STEM Equity Monitor

Research funding in STEM and other fields

Two datasets show research funding of chief investigators and all investigators:

  • Australian Research Council (ARC)

  • National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

These help us understand the success rate of women and men researchers in STEM and other fields.

Research grant funding

See how many researchers (chief investigators and investigators) applied for and received funding in 2022.

Source: Australian Research Council (ARC) unpublished, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (unpublished)

Data insights

Fewer women than men were named on grant applications for STEM research starting in 2022. This is consistent with 2021 data.

Across all STEM fields, 23% of applicants for ARC funding were women, compared to 22% for 2021. 35% of NHMRC applicants were women, compared to 34% for 2021.

As fewer women than men applied, fewer women than men gained funding:

  • 565 women received ARC funding, with 446 as chief investigator. In comparison 1,932 men received ARC funding, including 1,450 as chief investigator.
  • 137 women received NHMRC funding, with 57 as chief investigator. 216 men received NHMRC funding, including 81 as chief investigator.

A higher proportion of women were named in applications for medical and health sciences research than STEM research:

  • Women represented 45% of ARC applicants and 45% of NHMRC applicants in these fields.
  • Women were named as chief investigators on 47% of ARC applications and 47% of NHMRC applications in these fields.

Success rates for women and men in STEM fields were similar. For NHMRC funding, the success rates for women were 2 percentage points higher than men.

  • 24% of women investigators who applied for an ARC grant were successful. 24% of men were also successful.
  • 23% of women chief investigators who applied for an ARC grant were successful. 24% of men were also successful.
  • 16% of women investigators who applied for an NHMRC grant were successful, compared to 14% of men.
  • 15% of women chief investigators who applied for an NHMRC grant were successful, compared to 13% of men.

About the data

The ARC and NHMRC provided this data.

The dataset shows the number of researchers (chief investigators and investigators) who were named on applications and received funding each year. It uses the 2-digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008 edition.

ARC adopted the 2020 edition of ANZSRC during 2022. For the purposes of this exercise, outcomes announced under the new classification were allocated back to ANZSRC 2008 at the 2-digit level of the classification. Outcomes announced under the new classification are not currently available to be shown in ARC Trend Visualisation.

We define whether data falls in STEM, non-STEM or health fields of research using our methodology. Some researchers working in health or non‑STEM research fields may still hold STEM qualifications or work in a STEM occupation.

ARC includes ‘Medical and health sciences’ (Division 11) and ‘Psychology and cognitive sciences’ (Division 17) in its definition of STEM. These classifications don’t align with our definition, so ARC’s self-reported data and reporting may not be comparable with the numbers on this page.

People who are included as chief investigators on multiple applications may be counted more than once each year.

Read more about our methodology and this data