Applying with us

Before you begin, review the Application Submission Guide for a full list of required supporting documentation.

1. Check your eligibility

The first step in your application is confirming you meet the eligibility requirements for a graduate research degree at Monash. There are three requirements to check:

English language proficiency
Academic entry requirements
Relevant research or professional experience

You should also check your specific course, as some have additional entry requirements.

Expand each section below to find out more.

If English is not your first language, you will need to demonstrate English language proficiency before your application can proceed. There are two ways to satisfy this requirement:
- English language test - results from an approved test taken within two years of your proposed commencement date, meeting Monash's minimum requirements
- Qualification taught in English - completion of at least two years of full-time tertiary study conducted and assessed entirely in English, in an approved country or institution
Some faculties require higher test results than the general university minimum.
Meeting English language proficiency requirements is a condition of admission - it's worth checking your situation against the requirements before you apply.
English language requirements and accepted tests
Graduate research degrees have minimum academic entry requirements that vary by the type of course. To be eligible for a Masters by Research or PhD at Monash, you must hold at least one of the following degrees and meet the minimum grade requirements outlined within the admissions criteria page:
- A bachelor’s degree of at least four years in a relevant discipline, which includes a research thesis or project; or
- A master's degree in a relevant discipline which includes a research thesis or project; or
- A qualification, or combination of qualifications and relevant professional experience
You can find out more about the specific entry requirements depending on the type of course you are interested in by visiting the graduate research admissions criteria page.
Find out more about the admission criteria →
You will be required to show you have undertaken a research project or thesis as part of your academic education or have relevant professional experience.
This could include:
- A thesis or research publication as part of an Australian honours degree
- A masters by research degree with thesis component
- A masters by coursework degree with a thesis component
- Relevant professional experience related to your research discipline
Find out more about the admission criteria →

Don’t yet meet the academic entry requirements?

There may still be a pathway into graduate research at Monash. We offer pathways through coursework degrees for applicants who have not yet completed a research-intensive qualification, and we recognise substantial professional or industry experience where it is relevant to your proposed research.

Explore graduate research entry pathways

Applying for a scholarship?

Centrally managed scholarships for Australian campuses are awarded through a highly competitive process. The Graduate Research Committee prioritises applicants in accordance with the Research Training Program scholarship procedure.

While applicants must meet the minimum academic and ELP requirements to be considered, this should not be interpreted as a guarantee of admission or scholarship support. In a high-demand and highly competitive environment, the number of well-qualified applicants consistently exceeds available places, requiring selection from among the strongest candidates.

To be considered for a scholarship, you must apply within an open scholarship round. See key dates below.

Find out more about applying for scholarships, fees and funding opportunities.

2. Before you apply

A well-prepared application starts before you open the form. Work through the steps below to get ready.

Each faculty has specific guidance on what they need from you. Select yours below to find out what’s expected before you apply.

Art, Design and Architecture │ Arts │ Business and Economics │ Education │ Engineering │ Information Technology │ Law │ Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences │ Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences │ Science

Most faculties require you to have identified and made contact with a potential supervisor before you submit your application. In addition, the application form will ask you to name a preferred supervisor – you can indicate that you are open to other suggestions, but a name is required to proceed.
What this means in practice varies by faculty. Some faculties place significant weight on a confirmed supervisory relationship prior to application. Others are more interested in the strength of your research proposal and will support supervisor matching after you apply.
All applicants are required to identify their area of research interest and submit a research proposal as part of their application. Your proposal should outline your intended research question, methodology and how it relates to work being done at Monash.
Note that each faculty may have specific guidance of what they are seeking in your research proposal at the application stage and that your research proposal may evolve after you apply as you work with your supervisor to refine it.
Guidance on what to include is available in the Application Submission Guide.
It’s worth assembling your documents before you begin.
All applicants will need:
- Passport or proof of citizenship (copy of the personal details page)
- Certified copies of academic transcripts for all completed qualifications, showing all units attempted and grades achieved
- Degree certificates (testamurs) from your awarding institution
- Grading schema explanation (usually on the reverse of your transcript, or available on your institution’s website)
- English language proficiency evidence (test report form or official confirmation that your prior study was completed in English)
- Research proposal
- Academic CV (maximum two pages). Your CV should cover your academic qualifications, relevant employment, research experience, and any publications, exhibitions or awards. Do not include a photo, date of birth, or personal information unrelated to your academic record.
- Contact details for at least two referees who can speak to your academic ability and research potential
You may also need:
- Certified translations of any documents not in English (NAATI-qualified translators preferred)
- Evidence of awards, prizes or scholarships you intend to list
- Evidence of relevant employment or research experience
- Supporting statement if applying for a part-time scholarship, explaining why full-time study is not possible
Creative and performance-based disciplines:
Additional portfolio materials may be required. Check your faculty page for details.
Full application submission guide.

3. Key dates

The round you apply in determines when you would commence. Check the dates below and confirm your preferred faculty and course before you apply.

Faculty preferred commencement dates

SCHOLARSHIPS ROUNDS FOR:

Round	Application round dates	Enrolment period
R1	1 September – 28 February*	July – December (current year)
R3	4 May – 31 August	January – June (following year)

*Please note: R1 Closing date for 2027 has been brought forward from 31 March to 28 February.

Round	Application round dates	Enrolment period
R2	1 November – 31 May	July – December (current year)
R4	1 June – 31 October	January – June (following year)

IMPORTANT: You can only submit one application per scholarship round or admission period (i.e. January - June or July - December). Ensure you confirm your preferred faculty, course and supervisor before you apply.

Admission only

Applications for admission can be submitted at any time throughout the year.

Use this application pathway if you are an applicant who:

Is embedded in industry and are applying for an Industry PhD;
Has secured, or is in the process of applying for external (i.e. not Monash) scholarship funding (industry, government, competitive award, or research grant; or
Are a domestic Australian applicant applying for part-time admission; or
Are applying for admission to our Malaysia or Indonesia campuses.

Want to study at our Malaysia or Indonesia campuses?

The scholarship round dates published on this page apply to Australian campuses only. For information on applications, scholarship opportunities and closing dates at our international campuses, see:

4. Submit your application

Applications are submitted through the online application portal. Before you begin, review the Application Submission Guide for a full list of required supporting documentation.

Apply now

5. What happens next?

Once you submit your application it will be directed to your preferred supervisor and faculty for review. From there, processes vary based on faculty or campus - you may be contacted for an interview or further information, or you may receive an outcome directly.

Scholarship outcomes (Australia campuses): Applicants are normally notified of scholarship outcomes within six to ten weeks of the relevant application round closing. Admission offers are issued shortly afterwards.

Note: for scholarship round 3 (international) in 2026, outcomes will be released in the week commencing 11th October 2026.

Admission outcomes (Australia Campuses)

Admission with Scholarship: Course offers are issued shortly after scholarship offers
Admission only: Masters by Research applicants, full-time PhD applicants with external funding, and PhD applicants who wish to enrol part-time, are typically processed within six weeks

Admission outcomes (Malaysia and Indonesia Campuses

Admission: applications are typically processed within six weeks
Scholarship: Refer to the Malaysia Scholarship information (outcomes are usually provided within 6 weeks of the closing of each scholarship round) and the Indonesia Scholarship information.

Other application pathways

Looking to apply for a joint award with Monash as the host institution, seek readmission, or transfer between graduate research courses? See other graduate research degrees.