Imagine completing your PhD or Masters by Research at Australia’s #1 ranked university — fully funded, with a generous tax-free living stipend, zero tuition fees, relocation support, and health insurance all taken care of. That is exactly what the University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships 2026 offer, and they are open right now to both domestic and international students from every part of the world.
Every year, the University of Melbourne awards approximately 600 Graduate Research Scholarships to exceptional students pursuing postgraduate research degrees. With a total package worth up to AUD $135,000, this is one of the most comprehensive and prestigious research funding opportunities available anywhere in Australia — and one of the most competitive.
Whether you are a fresh honours graduate, a working professional with research experience, or an international student dreaming of studying in Melbourne, this guide gives you everything you need to apply with confidence.
Explore more opportunities at Gradualin – Scholarships and our complete guide to Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia 2026.
🎓 Scholarship Overview
| Detail | Information |
| Host University | University of Melbourne, Australia |
| Scholarship Names | Melbourne Research Scholarship (MRS) + Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship |
| Degree Level | PhD, Masters by Research, Research Professional Doctorate |
| Study Areas | All disciplines |
| Eligible Students | Domestic & International (all nationalities) |
| Annual Stipend | AUD $39,500 (tax-free, 2026 full-time rate) |
| Tuition Coverage | Full fee offset |
| Health Cover | Single OSHC for international students |
| Relocation Grant | AUD $2,000 (interstate) / AUD $3,000 (international) |
| Duration | Up to 2 years (Masters) / Up to 3.5 years (PhD) |
| Total Package Value | Up to AUD $135,000 |
| Scholarships Awarded | Approximately 600 per year |
| Key Deadline | 31 October 2026 (deferred/current students) |
🎓 About the University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is consistently ranked as Australia’s #1 university and sits among the top 30 universities in the world across major global rankings. Founded in 1853, it is one of Australia’s oldest and most distinguished institutions, renowned for world-leading research, Nobel Prize-winning faculty, and transformative academic programs.
With more than 100 research centres and institutes, Melbourne brings together scholars from across disciplines to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges — from climate change and public health to artificial intelligence and social justice. Its research expenditure ranks second in Australia, surpassed only by the CSIRO.
Over 1,300 students go abroad each year through international programs, and Melbourne itself welcomes scholars from around the globe. Studying here means working at the absolute frontier of your field in one of the world’s most liveable cities.
🎓 Types of Scholarships Under This Program
The University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships package includes two complementary components:
1. 🎓 Melbourne Research Scholarship (MRS)
The MRS is the flagship merit-based scholarship awarded to the highest-ranked domestic and international applicants. It provides a living stipend plus full fee offset and is highly competitive. Since 2016, the former Melbourne International Research Scholarship (MIRS) for international students has been incorporated into the MRS program, meaning international students are now assessed through the same merit pool.
2. 🎓 Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship
The RTP Scholarship is funded by the Australian Commonwealth Government and administered by the University of Melbourne. It provides a fee offset to eligible domestic and international students. Importantly, all domestic students who are offered admission to a Masters by Research or PhD at Melbourne automatically receive the RTP Fee Offset Scholarship as part of their course offer — regardless of competition.
Both scholarships may be held together, combining full tuition coverage with a generous living stipend for the most competitive applicants.
🎓 Benefits & Funding
This is one of the most complete scholarship packages available for research students in Australia. Here is everything you get:
- 💰 Tax-free living stipend of AUD $39,500 per year (2026 full-time rate, indexed annually) — paid fortnightly
- 🏛️ Full tuition fee offset — up to 2 years for Masters by Research, up to 4 years for PhD
- 🏥 Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) — Single Membership for international students requiring a student visa
- ✈️ Relocation grant of AUD $2,000 for students moving from other Australian states or territories outside Victoria
- 🌏 Relocation grant of AUD $3,000 for students moving from outside Australia (international students)
- 🤒 Paid sick leave, parental leave, and partner leave included with the living allowance
- 📚 Access to world-class research facilities, libraries, and infrastructure at Melbourne
- 💼 Total package value of up to AUD $135,000 across the full scholarship period
🎓 Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for the University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships, you must meet the following:
- 🎓 Have applied for and met the entry requirements for a Masters by Research or doctoral degree at the University of Melbourne, OR
- 📚 Be currently enrolled in a graduate research degree at the University of Melbourne
- 🌍 Open to both domestic and international students of all nationalities
- 🏆 Demonstrate strong academic performance — applicants are scored and ranked primarily on their results from their most recently completed degree
- 🔬 Show research potential in your proposed field of study
Additional factors that may strengthen your application:
- Completion of a prior degree at the same level as the degree you are applying for
- Relevant professional experience in your field
- Refereed academic publications
- Specialist medical qualifications (for medical research fields)
- Original music composition (for music-related disciplines)
Note for domestic students: All domestic students offered admission to a Masters by Research or PhD receive the RTP Fee Offset Scholarship automatically. The additional stipend component is competitive and awarded separately.
