Fields of Research (FoR)

The Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC) is jointly produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Statistics New Zealand (Statistics NZ).

ANZSRC is the collective name for a set of three related classifications developed for use in the measurement and analysis of research and experimental development (R&D) undertaken in Australia and New Zealand. The three constituent classifications included in the ANZSRC are:

  • Type of Activity (TOA) (not discussed in this document)
  • Fields of Research (FoR), and
  • Socio-economic Objective (SEO) – discussed below.

The categories in FoR classification include major fields and related sub-fields of research and emerging areas of study investigated by businesses, universities, tertiary institutions, national research institutions and other organisations.

The FoR is a hierarchical classification with three levels, namely Divisions (2 digits), Groups (4 digits) and Fields (6 digits). Each level is identified by a unique number.

Each Division is based on a broad discipline. Groups within each Division are those which share the same broad methodology, techniques and/or perspective as others in the Division. Each Group is a collection of related Fields of research.

Consistent use of the following general procedures should ensure consistent and successful use of the classifications.

A research project or research program is to be allocated to a FoR field in a hierarchical manner. This is achieved by:

  • first determining the division in which the largest component of the research project or research program is being performed; then
  • determining the most relevant group within that division; and then
  • determining the most relevant field within that group.

FoR Division codes and titles

30 Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences
31 Biological Sciences
32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
33 Built Environment and Design
34 Chemical Sciences
35 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services
36 Creative Arts and Writing
37 Earth Sciences
38 Economics
39 Education
40 Engineering
41 Environmental Sciences
42 Health Sciences
43 History, Heritage and Archaeology
44 Human Society
45 Indigenous Studies
46 Information and Computer Sciences
47 Language, Communication and Culture
48 Law and Legal Studies
49 Mathematical Sciences
50 Philosophy and Religious Studies
51 Physical Sciences
52 Psychology

01 Mathematical Sciences 
02 Physical Sciences 
03 Chemical Sciences 
04 Earth Sciences 
05 Environmental Sciences 
06 Biological Sciences 
07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences 
08 Information and Computing Sciences 
09 Engineering 
10 Technology 
11 Medical and Health Sciences 
12 Built Environment and Design 
13 Education 
14 Economics 
15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services 
16 Studies in Human Society 
17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences 
18 Law and Legal Studies 
19 Studies in Creative Arts and Writing 
20 Language, Communication and Culture 
21 History and Archaeology 
22 Philosophy and Religious Studies

(Commonwealth of Australia, 2020)

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Please contact the Research Office for more information.