Australian Government RTP Scholarship Guide 2027
The Research Training Program is Australia’s main PhD funding scheme, but there is no national application. Each university runs its own rounds, and international places are limited by a 10% funding cap.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
4 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
What is the RTP?
The Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) is a block grant the Department of Education pays to Australian universities to train research students. It funds PhDs (research doctorates) and research master’s degrees, for both domestic and international students. Since 1 January 2017 it has replaced the old Australian Postgraduate Award and the International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS), according to the Department of Education.
An RTP scholarship can include any of three things: a fees offset that removes your tuition bill, a stipend for living costs, and allowances for extra costs such as relocation, thesis printing or Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). When universities advertise a “full” international RTP scholarship, they normally mean all three.
You never apply to the Australian Government. The Department says plainly that “RTP scholarship applications cannot be made through the Department of Education.” Each university runs its own application, selection and offer process, with its own deadlines.
The catch for international applicants
Under the rules, universities may spend only up to 10% of their RTP funding each year on scholarships for international students (see the official RTP FAQs for students). That cap is why international RTP places are scarce and highly ranked.
Most big universities top up the pool with their own money. The University of Sydney runs the University of Sydney International Stipend Scholarship alongside the RTP, Melbourne pairs the RTP with the Melbourne Research Scholarship, and Monash adds the Monash Graduate Scholarship. You are usually considered for all of them in one go, so the practical question is not “how do I get an RTP?” but “how do I rank high enough in a university’s scholarship round?”
The RTP is one national pot of money with dozens of separate front doors. Your job is to pick the right doors and arrive before they close.
What the money looks like
Full breakdown →The Government sets a floor and a ceiling for the stipend, indexed every 1 January. The published rates are:
| Year | Full-time minimum (base) | Full-time maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,511 | $52,352 |
| 2026 | $34,315 | $53,608 |
| 2027 | $35,550 | $55,537 |
Universities can pay anything inside that range, and the big ones pay well above the floor. For 2026, Sydney pays $42,754, Melbourne $39,500, UQ $39,220 and Monash $37,145. For 2027 starters, Melbourne and Monash have both announced $41,100 (Monash rates). Full-time RTP stipends are tax-exempt if they meet the Australian Taxation Office’s criteria.
How it works, in five steps
- 1NowPick universities by round
Each university has its own international closing dates. Some have already closed for 2027 starts; others close in October or December 2026, and later rounds run from February to May 2027.
- 24–8 weeks before the roundFind a supervisor
Most universities ask you to name a supervisor. At UQ a supervisor must back your Expression of Interest before you can submit a final application.
- 3By the round deadlineApply for admission
At Melbourne, ANU and Monash, a complete research degree application puts you into scholarship consideration automatically. Sydney also wants a separate scholarship form.
- 47–18 weeks after closeRanking and offers
Faculties score and rank applicants. Timing varies: about 7 weeks for Melbourne’s MDHS Round 1, six to ten weeks at Monash, about 10 at Sydney and about 18 at UQ.
- 5After the offerAccept, then visa
Accept the scholarship and admission offer, receive your Confirmation of Enrolment, and apply for your student visa with OSHC in place.
Rounds still open for 2027 starts
All rounds →As of 6 October 2026, these international closing dates are still ahead of you:
- University of Queensland — international round closes Monday 19 October 2026 for starts in Research Quarter 4 2027 or early 2028 (UQGRSS page).
- University of Melbourne — Round 1 closes 31 October 2026 in faculties such as Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences; Rounds 2 and 3 follow on 31 January and 15 May 2027 (MDHS deadlines).
- University of Sydney — 18 December 2026 for Research Periods 3 and 4, 2027 (Sydney RTP page).
- Monash University — the next international round closes 28 February 2027 (brought forward for 2027) for July–December 2027 enrolment (Monash scholarship page).
What this guide covers
Federal rules, university gates, English scores and a quick checker.
Rates by university, tuition offset, OSHC, relocation and duration.
University-by-university international rounds for 2027 starts.
EOI, admission application, scholarship forms and what happens next.
How to find, email and interview with a supervisor who will back you.
What universities ask for and a structure that works.
Checklist of everything you upload, with a tracker.
The published selection criteria and what you can still improve.
Australia Awards and university-funded scholarships.
Straight answers to the questions applicants ask most.
Official source: the Department of Education’s Research Training Program page. Rounds and rates come from each university’s own pages, linked throughout.