Australia Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarships

The Research Training Program (RTP) provides grants on an annual basis to higher education providers (HEPs) to support both home and overseas students accepting Research Doctorate and Research Masters’s degrees, known as higher degrees by research (HDRs).  On the 31st of December 2016, the International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS) ceased to exist and was replaced by the Research Training Program (RTP) from 1 January 2017 till date.

The Host institutions recognized by this program are the participating Universities in Australia. Also, the deadline for this scholarship has not been released but it is between April- October every year.

Scholarship Benefits/ Duration of Benefits

Under the administration of RTP, every University provides one or more of the following support to an RTP Scholarship recipient:

• An RTP Fees Offset pays for the tuition fees of a higher degree by research (HDR) student that would otherwise have been paid by the student. This requires that a university fully offset the tuition fee applicable for a student. This is not a stipend.
• An RTP Stipend to assist students with their living costs while taking on a higher degree by research.
• RTP Allowances to assist students with ancillary costs of a higher degree by research (HDR). This includes relocation costs to undertake an HDR, HDR thesis printing and academic publication costs, and health cover costs for recipients and their dependents.

Kindly NOTE: RTP scholarships are available for a maximum period of two years for a research master OR a minimum of three years, up to a maximum of four years (at the discretion of the HEP) for a research doctorate degree.

To be Eligible

For any applicants to be eligible for an RTP Stipend, RTP Fees Offset, or RTP Allowance, a student must be a home student or an overseas student enrolled in an accredited HDR course of study at an Australian HEP. The basic eligibility criteria for an RTP are listed on the official website (website shall be found below).

How to Apply

To apply for RTP Scholarships, applications need to be made directly to participating universities. Each university has its own application, selection criteria, and process, please see your chosen university directly to discuss how to apply for the RTP scheme in your University. The deadline varies per university but is around April-October every year.

It is important to read the Frequently Asked Questions on the official website and visit the website of the University where you intend to apply, for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

For more detailed information on this scholarship, visit the official website via: https://www.education.gov.au/research-training-program