Application procedures

Application for research masters and doctoral candidature

An application for candidature is generally not required where an application for scholarship has been made. However, those applying for a scholarship to undertake a Doctor of Psychology (DPsych) or a research degree in the Faculty of Art and Design are required to submit an application for candidature together with the scholarship application. All successful APA/MGS awardees will be offered candidature.

Scholarship application form

One application kit covers all of these scholarships and is available late July each year from departments, centres and other academic units at Monash University. The application kit comprises the application form and the application guide. Please refer to the Special information for prospective applicants before contacting the department for a scholarship application form.

NOTE: Scholarship application forms are NOT available on the web or from the Research Graduate School. Applicants MUST contact the department in which they wish to study in to request a scholarship application form.

Applicants may only apply to one department. Thus, prospective students who are presently considering more than one academic department are advised to discuss their options with the relevant units.

Closing Date for applications is 31 October 2008.

Academic record/transcripts

Applicants need to arrange for three (3) copies of their academic record, certified by the registrar or nominated officer of the relevant institution, to be sent to the Monash Research Graduate School as soon as possible (if these documents are not available at the time of submission). Current Monash students need to submit three copies of their official academic record or a printout of results available from the Monash website (my.monash portal) with their application. Students who hold a research masters qualification should attach copies of examiners’ reports, if available.

Current honours students must have their results available before the selection committee meets to allocate awards (by Monday, 8 December 2008) to be eligible.

English language proficiency

Sound English language skills are required for academic programs at Monash University. Applicants must satisfy English language requirements as listed in the application form.

English proficiency standards must be met and results (if applicable) notified to the Monash Research Graduate School preferably by the closing date of 31 October 2008. Applicants with pending TOEFL or IELTS test scores must have the results available before the selection committee meets to allocate awards (by Monday, 8 December 2008) to be eligible.

Effects of prior candidature and/or scholarship

The tenure of an award will be reduced if a candidate is part way through the degree for which the scholarship is offered. This includes prior enrolment in a masters where an applicant has upgraded to a doctoral degree.

Awards will not be available to those who, as a result of prior candidature and/or scholarship, would be entitled to a maximum tenure of less than 12 months.

Academic referees

Applicants need to secure the agreement of two (2) academic referees to support their application. Referees’ names, addresses, occupations and contact details should be entered in the appropriate section of the application form. The department/ faculty will contact referees directly to obtain reports, if required.

Notification of result

The application numbers of successful applicants will be posted on the Monash Research Graduate School website by 5 pm on Monday, 15 December 2008. Successful applicants will also be advised in writing. Unsuccessful applicants will not be notified individually.

Applicants need to make a note of their application number, which appears on the top right hand corner of the front page of the application form. Applicants need to quote this number when making inquiries about their application.

Other sources of scholarship support

While a number of eligible applicants may not be successful in receiving an offer during this initial selection process, there will be other opportunities to gain a scholarship to undertake a research program at Monash. For example, most faculties offer both living allowance and tuition awards to students who may have narrowly missed out on a scholarship in the university-wide selection round.

Other awards are available through schemes sponsored by AusAID, by individual countries and by a range of organisations and donors. An Australian database, the Joint Academic Scholarship On-Line Network (JASON), is a very useful resource.

A further small selection round takes place in mid-year, when faculties and academic units nominate high quality students for additional living allowance and tuition awards.