A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) gives you the opportunity to develop specialised research skills and gain systematic and critical understanding of a complex field of knowledge.
PhD students graduate with specialised cognitive, technical and research skills in their chosen discipline. They are able to independently and methodically:
- generate original knowledge and understanding to make a substantial contribution to a discipline
- engage in critical reflection, synthesis and evaluation
- develop, adapt and implement research methodologies to extend and redefine existing knowledge
- disseminate and promote new insight to peers and the community.
Prior to candidature confirmation, you will engage in coursework to prepare you for conceptualising and contextualising your research, and for undertaking research in an ethical manner.
There are two possible pathways to a PhD at VU: the standard pathway PhD and the alternative pathway PhD (Integrated).
You may report your doctoral research by way of a thesis, a creative project with exegesis, or a thematic set of scholarly publications with exegesis.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
You may apply for entry for a PhD if you satisfy one of the following:
- Masters by coursework degree with minor thesis, requiring average grades of at least H2A/Distinction (above 70% VU standard).
- Masters by research degree, or demonstrated exceptional ability during partial completion of a research project in a Masters by research degree.
- Four-year bachelor degree with honours, or an honours degree at H1 or H2A honours level, incorporating initial research training and a minor thesis (above 70% VU standard).
In addition to the above, applicants who have a masters degree undertaken entirely by coursework, with average grades of at least H2A/Distinction (above 70% VU standard), may apply for entry into a PhD through the alternative pathway PhD (Integrated).
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
All applicants must demonstrate competency in English sufficient to work at doctoral level by providing evidence of one or more of the following:
- Completion of a qualification where English was the primary language of instruction and assessment, and undertaken in a predominantly English-speaking context (within the last two years).
- An overall band score of not less than 6.5 in an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test with no individual band score below 6.0 or equivalent in another university sanctioned English language assessment (see table below).
- Demonstrated competence in English equivalent to above.
English language examination method | Result |
---|---|
IELTS (Academic Module): Overall score (no band less than) | 6.5 (6.0) |
TOEFL Internet: Overall score (section score no less than) | 79 (Listening 19, Speaking 19, Reading 18, Writing 22) |
Pearson Test of English (PTE): Overall score (no section score less than): | 58-64 (50) |
University of Cambridge – Advanced (CAE): Total score of | 58 |
VU English – University Preparation UPP (Postgraduate) | Achieved |
English Language School in Sydney (ELSIS) – EAP 2 (advanced) | A grade |
In some circumstances, we will accept test results from other examination methods not listed in this table.
TUITION FEES
DOMESTIC STUDENTS
If you reside in Australia and are an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or New Zealand citizen, the following applies to you.
PHD
The Commonwealth Government will normally cover the cost of your tuition through Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset places. However, you may incur additional fees in some circumstances.
PHD (INTEGRATED)
Year 1: The first year of this program is normally full fee paying. You may access the FEE HELP scheme to defer payment. You may also be eligible for a Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset place.
Years 2-4: The Commonwealth Government will normally cover the remaining cost of your tuition through Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset places. However, you may incur additional fees in some circumstances.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Your tuition fees will vary depending on your chosen field of research, but are typically in the range of A$11,000 – A$14,500 per semester.
International student fees are listed on the individual course pages.
Find out more about your funding options, or contact us if you have any questions.
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR GRADUATE RESEARCHERS
Victoria University offers a range of domestic and international graduate research scholarships, providing funding to cover the cost of your tuition and/or a living allowance (stipend) to assist you throughout your study.
Scholarships are not available for the first year of the PhD (Integrated).
EARLY EXIT AWARD
You will be eligible to exit early with a Master of Research Practice if you entered the PhD (Integrated) via the alternative pathway, and after your first year one of the following applies to you:
- have achieved a pass mark (50% or above in all Year 1 units)
- have not fulfilled the hurdle requirement (70% average across the coursework units and 70% in your first year thesis)
- you do not wish to proceed to years 2-4.
HOW TO APPLY
Follow the six steps to applying for a research degree.
If you would like more information, contact the Office for Researcher Training, Quality & Integrity, previously the Graduate Research Centre.
Research degrees (MPhil, MRes & PhD)
Australian and New Zealand universities welcome applications from qualified international research candidates.
The process of applying for a PhD or a masters by research in Australia and New Zealand is very different to that of applying for a taught (coursework) programme.
There are two options for applying for research programmes (PhD or a Masters by Research) at a university in either Australia or New Zealand.
1. Look for an existing research project that you can apply to join as a PhD student. You can search the database of available projects by following the link below.
