Domestic research scholarships

You may be eligible for a Research Training Program (RTP) fee offset scholarship where your tuition costs are supported by the Australian Government.

This scheme is available for local students accepted into the Master Research Degrees, Doctor of Philosophy (Integrated) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Applicants in receipt of a RTP Fee Offset scholarship are not required to pay tuition fees for the maximum duration of their candidature (enrolled degree). An enrolment beyond the maximum period of support may result in you incurring tuition fees.

A separate application is not required for the RTP fee offset scholarship. Your eligibility is assessed as part of your course application for admission.

The Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship Policy outlines the requirements of Higher Degree by Research (HDR) stipend and fee offset scholarships at Victoria University (VU) funded by the Australian Commonwealth Government Research Training Program (RTP).

Find out more about the RTP Scholarships Procedure.

For candidates awarded a RTP fee offset scholarship, refer to the frequently asked questions for students for more information.

Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend Scholarships (Domestic) are awarded to graduate researchers on the basis of academic merit and research potential. For this Mid-Year Scholarship round, preference will be given to applicants who have selected a research project or research area from the list available on the Project and Industry Scholarship page.

The Award includes:

• annual stipend value: $34,320 per year (2024 rate)
• tuition fees: covered by the RTP.

Successful recipients will still have to pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) every semester.

Successful RTP Stipend Scholarship (Domestic) applicants are also assessed for the Vice Chancellor's Graduate Research Award in the main scholarship round.

The VU Diversity Graduate Research Scholarship (VU Diversity Scholarship) provides living allowance support to promising researchers wishing to undertaking a graduate research degree. It is designed to increase the diversity of graduate researchers at VU.

VU is committed to encouraging people whose educational opportunities have been disrupted or adversely affected by their life circumstances to participate in graduate research. Applicants must meet the diversity eligibility criteria to be considered for this scholarship.

The Award includes:

• annual stipend value: $41,600 per year (2024 rate)
• tuition fees: covered by the Research Training Program (RTP).

Successful recipients will still have to pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) every semester. This scholarship will next be offered for Research Period 1, 2025.

Industry Supported scholarships relate to specific PhD projects agreed with our industry partners, who contribute at least half the funds for the stipends.

Stipends and fee offset are also supported through the Australian Government Research Training Program.

The Award includes:

• annual stipend
• tuition fees: covered by the Research Training Program (RTP).

Successful recipients will still have to pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) every semester.

For more details on Industry Supported Scholarships and associated projects, visit the Project and Industry Research Scholarships page.

Victoria University offers scholarships to undertake a PhD on a specific topic as part of an externally funded research project. Conditions and stipend value vary for these projects, as do the funding sources.

As a minimum, for Domestic applicants, each scholarship includes:

• annual stipend 
• tuition fees.

Successful recipients will still have to pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) every semester.

To see what project-based scholarships are available, visit the Project and Industry Research Scholarships page.

In addition to the three main scholarship schemes on this page, successful RTP Stipend Scholarship- Domestic applicants will be also considered for the Vice Chancellor’s Graduate Research Award.

The Vice Chancellor’s Graduate Research Award comprises a top-up living allowance (stipend) of $10,000 per year in addition to the RTP Stipend Scholarship – Domestic.

This scholarship is only awarded for Research Period 1 in any given year. 

The Nigel Stepto Doctoral Research Scholarship has been established in memory and honour of Professor Nigel Stepto.

Nigel was a significant contributor and leader in research and research training at Victoria University (2007-2020) specialising in exercise physiology and Women’s Health in the Institute of Health and Sport (IHeS). Nigel was also the Co-Deputy Director – Research Training of the Institute of Health and Sport (IHeS) from 2018 until his untimely death in early 2020.

To be eligible for the Nigel Stepto Doctoral Research Scholarship applicants must demonstrate academic excellence and conduct research that is within an area of Health research in one of the four IHeS research programs.

This scholarship will next be offered in for Research Period 1 2026. 

To be eligible for a VU Diversity Scholarship you must have experienced hardship that has disrupted or adversely affected your studies.

If you are applying on grounds of hardship, you must provide evidence of one of the following:

• traumatic events beyond your control
• significant illness and/or disability
• socioeconomic and/or family circumstances.

In addition to providing supporting evidence, you must submit a confidential statement of no more than one page, outlining how your circumstances have adversely affected your studies and academic career.

This scholarship is only offered for Research Period 1 in any given year.

Within the Moondani Balluk Academic Unit, VU Research offers a range of research scholarships, including:

• Lisa Bellear Indigenous Research Scholarship
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Scholarships
• Foley Collection Scholarship
• Aboriginal History Archive Research Scholarships

If you are a prospective Aboriginal Australian applicant, you are encouraged to submit a VU Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Profile Information form (PDF, 196.65 KB) in conjunction with your scholarship application.

VU recognises that Aboriginal Australians are under-represented in graduate research studies and encourages qualified indigenous applicants to undertake their research studies at VU

Read more about the Moondani Balluk Research Scholarships.

To be eligible for the Vice Chancellor's Graduate Research Award you must also demonstrate academic excellence and conduct research that is strategically aligned with the University’s research focus.

This award is only offered for Research Period 1 in any given year.