Other graduate research degrees
If you’re not applying as a new applicant, you may be eligible for alternative graduate research pathways at Monash. This page outlines your options and what’s required for each.
Former Monash University enrolled graduate research students who have withdrawn from their course will be considered for re-admission where they have candidature remaining and are seeking to resume their prior research project in the same graduate research course within four years of their withdrawal.
Before you start your application, you will need to discuss your intention to seek re-admission with your previous supervisor or faculty and develop a detailed timeline to submission which you will need to provide in your application.
You will need to meet the course admission requirements in place at the time of re-admission.
Your prior candidature will be deducted from your total course duration, so for example if you withdrew after 18 months you would be re-admitted with 24 months candidature remaining (to course submission of 3.5 years). Similarly, any prior leave entitlements unutilised at the time of withdrawal would be available to you (such as sick leave).
If your previous course of study is no longer available, you will instead be admitted to an equivalent course (should your application be successful).
Use our online form to apply for re-admission.
Monash offers a number of joint research award programs where students can obtain a jointly awarded single degree, while utilising the resources of two universities.
Students will have both a Home and a Host institution as part of this joint arrangement - spending the majority of their candidature at the home institution and travelling to the host for a period of usually 12 months.
If Monash is to be your Home institution, normal Monash admission and scholarship application procedures apply. If Monash is to be your host institution, please speak with your preferred home institution about their application process.
A Higher Doctorate degree is available to current Monash academic staff. This doctorate is awarded for work that makes an original, substantial and distinguished contribution to knowledge within their field which gives an applicant authoritative standing and the right to general recognition of this standing by scholars.
Entry requirements
In order to qualify for admission, a Higher Doctorate applicant must:
- Have qualified, not less than seven years previously, for a degree of the university;
- Be a current member of the Monash teaching or research staff, and have been so for not less than six consecutive years full-time equivalent; or
- Have qualified, not less than seven years previously for a degree of another educational institution and have had a close research association with the university for not less than six years.
Applications are to be made directly to the relevant faculty for initial assessment
In some circumstances, a student can apply for a transfer if they want to change from one Monash graduate research degree to another.
A student can only transfer between the same course type (e.g. from a research degree to another research degree) and only if they have not completed their current course. If a student wishes to complete their current course or wants to enrol in another course, they will need to apply for a new admission. A student who has transferred to a research master's degree from a doctoral degree is required to complete the master's degree in which he/she enrols, before seeking a new admission to a doctoral degree.
Eligibility requirements
The minimum eligibility requirements for a course transfer include:
- Being a current Monash student (you must maintain your enrolment).
Meeting the minimum admissions requirements for the new course. - The ability to undertake a minimum 12 months of full time enrolment in the new course.
- Performing at an appropriate level in your current course.
Prior candidature
Where a student transfers from one graduate research program to another (at the same level), within the same area of research, the total period of research within the prior degree (minus any approved leave) will be considered as prior candidature.
In this case, the full-time equivalent duration available to complete the new degree will be reduced and all relevant milestone and thesis submission dates will be amended accordingly.
Minimum duration
Students will only be admitted where they are able to undertake a minimum 12 months of full time equivalent enrolment in the new degree.
Course requirements
Students whose application to transfer has been approved are expected to undertake the course requirements relevant to the degree into which they are transferring, unless credit has been granted by the Program Director/Graduate Research Coordinator and/or Graduate Research Committee. Please see information regarding credit provisions here.
Students should discuss the course requirements with their supervisor and/or graduate research coordinator before commencing the application process.
Admission to Monash from another institution
Where a student from another University (external), wishes to apply for admission to Monash, the student must apply as a new admission and is required to provide Monash with their enrolment details from the previous Higher Education Provider (HEP).
Students on a RTP Fees Offset and/or RTP Stipend at the previous Higher Education Provider (HEP) will be assessed in accordance with the University's Research Training Scholarship Policy and RTP Scholarship Procedure. Prior candidature, minimum duration and course requirements apply.
