University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships 2026

Who can apply

Applied for, and meet the entry requirements of, a University of Melbourne graduate research degree (Master's by Research or PhD), or already enrolled in one
Open to domestic and international students; all domestic students admitted to a graduate research degree automatically receive the fee-offset component
The stipend-plus-fee-offset tier goes to the highest-ranked eligible candidates by academic results and research potential, not everyone admitted
Available across most fields the university teaches, from agricultural sciences and engineering to law, music, and the humanities

The mechanism matters more than any date

The mechanism here matters more than any date: most applicants never fill out a scholarship form at all. Apply for the graduate research course itself by that course’s own deadline, and the university automatically considers you for this scholarship, confirming by email within 10 business days. The one case that needs a separate form is if you’ve already deferred an offer or you’re currently enrolled and want to be reconsidered for next year, and that form is due by 31 October.

Two named scholarships bundled into one package, and two funding tiers

The scholarship page’s small print is worth knowing: what’s marketed as one package is actually two named scholarships combined, the university’s own Melbourne Research Scholarship and the Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship, an Australian government scheme the university administers on students’ behalf. It’s also worth knowing which funding tier you’re actually being offered. Every domestic student admitted to a Melbourne PhD or research master’s gets the fee-offset scholarship automatically. The stipend on top, AUD 39,500 a year, goes only to the highest-ranked candidates as judged by academic results and research potential, not to everyone who receives the fee offset. The university’s own headline figure, “100% fee remission and up to $135,000,” is a ceiling across the whole package rather than a guaranteed cash amount, so don’t read it as what every recipient gets.

What international students and relocating students also get

International students on this scholarship also receive Overseas Student Health Cover if they need a student visa, and everyone moving for the position gets a relocation grant, higher if you’re coming from outside Australia than if you’re moving between Australian states. None of this replaces checking your specific course’s own admission deadline, since that date, not this scholarship page, is what actually starts your clock. For the wider cost picture of studying in Australia beyond what this scholarship covers, see the guide to studying in Australia.

Australia’s top-ranked university by several measures

The University of Melbourne itself is Australia’s top-ranked university by the average of the ARWU, QS and Times Higher Education global rankings, sits 22nd in the world on the QS World University Rankings 2027, and is ranked 1st in Australia for graduate employability by the Times Higher Education 2026 rankings. That standing is part of why competition for the stipend tier of this scholarship, not just admission itself, is genuinely steep.

If you are comparing Melbourne with another Australian university, the University of Sydney RTP and International Stipend Scholarships work differently: you submit a separate scholarship form by a fixed round deadline, the next one on 18 December 2026, on top of your admission application.