HDR scholarships and funding
Various scholarships may be available to provide you with financial assistance during your higher degree by research. They can provide a living stipend or a tuition fee offset, or a combination of both.
Scholarships
You can search for which scholarships you’re eligible for.
You can also sign up for a Scholarship Email Alert which will email you whenever a scholarship that matches your nominated criteria becomes available.
Recipients of Curtin administered HDR Scholarship are requested to update the Graduate Research School on changes to their enrollment or personal circumstances that may affect their scholarship, including:
- Changing from part-time to full-time study
- Taking leave
- Changing their bank account details, an update can be submitted via a Payment Starting Advice Form
- Undertaking new employment
- Travelling overseas
- Submitting their thesis or withdrawing from their HDR course
The scholarship conditions of award detail the eligibility criteria and requirements for recipients. Recipients may contact the Graduate Research School ROC.GRS@curtin.edu.au if they have any inquiries relating to their scholarship conditions.
Scholarship recipients who required further funded support to complete their studies beyond their current period of support may apply for a Completion Scholarship.
The Research Training Program (RTP) is an Australian Government funded scholarship scheme that provides funding support for both domestic and international students undertaking higher degrees by research (HDR).
RTP Scholarships provide recipients with up to three scholarship benefits:
- RTP Fee Offset scholarship (covers the cost of the HDR tuition fees otherwise payable by the student);
- RTP Stipend (for general living costs); or
- RTP Allowance (towards ancillary costs of research degrees)
The Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship Procedures
- Student eligibility requirements
- Scholarship types, rates and periods of support
- Application, selection, ranking and offer process.
All Australian Government RTP Scholarship recipients and applicants are required to familiarise themselves with these procedures.
If you’re receiving an RTP Scholarship, you should also read the related associated Conditions of Award (CoA).
The 2022 RTP Scholarship Round for domestic students opens Monday 12 July 2021.
Aberdeen-Curtin PhD scholarships
The Aberdeen-Curtin Alliance offers students the opportunity to undertake an international collaborative PhD in projects across a broad range of focus areas including energy and engineering, health and medicine, and business. View projects and find out how to apply.
The expressions of interest for Masters of Research (MRes) 2021 Mid-year intake is now CLOSED.
The Master of Research (MRes) course is a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) program which enables Honours students to expand their Honours research project into a Masters level project. In doing so students can obtain a research Masters qualification by completing one year of study in addition to their Honours year.
Eligibility
Current Curtin students enrolled in the final unit of their honours program can apply. E.g. those who have completed their honours program in SEM, 1 2021.
Those who have already been awarded their Honours degree or are enrolled in an embedded honours program are ineligible to apply.
Scholarship details
Under the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP), Australian and New Zealand citizens and Australian permanent residents undertaking higher degrees by research are supported with a Fee Offset scholarship automatically. International MRes applications that meet eligibility requirements for entry into the program will be considered for a Fee Offset Scholarship. There is no separate scholarship application process as the required information will be collected from the expression of interest form.
Successful applicants will receive a tuition fee offset with 8 months living stipend Scholarship for their study
How to apply
Applicants will be considered based on their honours score and project plan feasibility.
To apply, current students must:
- Seek support from their supervisor
- complete and submit an expression of interest form to GRS@curtin.edu.au no later than 5th July 2021; and
- Complete an eApplication by 19th July 2021 for admission into their chosen Master of Research course.
Important: Successful applicants of the MRes Scholarship are agreeing to forgo conferral of their Honours degree in place of extending their studies into a Masters of Research. If a student has submitted an expression of interest for this scholarship program they will have a sanction preventing graduation from their honors applied to their student account.
If you have submitted an expression of interest and wish to change your mind and graduate with your Honours award instead of commencing the MRes program, please notify ROC.GRS@curtin.edu.au prior to your graduation deadline. This will ensure time to complete the required application to graduate.
For further details see our MRes information sheet.
If you’ve already been awarded a scholarship, you can review your Conditions of Award here.
- Scholarship Conditions of Award
- 2021 Short Term Stipend Scholarship
- 2021 Australian Government RTP Scholarship
- 2020 CIPRS and Research Stipend Scholarship
- 2020 Masters of Research Stipend Scholarship
- 2020 Australian Government RTP Stipend Scholarship [.pdf 348KB]
- 2020 Australian Government RTP Fee Offset Scholarship [.pdf 101KB]
- 2019 Australian Government RTP Stipend Scholarship [.pdf 348KB]
- 2019 Australian Government RTP Fee Offset Scholarship [.pdf 101KB]
- 2019 Masters of Research (MRes) Stipend Scholarship [.pdf 502KB]
- 2019 Curtin International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (CIPRS) [.pdf 506KB]
- 2019 Curtin Strategic Stipend Scholarship [.pdf 340KB]
- 2019 Curtin ATN-South American Scholarship [.pdf 126KB]
- 2018 Australian Government RTP Stipend Scholarship [.pdf 114KB]
- 2018 Australian Government RTP Fee Offset Scholarship [.pdf 80KB]
- 2018 Curtin International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (CIPRS) [.pdf 506KB]
- 2018 Curtin Strategic Stipend Scholarship [.pdf 340KB]
- 2018 Curtin ATN-South American Scholarship [.pdf 339KB]
Research support funds and student mobility (travel)
The Research Office at Curtin (ROC) provides discretionary funding to support HDR students undertake their research projects and to support mobility.
