Guide

RTP Scholarship Eligibility 2027: Who Can Apply

The federal rules are short. The real filter is each university’s admission bar and its ranking, which for international places usually means first-class honours or a research master’s.

ScholarshipUnion Editorial 4 min read Updated Oct 6, 2026

Quick eligibility checker

Answer six questions. This is a planning tool based on published rules, not an official decision by any university.

0 of 6 answered

1
Are you applying for a PhD (research doctorate) or a research master’s such as an MPhil, rather than a coursework degree?
2
Do you hold (or will you hold before the round closes) first-class honours or an equivalent, such as a master’s with a substantial research thesis? (Not a federal rule, but ANU’s published minimum and the usual bar for international places.)
3
Will your final results be available before the round’s assessment begins?
4
Can you name a potential supervisor in your field at the university?
5
Do you meet the university’s English requirement (for most UQ research degrees, IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each band)?
6
Is this your first research degree at this level? (Not a federal rule, but Sydney, for example, may prefer applicants without a prior same-level research degree.)

Result

You clear the published gates. Now the question is ranking. Read How Ranking Works and pick a round on Rounds & Deadlines.

Result

At least one gate is not met yet. Read the rules below. A “no” on results or supervisor can often be fixed by choosing a later round.

The federal rules

The Department of Education keeps the national rules short. To receive any RTP support (stipend, fees offset or allowance) you must be a domestic or international student enrolled in an accredited research doctorate or research master’s degree at an eligible Australian university (see the official RTP FAQs).

Course type: PhD or research master’s only. Coursework master’s degrees are not eligible.
Duration: a full-time research doctorate can be supported for 3 to 4 years at the university’s discretion; a full-time research master’s for up to 2 years (Department of Education).
Nationality: no country is excluded. International students are eligible, but universities can spend only up to 10% of their RTP funding on them each year.
Age: the federal pages set no age limit.

University gates on top

Because universities run selection, they add their own bars. These are the ones that catch most people:

Honours-level results

ANU’s University Research Scholarships ask for a minimum of Honours (H1) or equivalent (ANU URS page). H1 means first-class honours, the top band of an Australian honours degree, which includes a research thesis. If your degree system has no honours year, faculties judge equivalence from your grades and research experience, often a master’s with a thesis.

Final results by the deadline

Melbourne’s Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences says your application can be considered for scholarships only once your previous degree is complete and final results are available. If they arrive less than two weeks before the outcome date, you move to a later round (MDHS deadlines).

A supervisor and resources

ANU awards depend on a qualified supervisor, space and resources being available (ANU RTP page). Monash’s application form will not let you continue without naming a preferred supervisor (Monash: applying with us). See Finding a Supervisor.

Preferences at Sydney

The University of Sydney says preference may be given to applicants who are enrolling in a PhD, have not already received an Australian Government or University scholarship for a research degree at the same level, and have not already completed a research degree at the same level (Sydney RTP page).

English language

Every university sets its own score. At UQ, most programs ask for IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each band, and some programmes ask for more (UQ English requirements). Check your exact programme page before booking a test, because clinical and humanities programmes often have higher writing or band minimums.

Other scholarships and income

Federally there is no longer a cap on other income: the old 75% rule was removed on 3 December 2025, and the Department’s student FAQ says the Guidelines do not prevent RTP recipients from receiving additional support or awards. Some universities’ own conditions still restrict it. UTS’s 2026 conditions (written in 2024), for example, still rule out students receiving an equivalent award, stipend or salary worth more than 75% of the RTP stipend rate for their research degree; income unrelated to the degree is not caught by that rule (UTS 2026 RTP conditions). Each university publishes its own RTP policy, so read the one for your target university.

Common misunderstanding

Being eligible is not the same as being competitive. International RTP places are ranked against everyone else in the round. Meeting every rule above only gets you into the ranking.

Sources: Department of Education RTP pages and FAQs, plus the ANU, Melbourne, Monash, Sydney, UQ and UTS pages linked above. Rechecked 6 October 2026.