Application rounds and commencement dates vary. Refer to the information below.

RTP scholarships are funded by the Australian Government, while DUPR scholarships are funded by Deakin. Both are available to domestic and international candidates. Only top-ranked applicants will be offered an RTP. 

ELIGIBILITY:

To be eligible for an RTP Stipend, RTP Fees Offset, RTP Allowance or DUPRS an applicant must be a domestic or international student enrolled in a graduate research course of study at Deakin University.

To be eligible for an RTP Fees Offset an applicant must not be receiving an equivalent award or scholarship from the Commonwealth designed to offset graduate research fees.

Learn more about research degree entry requirements

RTP and DUPRS Stipends will be awarded to candidates as the result of a competitive process outlined in the ranking guidelines below. Candidates receiving an RTP or DUPRS Stipend will be enrolled as on-campus full-time students.

Applicants for an RTP or DUPRS Stipend must have:

Completed at least four years of tertiary education studies

Achieved 80% or equivalent in the research component of their previous study or an equivalent level of academic attainment, taking into account previous study, relevant work experience, research publications and other research experience

Met all other minimum entry requirements according to the Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) Admission, Selection and Enrolment Procedure. 

Currently enrolled graduate research candidates can apply for an RTP or DUPRS Stipend and will be assessed by the Faculty/Institute. Currently enrolled graduate researchers may not apply after they have completed more than three years of their doctoral course or two years of their masters course (or part-time equivalent).

For information about the RTP Fees Offset selection process and the offer process for all scholarships please refer to the Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) Scholarships Procedure.

Download the Graduate Research Scholarships 2025 Ranking Guidelines (PDF, 283.0KB)

Application deadlines:

Applications must be submitted by the relevant round closing dates:

2026 domestic round: opens 20 January 2026, closes 13 March 2026 (July 2026 intake)

2027 international round: opens 6 July 2026, closes 23 August 2026 (February 2027 intake)

2027 domestic round: opens 6 July 2026, closes 25 October 2026 (February 2027 intake)

BENEFIT:

Value:

A stipend of $37,450 per annum, tax-exempt

A relocation allowance from $500 to $1,500 (for single to family) is awarded to candidates who are moving from interstate or overseas in order to study at Deakin.

For international candidates only:

Single Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) policy for the duration of the student visa.

Duration:

Doctoral degree: three years for stipend and four years for the tuition fees offset.

Research master’s degree: two years for stipend and