🎓 Who Should Apply
Apply if you are:
- A high-achieving student with excellent academic results from your most recent degree
- Planning to pursue a PhD or Masters by Research in any discipline at Melbourne
- An international student seeking full funding to study at Australia’s top university
- Currently enrolled at Melbourne and seeking scholarship support going forward
- Someone with publications, professional research experience, or other indicators of research potential
Do NOT apply if:
- You are applying for a coursework (non-research) degree — this scholarship is for research degrees only
- You currently hold another scholarship providing a stipend at a similar or higher level
- You transferred from another Australian higher education provider and have not yet applied for reconsideration of your scholarship at Melbourne
- You cannot meet the academic entry requirements for a Melbourne graduate research program
🎓 Available Programs & Faculties
The Graduate Research Scholarships are available across all disciplines at the University of Melbourne, including programs offered by:
- 🌾 Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences
- 🏗️ Melbourne School of Design
- 📖 Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences
- 🎵 Melbourne Conservatorium of Music
- 🏫 Melbourne Graduate School of Education
- 🦷 Melbourne Dental School
- ⚖️ Melbourne Law School
- 🩺 Melbourne Medical School
- ⚙️ Melbourne School of Engineering
- 🌍 Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
- 🧠 Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences
- 🧬 School of Biomedical Sciences
- 🔬 Faculty of Science
- 🎨 Victorian College of the Arts
- 💼 Melbourne Business School
- 🌱 Office for Environmental Programs
🎓 Required Documents
When applying for a graduate research degree (which automatically triggers scholarship consideration), you will typically need to submit:
- 📄 Academic transcripts from all previous degrees
- 🎓 Evidence of highest completed qualification (degree certificate)
- 📝 Research proposal outlining your intended project
- 🪪 CV / Resume highlighting academic achievements and research experience
- 📬 Academic referee contacts or reference letters (requirements vary by faculty)
- 🗣️ English language proficiency proof — IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE Academic (for international students)
- 📰 List of publications or relevant professional experience (if applicable)
- 🩺 Evidence of specialist qualifications (for relevant medical/clinical research fields)
🎓 Application Process — Step by Step
The University of Melbourne has designed a streamlined application process where no separate scholarship application is required for most new students.
🆕 New Applicants (Most Common)
Step 1 — Choose Your Research Program & Faculty Browse Melbourne’s graduate research programs and identify the faculty and discipline that aligns with your research interests and background.
Step 2 — Find a Supervisor (Strongly Recommended) While not always mandatory, reaching out to a potential supervisor before applying significantly strengthens your application. A supervisor who is excited about your project can advocate for you internally.
Step 3 — Submit Your Graduate Research Course Application Apply for your Masters by Research or PhD program through the University of Melbourne’s graduate research admissions portal before your course’s closing date. Scholarship consideration is automatic.
Step 4 — Confirmation of Scholarship Consideration Within 7 business days of submitting your course application, you will receive confirmation that you have been automatically considered for a range of graduate research scholarships.
Step 5 — Selection & Offers Scholarship offers for stipend + fee offset are made separately from course offers but typically around the same time. You will be notified by email.
Step 6 — Accept Your Offer If successful, accept your scholarship offer by the specified due date to activate your benefits.
🔄 Deferred Offer Holders & Currently Enrolled Students
If you already hold a deferred offer or are currently enrolled in a graduate research degree and wish to be considered for a scholarship for the following year, you must submit an online scholarship application form by 31 October 2026.
This deadline does NOT apply to new applicants — their deadline is the course closing date for their chosen program.
🎓 Important Dates
| Applicant Type | Key Action | Deadline |
| New Applicants | Apply for graduate research course (automatic scholarship consideration) | Each course’s own closing date |
| Deferred Offer Holders | Submit online scholarship form | 31 October 2026 |
| Currently Enrolled Students | Submit online scholarship form for following year | 31 October 2026 |
| Round 1 (most scholarships) | Submit by for best chances | By 31 October for next-year commencement |
💡 Pro Tip: Most scholarships are awarded in Round 1 for commencement the following year. Submit your complete application as early as possible — later rounds have fewer scholarships remaining.
🎓 Selection Criteria
The University ranks all eligible applicants based on:
- 🏅 Academic performance in the most recently completed degree (primary factor)
- 🔬 Research potential — assessed through your research proposal, supervisor endorsement, and relevant experience
- 📰 Refereed publications and professional experience (can significantly boost your ranking)
- 🎓 Completion of a prior degree at the same level (e.g. if you hold a Masters and are applying for a PhD, this is viewed favourably)
- 🎵 Original creative outputs for arts/music disciplines (compositions, artistic works)
- 🩺 Specialist medical qualifications for relevant clinical research
🎓 Why Study at the University of Melbourne?
- 🏆 Australia’s #1 ranked university and globally top 30 across QS, Times Higher Education, and ARWU
- 🔬 Second-highest research expenditure in Australia, behind only CSIRO
- 🌍 Over 100 research centres tackling global challenges across every discipline
- 🎓 Approximately 600 Graduate Research Scholarships awarded every year — genuinely competitive but genuinely achievable
- 🌆 Located in Melbourne, Victoria — consistently ranked among the world’s most liveable cities
- ✈️ Over 1,300 students go abroad annually through international partnerships
- 🤝 Strong industry connections, powerful alumni networks, and outstanding graduate employment outcomes
- 🌿 Deep commitment to sustainability, equity, and research that drives real-world change
🎓 Official Source
For complete details and to begin your application:
👉 Official Graduate Research Scholarships Page – University of Melbourne 👉 Melbourne Research Scholarship Details 👉 Graduate Research Admissions Portal
🎓 Scholarship Summary
| Feature | Masters by Research | PhD / Doctoral |
| Tuition Fee Offset | Up to 2 years | Up to 4 years |
| Living Stipend (2026) | AUD $39,500/year (up to 2 years) | AUD $39,500/year (up to 3.5 years) |
| Relocation Grant | $2,000 (interstate) / $3,000 (international) | $2,000 (interstate) / $3,000 (international) |
| OSHC (International) | ✅ Single Membership | ✅ Single Membership |
| Paid Leave | Sick, parental, partner leave | Sick, parental, partner leave |
| Eligible Nationalities | All (domestic & international) | All (domestic & international) |
| Separate Application? | No (automatic for new applicants) | No (automatic for new applicants) |
| Total Package (est.) | Up to AUD $135,000 | Up to AUD $135,000 |
