Chapter 2: Admission to doctoral & MPhil candidature

2.6 Application procedures

Intending applicants should direct preliminary inquiries to the postgraduate coordinator of the relevant academic unit to ascertain the possibility of carrying out a research program.

Application forms for admission to doctoral and MPhil candidature are available from faculty offices, departments or academic units. Forms are also available from the Monash Research Graduate School. (Contact details for faculties and links to forms are provided in chapter 11.)

All of the following information must be provided before consideration can be given to an application:

• an official certified transcript of academic record, including full details of all courses undertaken and grades obtained
• details of published papers, if any
• details of any experience since graduation that is relevant to the proposed field of research
• in the case of applicants for whom English is not the first language, documentary evidence of English proficiency, and
• evidence of any government financial support or other scholarship offered to the prospective postgraduate.

The general field of study, supervision arrangements and the availability of requisite resources and facilities should be discussed thoroughly with the prospective academic unit before the completed application form is returned to the relevant faculty office.

International students should submit the application form and a non-refundable application fee of $AU100 to:

Monash University International Recruitment Services
871 Dandenong Road,
Caulfield East,
Victoria 3145
Australia

If appropriate supervision and resources can be provided by the academic unit to suitably qualified applicants, the application will be approved by the head of the relevant academic unit, then forwarded to the Graduate Studies Committee of the relevant faculty. All doctoral and MPhil applications must receive faculty endorsement before transmission to the Research Graduate School Committee for consideration. The Research Graduate School Steering Committee meets once a week to review applications for admission. In all cases, the committee will need to be assured that suitable facilities and effective supervision are available and that the prospective candidate meets eligibility criteria.

New applications can be submitted throughout the year. PhD (research-only), MD (with supervision) and MPhil candidates may commence the degree at any time of the year, but the intake for professional doctorates is limited to the commencement of each semester. The same may apply for MPhil and PhD candidates who have a coursework component in their program.

Admission into professional doctorate programs may involve a formal interview.

2.6.1 Research-related employment which overlaps candidature

Research associated with the thesis should normally be completely separate from any work undertaken as part of part-time or full-time employment. It is acknowledged, however, that separating paid work undertaken for a group or collaborative project which may contribute, even indirectly, to a candidate's own work for the doctorate or MPhil, may be very difficult.

Any prospective candidate whose paid work and research for the thesis may overlap is therefore required to meet certain conditions when applying for candidature. These requirements are set out in Appendix E in this handbook. See also chapter 11 for links to forms for declaration where research undertaken in relation to employment overlaps with candidature.