Higher Degree by Research scholarships

The Commonwealth Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) provides funding to Australian Higher Education Providers (HEP) to award financial aid to support both domestic and international HDR candidates.

These awards are governed by the Research Training Program (RTP) and University Research Training Scheme (URTS) Scholarship Policy (PDF, 250.26 KB).

What does it include?

RTP Scholarships provide students with the following forms of support:

• RTP Fees Offset pay for the tuition fees of a higher degree by research (HDR) student that would otherwise have been paid by the student. This requires a university to fully offset tuition fees applicable for a student. This is not a stipend.
• RTP Stipends assist students with their living costs while they undertake a HDR.

HDR candidates applying for RTP Stipend scholarships and/or Domestic Fee Offsets must meet the Australian Government RTP eligibility requirements (see bottom of this page).

Australian Government RTP Stipend

Australian Government RTP Stipend Scholarships are awarded to students of exceptional research potential to undertake a HDR at an Australian university and are not automatically granted to all students. The scholarships are provided to assist with general living costs.

The Australian Government RTP Stipend Scholarship provides an indexed stipend - paid fortnightly - of $28,597.00 (2021 rate) per annum.

Additional benefits include:

• paid sick leave
• maternity leave
• relocation allowance. The relocation allowance for RTP stipend recipients is up to $2,000 for domestic students.

Australian Government RTP Domestic Fee Offset

The RTP Domestic Fee Offset helps CDU provide tuition fee offsets to domestic candidates commencing or enrolled in HDR programs for which Australian Government RTP support is available.

Domestic Masters by Research students receive the offset for two years FTE.
Domestic PhD students receive the offset for four years FTE.

If you require an extension to your candidature, domestic fees may apply.

To be eligible for an Australian Government RTP

You must be enrolled in an accredited HDR course of study at an Australian Higher Education Provider (HEP) and demonstrate exceptional research potential to undertake a HDR.

In addition, for an RTP stipend:

You must not be receiving income from another source to support your general living costs while enrolled in a course of study if that income is greater than 75% of the RTP stipend rate.

Please note: income unrelated to your course of study or income received for your course of study but not for the purpose of supporting general living costs is not considered.

In addition, for an RTP Domestic fee offset:

You must not be receiving an equivalent award or scholarship from the Australian Government designed to offset HDR tuition fees.

For more information please visit RTP Scholarships - FAQs.

Get in touch

E: research.degrees@cdu.edu.au
T: 08 8946 6548

The Commonwealth Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) provides funding to Australian Higher Education Providers (HEP) to award financial aid to support both domestic and international HDR candidates.

These awards are governed by the Research Training Program (RTP) and University Research Training Scheme (URTS) Scholarship Policy (PDF, 250.26 KB).

International Candidates can be offered the following RTP scholarship:

• Australian Government RTP Stipend.

HDR candidates applying for RTP Stipend scholarships must meet the Australian Government RTP eligibility requirements (see bottom of this page).

Australian Government RTP Stipend

Australian Government RTP Stipend Scholarships are awarded to students of exceptional research potential to undertake a HDR at an Australian university and are not automatically granted to all students. The scholarships are provided to assist with general living costs.

The Australian Government RTP Stipend Scholarship provides an indexed stipend—paid fortnightly—of $28,092 (2020 rate) per annum.

Additional benefits include:

• paid sick leave
• maternity leave
• relocation allowance. The relocation allowance for RTP stipend recipients is up to $2,500 for international students.

Please note the Australian Government RTP Stipend Scholarship does not cover Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).  Students will be required to cover these costs.

Australian Government RTP eligibility requirements

You must be enrolled in an accredited HDR course of study at an Australian Higher Education Provider (HEP).

You must not be receiving income from another source to support your general living costs while enrolled in a course of study if that income is greater than 75% of the RTP stipend rate.

Please note: income unrelated to your course of study or income received for your course of study but not for the purpose of supporting general living costs is not considered. International students may have additional income limitations due to student visa requirements.

For more information please visit RTP Scholarships - FAQs.

Get in touch

E: research.degrees@cdu.edu.au
T: 08 8946 6548

The URTS Fee Offset is a scholarship offered to international HDR candidates of exceptional research potential commencing or enrolling in a HDR program who have been awarded an Australian Government RTP Stipend Scholarship.

The fee offset may fully or partially remove the liability of the HDR candidate to pay program tuition fees for the year in which it is awarded.

International HDR candidates who are not awarded an Australian Government RTP Stipend can still apply for a URTS Fee Offset.

Please note: the URTS Fee Offset is not a Commonwealth scholarship.

Eligibility requirements

You must be enrolled in a HDR at CDU and demonstrate exceptional research potential to undertake a HDR.

You must not already be receiving an equivalent award or scholarship from the Australian Government designed to offset HDR tuition fees.

Get in touch

E: research.degrees@cdu.edu.au
T: 08 8946 6548

Visit the International website for a list of application documents.