Australia Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarships

Overview

The Research Training Program (RTP) is the Australian Government's primary funding mechanism supporting international and domestic students undertaking Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) — PhD and Master's by Research degrees — at Australian universities.

RTP is not a scholarship you apply for centrally. The Australian Government allocates block grants to each university, and universities then award RTP scholarships to their best HDR applicants through their own selection processes. This means you apply to the university directly — for both admission and the scholarship simultaneously — and the university decides whether to award you an RTP scholarship based on your academic merit and research potential.

For Nepali students, RTP is the most widely available fully funded PhD pathway in Australia. Almost every major Australian university participates — including the University of Melbourne, ANU, University of Sydney, UNSW, University of Queensland, Monash, and many others. Each university has its own application deadlines, rounds, and selection criteria.

An RTP scholarship typically covers full tuition fees (fees offset), a tax-free annual living stipend (approximately AUD $36,000–$39,500 per year depending on the university, indexed annually), a relocation allowance, and Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for international students on student visas.

Eligibility

• Applying to undertake a full-time Higher Degree by Research (PhD or Master's by Research) at an eligible Australian university
• International students are eligible — Nepal qualifies with no country restrictions
• Not an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or New Zealand citizen (separate domestic RTP places exist for these)
• Commencing a higher degree by research in Australia for the first time in the year for which the award is offered
• Demonstrates outstanding aptitude for independent research — selection is based on academic merit, research outputs, and research potential
• Has a confirmed or prospective supervisor at the chosen university

What Each University Looks For

While the RTP framework is set by the Australian Government, each university applies its own selection criteria. Competitive applications typically include:

• First-class honours or equivalent Master's degree with a strong research component
• Research publications or equivalent outputs (some universities weight up to 5 publications)
• A strong research proposal aligned with supervisor expertise
• Letters of support from a confirmed supervisor
• English proficiency — IELTS 6.5–7.0 overall depending on the university

Who is Not Eligible

• Australian citizens and permanent residents (separate domestic RTP allocation)
• New Zealand citizens
• Students applying for coursework degrees — RTP is for research degrees only (PhD and Master's by Research)
• Students who have already commenced an HDR at an Australian university

How to Apply

There is no central RTP application portal. The entire process runs through your chosen Australian university.

1. Identify a supervisor — this is the most important first step. Contact potential supervisors at your chosen Australian university whose research aligns with your proposed topic. A confirmed supervisor dramatically improves your RTP scholarship chances. Most universities require supervisor support before a formal application can proceed.
2. Check application rounds at your chosen university — each university runs its own scholarship rounds with specific deadlines. Common patterns:
   • Round 1 (February/March intake): applications typically August–October of the previous year
   • Round 2 (July/August intake): applications typically March–May
   • Some universities (e.g. UQ, ANU) accept rolling expressions of interest year-round
3. Submit an expression of interest or formal application — most universities use a two-stage process: an Expression of Interest (EOI) reviewed by your supervisor/school, followed by a full scholarship application. Submit through the university's HDR scholarship portal.
4. Prepare your documents — typically required:
   • Academic transcripts and degree certificates
   • Research proposal (2,000–5,000 words depending on the university)
   • Research outputs — publications, conference papers, thesis abstract
   • Supervisor support letter
   • English language proficiency scores
   • CV and references
5. Selection and offer — universities rank applicants by academic merit and research potential. RTP scholarships are awarded to top-ranked candidates within available quotas. Offers are made 1–3 months after the application deadline depending on the university.

Start the supervisor search 6–12 months before your intended start date. RTP scholarships are highly competitive — at top universities, strong publications and a confirmed supervisor are effectively prerequisites.