2009 Swinburne Research Scholarships:
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the application deadlines?
The closing date for the 2009 mid-year round of scholarship applications is 29 May 2009.
The closing date for the 2009 end-of-year round of scholarship applications is 31 October 2009.
When will successful applicants be notified?
Mid-year Scholarship Round
Successful applicants will be notified by email at the end of June 2009 and a formal offer will be sent by mail by mid July. The applicants will then be expected to accept or decline their offer within two weeks of the issuing of the formal scholarship offer. Those applicants who accept a formal offer will then be required to start their candidature no later than the 30 October 2009.
End-of-Year Scholarship Round
Successful applicants will be notified by email in early December and a formal offer will be sent by mail by mid December. The applicants will then be expected to accept or decline their offer within two weeks of the issuing of the formal scholarship offer. Those applicants who accept a formal offer will then be required to start their candidature no later than 31 March 2010.
Are currently enrolled research students eligible to apply?
Yes. Current students must have been enrolled for less than two years in a PhD or less than one year in a Masters program at 19 June 2009. Applicants who have applied for a scholarship previously are not eligible to reapply, except those who applied in the 2008 end-of-of year scholarship round. Applicants who apply for the first time at mid-year will be also be eligible to apply during the 2009 end-of-year round.
How do current research students apply?
Current students are not required to resubmit their original application form but should instead complete and submit the “2009 Mid-Year Round Current Student Scholarship Application” form, attaching any additional information to be considered. If you are applying for a research scholarship, you must include the appropriate referee reports. The forms can be downloaded from here.
How do new students apply?
New students must complete the Research Candidature and Scholarship form available from the 'Research Scholarships: Application Forms and Further Information' webpage. The same application form can be used to apply for both Scholarship and Research Higher Degree Candidature. If you are applying for a research scholarship, you must submit the appropriate referee reports.
What is a referee report?
A referee report is a document written by a person who can vouch for the quality and standard of your work. The referees’ reports are used as an important part of the assessment process in applications for candidature and scholarship at Swinburne. Referees should be chosen for their knowledge of the applicant’s research potential, for example, the supervisor of your Honours project or someone with whom you have worked on a research project. You are expected to submit two referees’ reports. An explanatory note may be attached to the main application form if there is any difficulty in nominating two suitable referees. Referee Report forms can be accessed here.
Which research degrees are eligible for research scholarships?
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Professional Doctorates, Masters by Research.
(Note: doctoral applicants are given preference over Masters applicants.)
How does supervision work?
The first step a student should take, when applying for a research scholarship, is to contact the relevant faculty or research centre to discuss potential supervision. Once a potential coordinating supervisor has agreed to work with you, he/she will help you define a topic and prepare the research proposal for your application. Faculty contact information is available here.
Which research scholarships are available to international students:
The following scholarships are available to international students:
Mid-Year round
- Chancellor's Research Scholarships;
- SUPRA Postgraduate Research Scholarships;
- Tuition Fee Scholarships.
End-of-Year round
- Chancellor's Research Scholarships;
- SUPRA Postgraduate Research Scholarships;
- Vice-Chancellors Research Scholarships;
- International Postgraduate Research Scholarships; and,
- Tuition Fee Scholarships.
Which research scholarships are available to domestic students:
The following scholarships are available to Domestic students:
Mid-Year round
- Chancellor's Research Scholarships;
- SUPRA Postgraduate Research Scholarships;
- Research Training Scheme places (tuition fee exemption).
End-of-Year round
- Chancellor's Research Scholarships;
- Australian Postgraduate Awards;
- SUPRA Postgraduate Research Scholarships and VC Research Scholarships;
- Research Training Scheme places (tuition fee exemption).
Research Training Scheme (RTS) places available to domestic students:
All commencing higher degree by research places for Australian residents are funded by the Australian Government under the Research Training Scheme (RTS). Successful domestic candidates will hold the allocated RTS place for the period of the candidature: up to a maximum of four years of full-time equivalent funding for doctoral students, and two years for research masters. In order to be eligible for an RTS place, students must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen and enrolled in a research higher degree course on a full- or part-time basis.