholarship is to promote and support graduate research study in the area of medical jurisprudence and valued at $20,000 per year.
• This top-up scholarship is made possible by a gift from the late Francine Valerie McNiff. The donor became the first female judicial officer to be appointed to a Victorian court when she was appointed to the Children’s Court in 1983. A criminal law barrister, she wrote various books and lectured, and was considered to be an authority on the Children’s Court. The donation memorialises the donor’s parents, the late James William McNiff and Edna Valerie Mainwaring McNiff.

1. The James and Valerie McNiff Scholarship is open to domestic (an Australian citizen or permanent resident) graduate research candidates (PhD or MPhil).
2. The applicant must be researching in the area of medical jurisprudence and in need of financial assistance. Preference is given to commencing students and current, and enrolled students who must have at least 12 months (full-time equivalent) or 24 months (part-time equivalent) of candidature remaining, as of 1 January 2023.
3. Upon confirmation of acceptance into the graduate research program at Melbourne Law School, eligible PhD or MPhil students may submit, either at their own initiative or upon invitation, a scholarship application to the Office of Research at Melbourne Law School.
4. Applicants who wish to be considered for the James and Valerie McNiff Scholarship are required to submit a four-page application (maximum) to the Office of Research, which sets out:
   1. an application of two pages maximum including current PhD thesis topic and abstract
   2. outline of progress on the thesis to date (applicable to current students, but not required for commencing students)
   3. an email of support from your principal supervisor; and
   4. a statement demonstrating your need for financial assistance

Applications close Friday 10 March 2023

Enquiries

For further information about the James and Valerie McNiff Scholarship, including the application process, please email the Office for Research.