Full fees covered. $39,500 living allowance per year. 600 scholarships available. No separate application.
The University of Melbourne’s Graduate Research Scholarship stands out in Australia for how it handles applications. Apply for your graduate research degree at Melbourne, and if you meet the academic threshold, you are automatically considered. No separate scholarship form. No additional essays.
Quick Facts
- Institution: University of Melbourne
- Scholarship: Graduate Research Scholarship (MRS + RTP)
- Value: Up to $135,000
- Living allowance: $39,500 AUD per year (2026 rate)
- Quantity: 600
- Study level: Graduate research (Master’s by Research and PhD)
- Open to: Domestic and international students, including Nigerians
- Deadline: Automatic for new applicants; October 31 for deferred and currently enrolled students
- Application: No separate scholarship application for new students
About the Programme
The Graduate Research Scholarship combines two funding streams: the Melbourne Research Scholarship (MRS) and the Australian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship. Together, they fund up to 600 graduate research students per year, covering both fees and living costs for the strongest applicants.
The programme covers graduate research degrees across every major study area, from engineering and IT to arts, law, music, and health.
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What You Actually Get
The stipend and fee scholarship is competitive and merit-based:
- Tuition is covered for two years for a Master’s by research and four years for a PhD
- A living allowance of $39,500 AUD per year (2026 full-time rate, pro rata) paid for up to 2 years for Master’s students or up to 3.5 years for doctoral students
- Annual indexing may apply, which means the amount can rise over the course of the degree.
- Limited paid sick leave, maternity leave, and parenting leave are included within the living allowance terms.
- Relocation grant of $2,000 AUD for students moving from any Australian state or territory other than Victoria, or $3,000 AUD for students moving from outside Australia
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) Single Membership for international students who require a student visa
A fee-only scholarship is automatic for admitted domestic students:
- Tuition covered in full for the duration of the degree (up to 2 years Masters, up to 4 years for a doctoral)
- No living allowance attached to this tier
Every domestic student admitted to a Master’s by Research or PhD at Melbourne receives the fee offset automatically; no merit competition is required. The competitive award adds the living stipend on top, and international students compete for that tier too.
Full Eligibility
To qualify, you must:
- Have applied for and meet all academic requirements for a graduate research degree at the University of Melbourne. OR
- Be currently enrolled in a graduate research degree at the University of Melbourne.
Selection for the stipend award is based on:
- Academic merit from your most recently completed degree
- Research potential in your chosen field
- Refereed publications, where applicable
- Relevant professional experience
- Specialist qualifications, where applicable, for example, medical specialisation or original musical composition
Study areas covered: agricultural and veterinary sciences; architecture, building, planning, and design; arts, humanities, and social sciences; business and economics; education; engineering; environment; health; information technology and computer science; law; music, visual, and performing arts; and science.
Who this excludes:
- Undergraduate students
- For coursework postgraduate students, the award covers research degrees only, meaning Master’s by Research and PhD
- Students who do not meet Melbourne’s graduate research admission standards
Documents Required
Consideration is automatic for new applicants. The documents you need are those required for your graduate research course application. Typical graduate research application requirements include the following:
- Academic transcripts, certified, with English translations if not in English
- Research proposal or statement of research interest
- CV or resume highlighting research experience.
- Referees usually provide two to three academic references.
- Publications list, if applicable
For deferred or currently enrolled students applying by October 31: submit the online scholarship form by the deadline. Supporting documents from your original application are already on record.
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Is This Open to Nigerians?
Yes, confirmed. International students are explicitly eligible for both the fee offset and the stipend award. Nigerian applicants apply through Melbourne’s international graduate research admissions process.
The $3,000 AUD relocation grant applies to students moving from outside Australia, which covers Nigerian applicants who receive an offer. International students who require a student visa also receive OSHC Single Membership as part of the scholarship, covering basic health insurance for the duration of your visa.
How to Apply
If you are a new applicant:
- Apply for a graduate research degree at the University of Melbourne through the official admissions portal before the course closing date; closing dates vary by faculty.
- No separate scholarship application is needed - consideration is automatic.
- Within 10 business days of submitting your course application, you will receive notification that a scholarship application has been added to your record.
- Scholarship offers are made at the same time as, or shortly after, course admission offers
If you have deferred your course offer or are currently enrolled:
- Submit the online scholarship application form by October 31 to be considered for the following year.
- You will receive confirmation within 10 business days of submission.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Missing the course application deadline for new students, that is the de facto scholarship deadline.
- Assuming the October 31 date applies to new applicants, it applies only to deferred students and currently enrolled students.
GizPulse Verdict
The scholarship is genuinely strong for anyone planning graduate research in Australia. The automatic consideration model removes the essay-writing burden that eliminates strong candidates from other awards. The $39,500 annual stipend is a full-time living allowance; the programme is designed for focused research, not part-time study alongside paid work.
The real barrier is not the scholarship itself. It is gaining admission to Melbourne’s graduate research programme. You need a strong academic record and a credible research proposal. If those are in place, the scholarship process is straightforward.
Ideal for: High-achieving Master’s and PhD applicants, Nigerian and international, with a clear research focus and a strong undergraduate or postgraduate academic record across any of the listed study areas.
One tip: The scholarship is decided on academic merit and research potential. The strongest lever you have is the quality and specificity of your research proposal. A proposal that names a precise research problem, situates it in existing literature, and explains why Melbourne is the right place to pursue it will outperform a general statement of interest every time.
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