This discretionary funding – Research Support Funds and Mobility Support – is administered in detail according to the arrangements set out in the Guidelines for Essential Facilities For Higher Degree by Research.
A list of items that have been approved for HDR students to utilise the Research Support Funds is available in the Research Support Fund Reimbursement List
It is important for students and supervisors to note that any funding made available by the ROC to support HDR research is discretionary and the allocation, administration arrangements and permitted uses may change from time to time throughout a student’s enrolment.
Claiming your research support funds
You can access your Research Support Funds on a reimbursement basis through the Concur system. A Concur account will be created for you once you achieve Milestone 1 (Candidacy) and you will receive information on accessing and using your account at that time. You are strongly encouraged to complete and submit the Concur Claim Form when making a claim for reimbursement. This will assist the Concur team to assess the eligibility of your claim as soon as possible.
Research Support Funds and Mobility for HDR Scholarship holders
If you’re in receipt of a scholarship, please ensure you seek approval to travel from Research Scholarships in the Graduate Research School (ROC.GRS@curtin.edu.au). Failure to obtain approval may affect your HDR scholarship and travel approval.
Scholarship recipients travelling overseas will need to complete an Overseas Travel Data Collection Form
During your candidature, you may have reason to travel directly related to your HDR research. This may be for data collection, conferences, specialised training, internships or fieldwork purposes.
Before arranging any travel, you must consult the Travel Approval website to ensure you follow the correct procedures for a safe and productive trip. All student travel, regardless of the source of funding, needs to be approved via the Travel Operations Portal before departure to ensure your trip is registered for insurance purposes. See the Risk and Assurance website for more information about insurance and to view the coverage of Curtin’s travel insurance policy.
All travel funded in part or total by Curtin must be booked through a travel facilitator.
International onshore students
Please note that your OSHC medical insurance does not cover you when you are on fieldwork, attending conferences or other approved university business outside Australia so you must also obtain approval for travelling overseas as detailed above. Additionally, if you are leaving Australia for fieldwork or data collection, you must complete the Offshore Fieldwork and Data Collection form. You can request the form by emailing io-visa@curtin.edu.au. You must return your completed form, signed by your supervisor, to io-visa@curtin.edu.au before your departure.
Curtin offers insurance cover for some activities you may undertake as part of your research. This includes various levels of cover for travel, liability, medical treatment liability, personal accident and property insurance.
For more information, see the insurance policies on the Curtin Risk and Assurance website or email riskmanagement@curtin.edu.au.
The 2021 Curtin Publication Grant has been introduced to support PhD students in the final stages of their research project, so they can share their research findings with the wider public through publishing.
Benefits
Recipients of the Curtin Publication Grant will receive a living allowance for a maximum period of 12 weeks equivalent to the RTP base stipend rate.
Eligibility Criteria
Applications should be made based on your intended thesis submission date. Please read the application guidelines and eligibility criteria carefully before you apply.
How to apply
Students should submit their application by the corresponding due date below. All grants must be utilised prior to the University shut down period commencing in December 2021, so it is critical students apply to the round that fix best with their enrolment/thesis submission date.
Download the application form.
| 2021 Rounds | Opening date | Closing date |
| Round one
For applicants due to submit by August |
2 July | 16 July |
| Round two
For applicants due to submit by October |
3 September | 17 September |
Contacts
Applications are to be submitted via HDRSCH-applications@curtin.edu.au. If you have any queries please contact our friendly team on 9266 3337.
The 2021 Short Term Accommodation Scholarship has been introduced to support research students in the final stages of their research project, so they can complete their thesis in a quiet, sole occupancy room on campus and close the Curtin University resources.
Benefits
Recipients of the 2021 Short Term Accommodation Scholarship will receive up to a maximum 12 weeks accommodation, staying in a single occupancy room and receive a small living allowance (approx. $600 per fortnight).
Eligibility Criteria
Applications should be made based on your intended thesis submission date. Please read the application guidelines and eligibility criteria carefully before you apply.
How to apply
Students should submit their application by 15 October, 2021. All scholarships must be utilised prior to the University shut down period commencing in December 2021, so it is critical students apply to the round that fix best with their thesis submission date.