The Office of Research Services and Graduate Studies introduced Research Fee Offset Scholarships to commence from Session 1, 2024 (January 2024). Eligible Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil) candidates will no longer be charged tuition fees.
Research Fee Offset Scholarships will be offered for 3.5 years (PhD) or 1.5 years (MPhil) only, and once the candidate exceeds this length of candidature, fees will commence.
NB. Many scholarships, including the Fee Offset Scholarships, differ in duration to a HDR candidate's maximum candidature period. For example, whilst a PhD maximum candidature duration is 4 years FTE, the Fee Offset is awarded for 3.5 years FTE. It is envisaged that most candidates will complete and submit their thesis for examination within 3.5 years FTE.
Important: This scholarship program does not include Professional Doctorate or Veterinary HDR courses.
A Fee Offset pays for the tuition fees of a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) student that the student would have otherwise paid. The university will offset the tuition fee applicable for a student for a defined period of time. This is not a stipend.
No. The newly introduced automatic fee offsets are limited to domestic HDR candidates. However, you may be eligible for other scholarships. The university often manages third-party project scholarships in which an external funding body provides a stipend allowance and other scholarship entitlements while the university provides tuition fee coverage. These external project scholarships may provide a tuition fee offset; however, they are classified differently from this domestic HDR Research Fee Offset Scholarship program. Please check the Research Scholarships webpage for further information and opportunities.
No. Eligibility for the Fee Offset Scholarship is limited to domestic candidates enrolled in a Doctor of Philosophy or a Master of Philosophy.
The maximum duration of the Fee Offset Scholarship is:
For part-time students, the duration is doubled e.g. 7 years for part-time PhD, 3 years for part-time Master of Philosophy. Any credit for prior candidature will also be used to calculate the eligible timeframe.
Continuing students will automatically receive a Fee Offset Scholarship, provided you:
If you have not exceeded the enrolment period for the Fee Offset Scholarship completion (3.5 years for a PhD / 1.5 years for a MPhil) you will receive a fee offset for your remaining candidature. For example, if you are currently in the second year of your studies, then you will receive a fee offset until you have completed 3.5 years (or part-time equivalent) or until you have submitted your thesis for examination.
Part-time students will receive an equivalent time – so for part-time PhD students, this will be 7 years of study and for Master of Philosophy (MPhil) that is 3 years of study.
No. If you defer your offer of admission, the offer of a Fee Offset Scholarship will not automatically be deferred. When you successfully enrol to commence your Higher Degree by Research we will reassess your application at that point.
The Graduate Research team will contact all eligible students to confirm the commencement and duration of a Fee Offset Scholarship.
If your scholarship includes tuition fee coverage, such as current AGRTP Scholarships or Institute Scholarships, nothing will change for you.
