Scholarships

Domestic scholarship rounds

The majority of Government and University funded scholarships are offered in the major round with a modest allocation of scholarships available in the mid-year round.  All scholarships include tuition fees and a living allowance. The Australian Government and Research Training Program Scholarship Policy details the scope and provisions of the award. Other awards with individual eligibility criteria may be offered in the major round and you will be considered for all of these, according to the specific criteria for each award.

Selection guidelines

If you have a completed Bachelor degree and no other postgraduate qualifications, you will be considered for the Master of Philosophy (No Honours) scholarships. Applicants who fall into this pool are ranked using the cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) from their undergraduate program and scholarships are awarded to the highest ranked applicants.

Applicants who hold an Honours degree, postgraduate qualifications with a significant research component, or have significant research experience and/or publications, are considered for Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarships, University Divisional Scholarships and other major and supplementary awards. For applicants who hold a postgraduate qualification (or equivalent) the Undergraduate Score and the Postgraduate Score are used to formulate the ranking of each application in this pool. The Undergraduate Score is derived from the academic results from an applicant’s undergraduate degree. The Postgraduate score may be comprised of one or more of the following: Honours results, postgraduate research degree results, publications and significant relevant research experience.

International scholarship rounds

The majority of Government and University funded scholarships are offered in the major round with a modest allocation of scholarships available in the mid-year round. All scholarships include tuition fees and a living allowance.

The Australian Government and Research Training Program Scholarship Policy details the scope and provisions of the award. The terms and conditions of University awards are available at the links below.

Selection guidelines

You can be considered for international research scholarships once you meet all of the following criteria and your application is complete:

• All qualifications have been satisfactorily completed (unless you are a currently enrolled student at the University of Adelaide). If you have a qualification in progress, you will not be eligible for consideration until you provide evidence of completion or, if you do not intend to complete, evidence of withdrawal.
• Minimum English language proficiency requirements
• Project approval where autonomous sanctions apply

Note, international applicants will only be eligible to be considered for the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (RTPS) if they hold a qualification regarded by the University of Adelaide to be equivalent to:

• An Australian Research Doctorate degree, if applying for a Doctor of Philosophy, or
• An Australian Research Masters degree or higher, if applying for a Research Master

RTPS for international students are only offered in the major round.

Q: What is an Australian Honours Degree?
A: In Australia an Honours degree is generally a one year qualification taken after an undergraduate degree and involves further study in a particular discipline area. In some areas, Honours is available as part of the final year of a four year undergraduate degree. It is recognised as a prestigious qualification that further develops research, writing and organisational skills. It also demonstrates an ability to undertake high-level study. 

Q: How will my overseas qualification(s) be assessed?
A: All qualifications from overseas institutions will be assessed in comparison to the Australian Quality Framework (AQF), according to the Country Education Profile (CEP) guidelines provided by Australian Education International (AEI).

Q: My grades from the overseas institution I studied at do not compare with the Australian system. Will this be taken into consideration?
A: Yes, your qualifications will be assessed using the Country Education Profile (CEP) guidelines and results will be scaled accordingly.

Q: Will the publications and/or research experience I have gained since completing my qualification(s) add weight to my application?
A: If you ensure that your publication(s) and/or relevant research experience is detailed in your application and uploaded resume, it will be considered. However, the Graduate Scholarships Committee will pay close attention to the quality of the journal in which the work is published as well as your contribution to the publication. Research outputs are usually assessed in light of the opportunities you might have had subsequent to your initial graduation.

Q: What is the likelihood of winning an international scholarship for a graduate research degree?
A: Each round we receive hundreds of applications for a small number of scholarships. The standard of applicants is always extremely high, and the selection process is very competitive. Applicants who rank highly typically have a completed Masters degree, which includes a significant research component and several quality international journal publications. In addition to formal qualifications, extensive relevant work and research experience is required. The few applicants who win a scholarship directly out of undergraduate studies have exceptional academic results, high quality international publications and outstanding references.