Apply for Graduate Research
Finding a Supervisor
It is your responsibility to find a supervisor who agrees to support your research project prior to submitting your application.
If you are interested in pursuing a research program with us we advise you to first think about the project you want to investigate and who in the School will be able to guide you through the project. This will be your supervisor — here is how to get started:
- Look through the list of Engineering research projects
- Use the University’s Find an Expert search function
- Contact the supervisor to ask if they would be willing to supervise you on a current project, or on your own project.
Entry Requirements
To be eligible for entry into research at the University of Melbourne, applicants need to have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 75% — University of Melbourne equivalent score — however most of the research students currently studying in the Melbourne School of Engineering have at least an average of 80%.
How Scores Are Calculated
The Melbourne School of Engineering uses the Melbourne Scholarship Assessment Guidelines as the basis for calculating GPA’s for applications for research candidature.
The following factors are also included in calculating the University of Melbourne equivalent score:
- The research profile of the University you received your degree(s) from.
- Good reference points to provide an indication of where your University is positioned include:
- Australian Government guidelines which assess international universities and education institutions are also used. These guidelines are not made public however take into account a number of factors including scoring systems etc.
- Only subjects relevant to the field of Engineering/Research are used as the basis for calculating an equivalent GPA.
The above are only minimum requirements and meeting the GPA requirement does not guarantee your application will be successful; this decision is at the discretion of the Melbourne School of Engineering selection panels.
Other Information Required With Your Application
You will also need to show that you have:
- a suitable academic background with some research experience to show your research potential
- made contact with a Melbourne School of Engineering researcher who is interested in supervising you.
- a research project proposal — 600 words (approximately)
- met the University’s English Language requirements.
Eligibility for Scholarships
Many students are competing for a limited number of scholarships.
The international standing of the University of Melbourne and the School of Engineering mean that we receive a large number of exceptional applications from prospective students every year.
International Applicants
For the 2012 round of scholarship awarding, the majority of International scholarship recipients (IPRS, MIRS and MIFRS) had a minimum of an equivalent University of Melbourne score of 88%.
The equivalent score is calculated as outlined above in ‘How Scores Are Calculated’. Typically, if you have graduated from a similarly ranked University you would need to be in the top 5% of the cohort to be competitive for a scholarship.
Local Applicants
For the 2012 round of scholarship awarding most local students would have an average GPA of at least 80% (University of Melbourne equivalent) to be competitive for a local scholarship (APA, MRS).
Visit the Graduate Research Scholarships page for further information.
Application Deadlines
Applications for graduate research degree candidature are accepted at any time throughout the year but to be considered for a scholarship you must meet the following deadlines:
International Students
Deadline: August 31
International students who submit an application for graduate research candidature by August 31 are automatically considered for IPRS, MIRS and MIFRS scholarships for the following year.
Applications received after the deadline can only be considered for MIRS and MIFRS scholarships.
Local Students
Deadline: October 31
To be considered for an APA scholarship local applicants should submit graduate research degree candidature application forms, and scholarship application forms where required, by October 31 for the following year.
Applications received after the deadline can only be considered for an
Scholarships
International Students
All international applicants will be considered for an IPRS, MIRS and MIFRS scholarship.
While you may be offered candidature within 8 weeks of application, most IPRS, MIRS and MIFRS scholarships are offered in late December and mid January.
To assess applications for candidature and scholarships, academic results are converted by a University of Melbourne scoring system that takes into account the many scoring systems used in Universities around the world.
A score equivalent to University of Melbourne First Class Honours (80% and over) is indicative of a competitive application for candidature, however scores of over 88% are considered competitive for scholarships for international students. A score at this level does not guarantee a scholarship.
Some additional scholarships are available throughout the year:
Local Students
All local applicants can be considered for an APA or MRS scholarship.
While you may receive an offer of candidature within 8 weeks of application, most APA and MRS scholarships are allocated in late December and mid January.
A score equivalent to University of Melbourne First Class Honours (80% and above) is indicative of a competitive scholarship application for a local student, but does not guarantee a scholarship.
Some additional scholarships are available throughout the year:
Application forms
The application form is available from the Future Students website:
Graduate Research Applications
To avoid delays in the processing of your application please make sure all of the required documentation is submitted as outlined on the application form.
Successful Applicants
Typically a successful School of Engineering RHD applicant will have the following:
The support of a University of Melbourne academic to supervise their project.
A qualification from a University with a well recognised research profile.
Evidence of research potential such as peer reviewed publications.
Most successful research applicants for a place have a minimum GPA of 80%.
If you have graduated from a similarly ranked University you need to be in the top 5% to be competitive for scholarships.
Most international scholarship recipients have a minimum GPA of 88%.