New & Emerging Scholar Scholarships and Award

ANZATS is committed to supporting and encouraging new and emerging scholars in our discipline. To this end, in 2026 the Council is again offering ANZATS New and Emerging Scholars Scholarships, available to up to three (3) Higher Degree by Research candidates and doctoral graduates of the last two (2) years.

The scholarships are valued at $1,000 each (max.) and will be awarded for papers delivered at the Society of Biblical Literature International Meeting 2026, to be held at the University of Adelaide 5–9 July 2026. Applicants must have already had a paper accepted in any stream of the Meeting, be currently enrolled in a Higher Degree by Research course at a member institution of ANZATS, have completed their doctoral degree at a member institution within the last two (2) years, or be an individual member of ANZATS who otherwise meets the requirements.

New and emerging scholars who wish to apply for a scholarship are encouraged to submit a full paper of between 4,000 and 6,000 words (including footnotes) to the Honorary Treasurer / Acting Secretary of ANZATS, Dr David C. Ray (secretary@anzats.edu.au), by 22 April 2026. Applicants should indicate in their covering email that they would like to be considered for a scholarship. They should also attach an academic reference from their supervisor or employer. The assessment panel will consist of Rev Dr Christy Capper (President of ANZATS), Dr David Tombs (Vice-President New Zealand), Dr David Neville (Vice-President, Australia) and Rev Dr Steve Taylor (Editor of ANZATS’ open access journal, Colloquium: The Australian and New Zealand Theological Review [https://reference-global.com/journal/COLLOQUIUM]). The Panel will report the winners of the scholarships by mid-May 2026. Further terms and details relating to the Scholarships and Award are set out below.

The ANZATS Award for New and Emerging Scholars will be presented at the Annual General Meeting in the afternoon of 8 July 2026 for the best paper from among those delivered by the scholarship winners. The paper will also be considered for publication in Colloquium: The Australian and New Zealand Theological Review.

Please feel free to forward this as a memorandum in pdf form to any HDR candidates and recent doctoral graduates you know.

Further Terms and Conditions of Scholarships and Awards

Eligibility

Applicants must be

• an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, or enrolled in or a graduate of an institution that is a member of ANZATS; and
• either students currently enrolled in a doctoral award in a theological discipline; or
• persons with a doctorate in a theological discipline who graduated after 1 January 2024.

Submissions

• Include evidence of eligibility (doctoral enrolment or date of graduation).
• For doctoral students: include a letter of support from your Principal Supervisor.
• Essay to be between 4,000 and 6,000 words in length (including footnotes).
• Essay must not have been previously published.
• Only one submission per entrant will be accepted.

Judging Panel and Selection Criteria

The ANZATS President appoints three ANZATS members as the judging panel for submission. The judges are responsible for:

• deciding whether the entry is accepted as a paper by a New Scholar for presentation at the ANZATS Conference;
• selecting up to three entries as finalists based on the written submission;
• attending the conference presentations by the finalists; and
• selecting one of the finalists as the winner based on the written submission and the conference presentation.

Entries are judged on their scholarly excellence with reference to content, style, clarity, and presentation.

The judging panel may exclude applications from ineligible persons, or submissions which are outside the word limit. The judges’ decision on all matters is final.

ANZATS reserves the right not to make the Award during any given year.

Announcements

• Successful entrants will be advised if their paper has been accepted for presentation.
• Entrants will be advised if they are a finalist no later than a month prior to the conference.
• The award will be presented to the winner during the conference.

Past Winners