StudyDesk Scholarships
About the scholarship
The University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships — the Melbourne Research Scholarship and the Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship — are the university’s flagship research awards, with around 600 awards a year. The package is fully funded: a 100% fee remission (full tuition fee offset for up to 2 years for a Master’s by Research, up to 4 years for a PhD), a living allowance of AUD $41,100 a year at the 2027 full-time rate, a relocation grant of AUD $2,000 from other Australian states or territories and AUD $3,000 from outside Australia, and single Overseas Student Health Cover for international students who need a student visa. The university values the total package at up to AUD $135,000.
The best part of the process is how little of it there is. For most new applicants there is no separate scholarship application and no application fee: you apply for a graduate research course by its closing date, and you are automatically considered. A scholarship application is added to your record within 10 business days of the course application. Currently enrolled or deferred students use a separate scholarship process that varies by Faculty.
Eligibility
- Open to domestic and international students of all nationalities.
- You must have applied for, and meet the entry requirements of, a graduate research degree (Master’s by Research or PhD) at the University of Melbourne, or be currently enrolled in one.
- Awards are based on academic merit and research potential, ranked by selection panels.
- All domestic students offered admission to a Master’s by Research or PhD automatically receive an RTP Fee Offset scholarship.
- The typical entry bar (secondary sources): a four-year bachelor’s degree or equivalent, with a research project worth at least 25% of final-year coursework.
Benefits
- 100% fee remission — full tuition fee offset, up to 2 years (Master’s by Research) or 4 years (PhD).
- Living allowance AUD $41,100 a year (2027 full-time rate; indexed annually; includes limited paid sick, maternity and parenting leave) — up to 2 years (Master’s) or 3.5 years (PhD).
- Relocation grant: AUD $2,000 (from other Australian states/territories) or AUD $3,000 (from outside Australia).
- OSHC Single Membership for international students who need a student visa.
- Total package value up to AUD $135,000 (official figure).
- No separate scholarship application for most new applicants — automatic consideration on the course application.
Documents to prepare
- The official page publishes no standalone scholarship document list — a definitive scholarship-specific checklist is not published in the official notification, so none is stated here.
- Secondary sources report that the course application requires academic transcripts and a CV plus other supporting documents — treat these as secondary-source only, not officially confirmed.
How to apply
- New applicants: apply for a graduate research course at the University of Melbourne by the course closing date — you are automatically considered for the scholarship; no separate scholarship application and no application fee. A scholarship application is added to your record within 10 business days of the course application.
- Currently enrolled or deferred students: apply or reapply via the scholarship application process, which varies by enrolling Faculty (see the university’s Graduate Research Scholarship Applications page).
- Domestic students receive the RTP Fee Offset offer with their course offer; stipend scholarship offers come separately, around the same time.
FAQs
31 October 2026 — the widely reported Round 1 closing date for a February 2027 start, corroborated by many independent sources. The official University of Melbourne page itself does not print a single date; it says new applicants must apply for their course "by the application closing date for that course".
A living allowance of AUD $41,100 a year at the 2027 full-time rate, plus 100% fee remission, a relocation grant of AUD $2,000–$3,000 and single OSHC for international students who need a visa — a total package the university values at up to AUD $135,000.
Around 600 awards a year, covering the Melbourne Research Scholarship and the Research Training Program Scholarship.
No, for most new applicants. You apply for a graduate research course by its closing date and are automatically considered — no separate scholarship application and no application fee. Currently enrolled or deferred students use a separate scholarship process that varies by Faculty.
Domestic and international students of all nationalities who have applied for, and meet the entry requirements of, a Master’s by Research or PhD at the University of Melbourne, or who are currently enrolled in one. Awards are based on academic merit and research potential.
AUD $41,100 a year (2027 full-time rate, per the official University of Melbourne page; indexed annually). Several secondary sites quote $39,500 — that is the 2026 rate — or older figures, which are outdated.
Yes — 100% fee remission, a full tuition fee offset for up to 2 years (Master’s by Research) or 4 years (PhD). All domestic students offered admission to a Master’s by Research or PhD automatically receive an RTP Fee Offset scholarship.
The official page publishes no standalone scholarship document list, so no definitive checklist is stated here. Secondary sources report that the course application requires academic transcripts and a CV plus other supporting documents.
Verified 28 Oct 2026 against the University of Melbourne's own scholarships page (scholarships.unimelb.edu.au/awards/graduate-research-scholarships, checked live 28 Oct 2026 — confirms quantity 600, AUD 135,000 total package value, AUD 41,100 stipend, eligibility, automatic consideration) and corroborated by FullScholarships, StudyCalcTools, Collegedunia and other independent sources: around 600 awards a year (Melbourne Research Scholarship + Research Training Program Scholarship); 100% fee remission — full tuition fee offset up to 2 years (Master's by Research) / 4 years (PhD); living allowance AUD 41,100/year (2027 full-time rate, official; indexed annually; includes limited paid sick, maternity and parenting leave) up to 2 years (Master's) / 3.5 years (PhD); relocation grant AUD 2,000 (from other Australian states/territories) / AUD 3,000 (from outside Australia); OSHC Single Membership for international students who need a student visa; total package up to AUD 135,000; eligibility — domestic and international students of all nationalities, applied for and meeting entry requirements of a graduate research degree (Master's by Research or PhD) or currently enrolled, awards based on academic merit and research potential ranked by selection panels, all domestic students offered admission automatically receive an RTP Fee Offset; process — new applicants apply for a graduate research course by the course closing date and are automatically considered (no separate scholarship application, no application fee; scholarship application added to the record within 10 business days); currently enrolled or deferred students apply via the scholarship process varying by Faculty; domestic students receive the RTP Fee Offset offer with their course offer, stipend offers separately around the same time. CONFLICTS: (1) Deadline — the official page does not print a single date ("by the application closing date for that course"); 31 October 2026 is the widely reported Round 1 closing date for a February 2027 start, corroborated by many independent sources, and the article presents it as such. (2) Several secondary sites quote AUD 39,500 (the 2026 rate) or 38,500/31,200 (outdated) — the official 2027 rate is AUD 41,100 and the article uses that. (3) The typical entry bar (four-year bachelor's or equivalent, research project worth at least 25% of final-year coursework) and the course-application document list (transcripts, CV) come from secondary sources only — the article says so and does not present a definitive scholarship-specific document checklist, since the official page publishes none.
