Australian university offers $30,000 scholarship for medical research into intersex people

The University of Sydney has launched a new scholarship to support research into the health of people born with congenital variations in sex characteristics (IVSC).

The 2025 Graduate Fellowship will provide financial assistance to a graduate student majoring in bioethics or health law.

According to the DAAD scholarship announcement, this scholarship offers up to $30,000 per year for a maximum of 3.5 years. It allows the recipient to participate in the Interconnect Health Research project, which aims to improve health care services for people with IVSC.

What you need to know:

Differences in sex characteristics, also known as intersex variations, can include conditions such as:

Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS). People with XY chromosomes may develop feminine physical characteristics due to the body’s inability to respond to male hormones.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH): This condition affects the production of hormones in the adrenal glands, leading to varying degrees of masculinization in people with XX chromosomes.

Klinefelter’s syndrome. Men with an extra X chromosome (XXY) may have physical characteristics that differ from typical male development, including decreased fertility.

Turner syndrome. Women with only one X chromosome (X0) may have physical characteristics and health problems that differ from typical female development.

These differences highlight the diversity of human biology associated with sex characteristics.

Scholarship Details

The scholarship includes an annual stipend of $30,000 based on the student’s academic performance, DAAD said.

Applicants must either be enrolled in or apply to a PhD program at the University of Sydney with a focus on improving the health of people with IVSC.

Reports indicate that this program aims to address both the physical and mental health needs of this population through research in bioethics and health law.

Interconnect Health Research Project

The Interconnect Health Research project, led by the University of Sydney and supported by the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care, aims to create an ethical healthcare system for people with IVSC.
As stated, the draft emphasizes human rights principles, particularly those relating to bodily autonomy and integrity, as outlined by the Australian Human Rights Commission.
The fellowship recipient will participate in work package 3 of the project, which aims to develop a bioethical framework to support co-designed models of care.
The goal of this work is to ensure ethical and equitable access to health care for people at different stages of life.

Additional research efforts

The Interconnect Health Research project includes several key components:

Work package 1

This part of the project aims to create and evaluate models of care that include both clinical and peer support, in collaboration with Canberra Health Services and InterLink psychosocial support services.

Work package 2

This section involves conducting a national survey to understand the health and well-being needs of people with inborn variations in sex characteristics (IVSC).

Work package 3

This part will focus on developing bioethical guidelines to ensure equitable access to health care for people at different stages of life.