Click here to access the searchable PhD project database
2. Apply independently.
Applying independently
You will need to establish contact with a potential academic supervisor and get provisional approval for your research proposal. This will mean identifying the institutions and academics working in the area that you intend to research, and making direct contact with relevant individuals to discuss your work. When you approach academic members of staff, we recommend you communicate your research ideas in a concise but well thought through manner – academic staff receive a lot of similar requests and are only likely to respond positively to ones that demonstrate commitment and ability.
Your research proposal does not need to be finished, or even particularly detailed, but it does need to contain enough information to allow the university to decide whether or not your proposed research is something that they have the resources to supervise and interest in hosting.
Study Options can advise you on which universities have expertise in the field that you want to research. We can also assist with locating relevant departments and with contacting academic staff. If you would like our help with this, please email us a detailed copy of your research proposal and your CV. Please along with any criteria or preferences that you have (for example, any university or location preferences, or particular fieldwork or facility requirements).
Once you have provisional support for your application from an individual academic or from a university department please contact Study Options so that we can assist with the formal admissions process.
Research applications submitted via Study Options are fast tracked through university assessment procedures and are exempt from application fees.
Funding for research students
Most universities concentrate their international student scholarships on research students so there are usually several options available. There are also general scholarships available for research students in both Australia and New Zealand. The Costs And Practicalities section of this site contains information about financing your study in Australia or New Zealand and where to look for scholarships.
Please note that international PhD students in New Zealand are only required to local tuition fees, rather than full international tuition fee rates. This is a New Zealand Government policy, designed to attract talented researchers to the country.
Finding a supervisor
Establishing contact with a potential supervisor can be a time-consuming and often frustrating process, but it is extremely important and worth investing both time and effort in. PhD applications, in particular, are often assessed by a committee of academics – your supervisor is the person who can champion your application through this and other Faculty processes. They are also often great sources of information regarding scholarships and funding and may well be able to tell you about scholarship options that other people within the University are not widely aware of.
As a start point, please look at the university profiles here to begin working out which universities you might like to consider approaching with your research proposal. Many Australian and New Zealand universities provide a facility on their website that enables students to search for suitable supervisors among their research staff. These search functions are all available from the individual university guideline pages, below.
Once you have established contact with a potential supervisor, the team at Study Options can help you fully with your application forms, document certification and visa applications – please contact us for free assistance when you are ready. Please note that it is essential that you nominate Study Options as your ‘agent’ or ‘representative’ when you make your application – either via the online system or as hard copy. In some cases this nomination requires a representative code – contact Study Options to get this.
If you do not nominate Study Options during your application we cannot provide any of the free support services listed above. If you have any questions about Study Options and how we work with you on your application, please contact us to discuss.
University-specific guidelines
All universities have individual, slightly different, application procedures for research applications. Please find below university-specific instructions for making a research application.
Australia
- Australian National University (ANU)
- Bond University
- Charles Darwin University
- Curtin University
- Deakin University
- Flinders University
- Griffith University
- James Cook University
- La Trobe University
- Macquarie University
- Monash University
- Murdoch University
- RMIT University
- The University of Adelaide
- The University of Melbourne
- The University of Newcastle
- The University of Queensland
- The University of Sydney
- University of Tasmania
- University of the Sunshine Coast
- The University of Western Australia
- UNSW Sydney
Detailed PhD admission requirements
Entry to the PhD program is based on a demonstrated capacity to undertake significant independent
research at a very high standard in the proposed field of study. Applicants applying to undertake a
PhD must:
• Meet Deakin University’s English language requirements; and
• Have completed an appropriate qualification in a relevant discipline from a recognised
tertiary institution at the standard specified.
English language requirements
A high standard of English is essential for a student to be considered for admission. As a minimum,
applicants should have one of the following:
• IELTS (Academic) overall band score no lower than 7.0
(with no individual band less than 6.5)
• Paper-based TOEFL score no lower than 600 (with a writing score of at least 5)
• Internet-based TOEFL score no lower than 94 (with a writing score of at least 24)
This schedule is pursuant to the Higher Degrees by Research Admission, Selection and Enrolment
Procedure.
Higher degree by research applicants must demonstrate that they meet the English language
requirements.
Applicants may be exempted from these English language test requirements if they have:
• Completed their entire secondary and post-secondary studies in English and, since
graduation, have had residency in a specified English-speaking country*
• Completed a university degree of at least three years duration (full-time equivalent) within a
specified English-speaking country*, no more than two years prior to their proposed
enrolment at Deakin
*Australia, Canada, Fiji, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Singapore,
Solomon Islands, South Africa, United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland), United States of
America, Zambia.
