Postgraduate Research Scholarships

Postgraduate Research Scholarships are available for full-time research at postgraduate level for study at one of Monash University's Australian campuses. Over 300 living allowance or stipend scholarships and 70 international tuition-paying scholarships are offered at the main central selection round, which closes on 31 October each year. A mid-year scholarship round is held each year which closes on 31 May. Approximately 70 living allowance or stipend scholarships and 15 tuition-paying scholarships are offered. In addition most faculties offer scholarships to a number of applicants who miss out on a central scholarship offer.   

Eligibility criteria

The eligibility criteria listed below apply to the following scholarships:

• Australian Postgraduate Award (APA)
• Monash Graduate Scholarship (MGS)
• International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS)
• Monash International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (MIPRS)
• Vera Moore International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (VMIPRS)
• Monash Silver Jubilee Postgraduate Research Scholarship (MSJS)
• James McNeill Foundation Postgraduate Research Scholarship
• Monash Indigenous Research Award (MIRA)
• Monash Equity Scholarship (MES) 
• Victoria India Doctoral Scholarship (VIDS)
• Victoria International Research Scholarship Program (VIRS)

Eligibility - general

Applicants intending to undertake or who are currently ernrolled for a research masters degree, PhD or research professional doctorate are eligible to apply.

Applicants must hold an Australian or New Zealand bachelors degree with first class honours or qualifications and/or research experience deemed equivalent by the university.

Applicants completing an honours degree must have their results available by early December (end of year round) or early July (mid-year round) to be eligible.

Applicant who do not hold an Australian or New Zealand bachelors degree with first class honours should refer to the H1 Equivalence assessment procedures.

Each scholarship has additional eligibility requirements for applicants who have for example already completed a research program or previously held a postgraduate award (note special eligibility requirements also apply to the MIRA & MES). 

English language proficiency requirements
All applicants must meet the minimum English language proficiency requirements set by Monash University. English proficiency standards must be met and results (if applicable) contained with the scholarship application preferably by the closing date of 31 October (end of year round) and 31 May (mid-year round).  Applicants with pending TOEFL or IELTS test scores must have the results available by early December (end of year round) or early July (mid-year round) to be eligible.

Residency/studies by external mode
Awardees are required to reside within daily commuting distance to a Victorian campus to allow frequent and systematic use of university facilities, including use of physical resources, formal research training and daily face-to-face contact with supervisors if required. Generally scholarships are not available for study under Monash's external mode regulations. An APA may be awarded to an applicant proposing to undertake studies as an external student, however the support of the relevant academic unit and faculty will be required. If successful, the awardee must reside in Australia in order to receive the award.

Part-time scholarship
A part-time scholarship may be awarded to an applicant with a medical condition precluding full-time study (supported by medical certification) or to an applicant who is able to demonstrate significant caring commitments, including:

• caring responsibilities for a pre-school child
• caring responsibilities for school-aged children as a sole parent with limited access to outside support
• caring responsibilities for an invalid or disabled spouse, child or parent.

Part-time awards are not available to international applicants or to applicants seeking to undertake paid employment on a full-time or a substantial part-time basis. The same employment conditions that apply to full-time awardees apply to part-time awardees.

Prior enrolment/candidature
The duration of the award will be reduced if an applicant is part way through the degree for which the scholarship is offered. This includes prior enrolment in a masters degree where an awardee has upgraded to a doctoral degree and for awardees transferring their research program to Monash. Awards will not be available to applicants who, as a result of prior candidature and/or prior scholarship, would be entitled to a maximum duration of less than 12 months.

Faculty-specific scholarship information

Applicants are required to refer to the relevant faculty website below for additional faculty-specific requirements and contacts in the various academic units:

• Art & Design 
• Arts 
• Business and Economics 
• Education
• Engineering
• Information Technology 
• Law
• Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences 
• Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Science
• Monash Injury Research Institute (Monash University Accident Research Centre)

Application procedures

Applications procedures are outlined on the how to apply for a research degree candidature and scholarship page. Applicants are encouraged to refer to the Frequently Asked Questions about applying for a scholarship prior to submitting an application.

Additional information

Research scholarships - summary
Frequently asked questions about applying for a scholarship
Scholarship selection criteria
Additional information for international applicants
Handbook for Doctoral and MPhil Degrees
Contact details