University of Melbourne, Victoria Campus

Victoria University (VU Melbourne Campus) is recruiting research candidates for the Early Childhood (ECE) direction.

Key research areas include (other related research directions may also be considered):

• History of ECE
• Teaching pre-service EC teachers
• Play
• Trauma-informed practice
• Inclusion in ECE
• Language acquisition in ECE
• Arts practices in ECE
• Leadership in ECE
• Environmental learning
• Sociology, social justice and ECE
• Placement and mentoring
  

Who can apply?

• Candidates with or without a research background can apply.
• Applicants without a research background can consider applying for the Master of Applied Research or the PhD Integrated.

Materials required for applicants without a research background:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV) — Highlight education and work experience related to early childhood or related fields (education, arts, psychology, etc.).
• Expression of Interest (EOI) — Maximum 1 page, including: research questions, research objectives, and research field; why the research is important (research problem, knowledge gaps, practical/theoretical significance). (Optional) Connection to existing literature (5–10 academic references, approximately 200–300 words). (Optional) Proposed research methods and techniques (approximately 400 words). ⚠️ Important note: The expression of interest must be completed by the applicant themselves, clearly demonstrating your interest in the field, and must not be generated by AI.

Process after submission:

• VU will assess eligibility;
• The faculty will assist in finding a suitable supervisor. 👉 Note that when entering data in the application system, you need to list Nathalie Nehma as the supervisor.
  

Applicants with a research background

• Can consider applying for the Master of Research or PhD.
• Applications for these programs require a research proposal.
• For the application process, please refer to the following link: https://www.vu.edu.au/study-at-vu/apply-to-vu/apply-for-graduate-research

📌February 2026 intake batch (Feb 2026): Application deadline for onshore students in Australia ismid-January 2026.

VU is looking for research candidates forEarly Childhood Discipline. The research focus areas include (Other areas of research can be considered as well).

• History of ECE
• Teaching pre service EC teachers
• Play
• Trauma aware practice
• Inclusion in ECE
• Language acquisition in ECE
• Arts practices in ECE
• Leadership in ECE
• Environmental learning
• Sociology, social justice and ECE
• Placement and mentoring

Who can apply?

• Candidates with or without research background
• Non-research background applicants can be considered forMaster of Applied ResearchandPHD Integrated

What non-research background applicants need to submit:

• -CV — Highlight education & work relevant to ECE or related fields (Education, Art, Psychology, etc.)
• -Expression of Interest (EOI) — max 1 page, including: Your research questions, aims, and research field, Why this research is important (research problem, knowledge gaps, practical/theoretical benefits)
• Optional: How your project connects to existing literature (5-10 scholarly refs, ~200-300 words)
• Optional: Proposed methodology and research techniques (~400 words)
• Important:The expression of interest must be your own work and clearly show why you’re interested in this area — no AI writing!

After submission:

• -VU will assess your eligibility
• -Faculty will help find suitable supervisors
• I note that you are required to put Nathalie Nehma as supervisor when doing data entry for application.
• If the applicants have research background, they can be considered forMaster of ResearchorPHD. For applications for these courses, a research proposal is required. Please follow this link for the application process:https://www.vu.edu.au/study-at-vu/apply-to-vu/apply-for-graduate-research
• ***For Feb 2026, We can take application from onshore applicants till Mid January 2026.