Appropriate Qualification and Available Supervision
Having an appropriate qualification is only one factor in the decision to offer PhD candidature –
other factors include the availability of supervision, the alignment of the proposed research project
with University and Faculty strategic goals, and the quality of other PhD applicants. However, at a
minimum, all successful applicants will have typically completed a:
• Research project in a related area of study, including a thesis which is equivalent to at
least 25% of a year’s full-time study at Level 8 or 9* of the Australian Qualifications
Framework and with mark for that project equivalent to a Deakin grade of 80% or
higher.
OR
• Masters Degree (Research) in a related area of study
Level 8 and 9 of the Australian Qualifications Framework equates to a Bachelor Honours Degree and a Masters Degree, respectively. Applicants for the Department of Economics (only) Applicants wishing to complete a PhD in the Department of Economics are also asked to provide their GRE score. PhD Course Fees Domestic students (Australian citizens and permanent residents, New Zealand citizens) are not required to pay any PhD course fees. PhD course fees for international students are available online. PhD Scholarships Deakin scholarships are available and provide a living allowance (domestic and international students) and fee waivers (international students only; the fees of domestic students are covered by Deakin University). Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and alignment with University and Faculty strategic goals, and there is strong competition for these scholarships. Two scholarship rounds are conducted each year: for the Trimester 1 (March) intake and the Trimester 2 (July) intake. Applicants interested in being considered for a PhD scholarship should specify this in the ‘Scholarship/sponsor details’ section of the Faculty Expression of Interest (EOI) form and submit this form prior to the EOI deadline associated with their preferred intake. More information about these submission deadlines can be found in the ‘How to apply’ section below. How to Apply The Faculty of Business and Law has two PhD intakes each year: one in Trimester 1 (March) and one in Trimester 2 (July). Please note: the Departments of Economics and Finance only accept PhD students in the Trimester 1 (March) intake. All applicants interested in undertaking a PhD within the Faculty of Business and Law must complete a Faculty Expression of Interest (EOI) form and send it to blresearch@deakin.edu.au prior to the deadlines specified below. Applicants who submit an application through the Deakin application system without having first submitted a Faculty EOI form will be rejected. Applicant Faculty EOI submission deadline Intake Domestic + international September 28, 2018 Trimester 1 (March 2019)
Domestic + international* February 15, 2019 Trimester 2 (March 2019)
*Visa processing times for international applicants are determined by the Australian government
and are consequently outside the control of Deakin University. Typical visa processing times are
available from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, although applicants from
countries that have been placed under sanction by the UN and/or Australia are advised that they
may face additional visa processing times. If you are from a country that has been placed under
sanction, please submit your Faculty EOI form by the deadline for the intake preceding your
preferred intake. For example, if you would like to be in the Trimester 2 2019 intake, please submit
your Faculty EOI form by the deadline for the Trimester 2 2019 intake (i.e., February 15, 2019).
It is each applicant’s responsibility to ensure that they provide all requested information in the
Faculty EOI (Expression of Interest) by the submission deadline. Failure to include all requested
information may result in an application not being considered.
What happens after I submit my Faculty Expression of Interest (EOI) form?
Following each Faculty EOI submission deadline:
- Applicants will be screened on the basis of the information they provided in their Faculty EOI
form to determine whether:
a. They meet the PhD admission requirements
b. Supervision in their proposed project area is available
c. Their proposed project aligns with University and Faculty strategic goals - Applicants who pass this screening process will be interviewed by a selection panel in early
September or October (for those intending to start in Trimester 1) or late February or early
March (for those intending to start in Trimester 2) - Applicants who pass the screening process and complete the interview will be evaluated
against each other to determine which applicants will be offered scholarships and/or
candidature - Applicants who will be offered a scholarship and/or candidature will be given 2 weeks to
submit a formal, PhD Application to Deakin.
What happens after I am admitted into the PhD program?
All PhD candidates are admitted on a provisional candidature basis and must satisfy the Faculty’s
requirements for transferring to full candidature, which is referred to as confirmation of
candidature. The confirmation process includes a Faculty presentation and meeting with a panel,
which will include your Supervisors and other members of academic staff. The confirmation of
candidature process must be completed within one year of candidature for full-time PhD candidates.
Candidates will also be required to complete a series of coursework units relevant to their discipline
as part of their research program.
Alternative pathways and postgraduate coursework degree programs
Applicants who do not meet the admission requirements for the PhD program are encouraged to
consider the following discipline-specific pathway programs*:
• Business analytics applicants: Master of Business Analytics (with MPP704 as an elective
unit)
• Law applicants: Master of Laws
• Marketing applicants: Master of Marketing (Research specialisation only)
*These programs provide applicants with an opportunity to complete a research thesis, which forms
one of the key entry criteria for admission into the PhD program. However, applicants who complete
these programs will still need to meet the normal intake requirements before they can be
considered for the PhD program.
We look forward to receiving your Expression of Interest Form and assisting you with your journey to
study in Australia.
Research Service Team