We offer a variety of graduate research scholarships at Victoria University to help make postgraduate study more accessible.

The purpose of these scholarships is to support high-quality research by assisting students with excellent academic qualifications who wish to participate in postgraduate research programs.

A scholarship provides financial assistance during your study. Some scholarships provide a stipend that covers tuition fees and living allowances, while others provide only partial funding.

All scholarship applicants must meet VU's academic entry requirements for graduate research, in addition to any eligibility requirements for their scholarship.

Prior to lodging an application, please refer to the information on applying for graduate research.

Scholarships & priority areas

VU is building a community that is committed and contributing to place-based planetary health initiatives. Planetary health addresses the relationship between the health of the planet and health of communities, understanding that each profoundly impacts the other. We are driving this commitment through our research, teaching and learning, and our own university operations.

Our research degrees are is situated in two key research institutions.

Institute for Health & Sport

The Institute for Health & Sport specialises in Mechanisms and Interventions; Healthy, Inclusive Communities; Clinical and Community Health and Wellbeing; Sport Performance and Business. It supports:

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
  • Master of Research
  • Master of Applied Research
  • Master of Research Practice.

Priority areas for the Institute for Health & Sport are:

  • exercise and lifestyle medicine (mental health and wellbeing, physical activity, public health, gait, exercise is medicine, exercise science)
  • health and disease research (COVID-19 drugs and vaccines, cancer, nutrition and metabolism, cardio-metabolic and muscle disorders)
  • big data analytics (sport, integrity, health)
  • sport, diversity, inclusion and social change
  • clinical and community health and wellbeing
  • sport performance and business.

Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities

The Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities incorporates a broad range of disciplines, including arts, education, engineering, law, science and economics. It supports:

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
  • Master of Research
  • Master of Applied Research
  • Master of Research Practice.

Priority areas for the Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities are:

  • transport and infrastructure (aligning with the School for Transport Systems and Civic Infrastructure)
  • tourism, events, hospitality (aligning with the School for the Visitor Economy)
  • waste, an emerging area for ISILC: packaging, anaerobic digestion (water), regulation and policy
  • cultural diversity: violent extremism, social inclusion.

More information on these scholarships is available in by reading the 2021 Postgraduate Research Scholarship Application Guide.

Applications

Applications for the 2020 main round (for commencement in 2021) are now closed.

Related

Graduate Scholarship Application Guide

Applications

We offer three research masters courses with varying durations and coursework requirements. Victoria University will assess your qualifications and disciplinary background and make an offer for the course that applies to your situation.

The Institute for Health & Sport specialises in sport, business, medical, social and policy research:

The Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities incorporates a broad range of disciplines, including arts, education, engineering, law, science and economics:

You will need to meet the minimum academic entry requirements for admission for:

  • project-based research scholarships
  • industry-supported scholarships
  • Lisa Bellear Indigenous Research Scholarship
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research scholarships
  • diversity scholarships.

You will need average grades of at least H1 (above 80% VU Standard for the final year, and to demonstrate capacity to undertake significant research in your chosen field for:

  • Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship (RTPSS)
  • VU Postgraduate Research Scholarship (VUPRS)
  • VU International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (VUIPRS).

If your previous qualifications are from an overseas institution, your application will be assessed for equivalence to Australian Higher Education Degrees.

Scholarship eligibility

Assess your HDR and scholarship eligibility with our online self-assessment tool.

Applications are ranked on the basis of merit with preference given to applicants who pursue a research degree in one of Victoria University’s areas of research focus.

As a graduate research scholarship applicant you are required (within the application form) to name the Areas of Research Priority and Field of Research (FoR) Code which most closely aligns with your area of research.

Areas of Research Priority and Field of Research (FoR) Codes:

  • Accounting, Auditing and Accountability (1501)
  • Applied Economics (1402)
  • Applied Mathematics (0102)
  • Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing (0801)
  • Biochemistry and Cell Biology (0601)
  • Business and Management (1503)
  • Chemical Engineering (0904)
  • Civil Engineering (0905)
  • Clinical Sciences (1103)
  • Cultural Studies (2002)
  • Curriculum and Pedagogy (1302)
  • Distributed Computing (0805)
  • Ecology (0602)
  • Education Systems (1301)
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering (0906)
  • Food Sciences (0908)
  • Historical Studies (2103)
  • Human Movement and Sports Science (1106)
  • Information Systems (0806)
  • Law (1801)
  • Mechanical Engineering (0913)
  • Medical Physiology (1116)
  • Nursing (1110)
  • Nutrition and Dietetics (1111)
  • Policy and Administration (1605)
  • Psychology (1701)
  • Public Health and Health Services (1117)
  • Social Work (1607)
  • Sociology (1608)
  • Specialist Studies in Education (1303)
  • Tourism (1506)

Research proposal

All Higher Degree by Research applicants are required to prepare a research proposal for submission.
Your research proposal should be 1- 2 pages (typed, A4) containing:

  • title of the research proposal
  • name and Institute of your nominated supervisor (on the title page)
  • aims
  • significance of the research
  • methodology and research techniques
  • facilities and equipment required.

CV

Your CV should include:

  • your educational qualifications
  • most relevant and up to date professional work experience
  • a list of recent research publications, if applicable.

As part of our admissions guidelines for applicants, we ask that you contact a prospective supervisor and receive an in principle approval from that supervisor before you submit your application.

In order to submit evidence of this approval, you will need to include the ‘Prospective Supervisor’ form when you first contact a supervisor.

Please use Find a Researcher or refer to either the Institute for Health & Sport or the Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities to find and make contact with a potential supervisor in your area.

We suggest you prepare a brief summary of your proposed topic area and indicate why you believe the supervisor you have contacted is best placed to supervise you and your proposed research topic. They will then assess the information you provide and get back to you.

All supervisor nominations are subject to confirmation by the relevant Institute during the scholarship ranking process.

Applicants must include contact details of two referees.

Your referees will be contacted to complete a confidential referee report if are being considered for a tuition fee and stipend scholarship. Please ensure that they are aware that they may be contacted by Victoria University.

Notification of outcomes

Scholarship rounds are competitive and we estimate that applicants will require the equivalent of 80 and 85 on the VU grading scale for a PhD and research masters degree scholarship.

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of the scholarship round by early December 2020.

  • Applicants who are eligible for entry into a research degree, but not competitive for stipend scholarship, will offered a research training place (tuition scholarship) by early December 2020.
  • Applicants who are eligible for entry into a research degree, but not competitive for stipend scholarship, will offered a research training place (tuition scholarship) by early December 2020.
  • Applicants who successful in their application will be offered a tuition and stipend scholarship by early December 2020.

Acceptances for a scholarship and direct entry must be received as per the letter of offer by close of business 11 December 2020. Acceptances not received by this date will result in the offer being withdrawn and Victoria University reserving the right to offer the place to another eligible applicant. Please note, offers cannot be deferred.

Successful applicants for a scholarship and successful applicants for direct entry will be advised in due course of the enrolment date and coursework commencement date.

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