The department has established the John Cripps horticulture scholarships to increase the collaborative research undertaken in horticulture in Western Australia (WA) on issues impacting the productivity, profitability and sustainability of the industry.
The scholarship funding will go to a WA university student to undertake research relevant to the state’s horticultural industry. The funding will go toward a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and will be awarded every second year.
The duration of the scholarship funding is for a PhD over 3 years. It is an investment by the WA Government.
Applications are open for the John Cripps Horticulture Scholarship
Apply nowWhat funding is available?
The full-time postgraduate scholarship was available to fund a candidate for $50,000 per annum (tax exempt). The total value of the scholarship is:
PhD: $150,000 over 3 years
Who is this scholarship for?
Students that meet the requirements for entry into a postgraduate program (PhD or Master of Research) at a WA university.
This scholarship was established to recognise the importance of research to the WA horticulture industry and is in memory of one of our leading apple breeders and industry legend Mr John Cripps AO.
The scholarship proposes over time to:
- develop talented candidates into researchers who can work in both industry and academic settings
- strengthen industry through focused innovation and development through greater university-government-industry collaboration
- support research projects co-designed between government, university and industry.
Research supports the success of WA’s horticulture businesses to meet the challenges that impact the industry now and into the future. Current industry challenges include productivity, climate variability, pest and diseases management, consumer trends and economic pressures.
The long-term vision is to increase the number of horticultural researchers based in WA and build a focus on horticulture in the state’s universities.
To be eligible for a scholarship, potential applicants must meet the following criteria:
have a Bachelors degree with first-class honours (some universities may consider students with upper second-class honours), or a Master degree with a research component or equivalent from a recognised university
- have a record of excellent academic performance
- be able to provide evidence of strong written and spoken English
- have an Australian citizen or have permanent residency status in Australia
- have documentary evidence of your entitlement to live and work in Australia for the period of the scholarship
- be available to take up the scholarship if offered, for commencement by 31 July 2026.
Special approval may be granted on written application, for a later commencement date for those candidates with unavoidable commitments. However, any award or scholarship offered will lapse, if not taken up before the commencement date.
Inaugural scholarship recipient
Mr Md. Golam Azam was awarded the inaugural scholarship in 2023 to undertake his PhD at The University of Western Australia, focusing on unlocking the genetic mystery of the Cripps Pink apple variety and its many natural variants.
Golam’s research is the first to undertake a comparative genetic and genomic study of Cripps Pink and its spontaneous mutants — including Rosy Glow, Lady in Red, Ruby Pink, Barnsby and Yellow Cripps Pink. These variants show distinctive traits such as skin colour, blush intensity, flowering time and canopy structure, but until now have not been studied at a genomic level.
Golam is:
- collecting and analysing samples from orchards across WA
- recording morphological differences among Cripps Pink mutants
- using advanced long-read sequencing technology to sequence their genome to identify the genetic regions responsible for trait variation.
The next stage of his work will compare genomic sequences between the original Cripps Pink and its mutants to pinpoint the regions that drive these differences. This knowledge will lay the foundation for developing trait-specific DNA markers, supporting more efficient marker-assisted breeding of high-performance apple varieties.
Golam is mentored by experts from DPIRD and UWA and continues to advance the legacy of John Cripps by pushing the boundaries of apple breeding science.
"The John Cripps Horticultural Scholarship has provided me with the valuable opportunity to engage with both industry professionals and academic experts, which has greatly enriched my scientific learning as a young researcher. I also had the wonderful opportunity to visit apple orchards in Manjimup, where I was able to meet and connect with local apple growers and gain a deeper understanding of apple production in WA."