HDR Scholarships, Awards and Grants

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.

Which scholarships can I apply for?

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.

HDR Scholarships and your enrolment

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.

Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarships

The Research Training Program (RTP) is an Australian Government funded scholarship scheme that provides funding support for students undertaking Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) courses.

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 Awards (COA) below.

The RTP Scholarship Round opens in July each year.  Visit the RTP Scholarship website for information on how to apply.

 

Research support opportunities

From the 1st of July 2022, HDR students can have their research supported via a number of research support funds, such as the Dissemination grant, Engagement grant and RTP Internship support for PhD students.

To learn more, visit the Essential Facilities and Research Support Funds accordion via the HDR forms, guidelines and policies website.

Travelling for Research

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.

Before arranging travel, you must consult the Student Travel 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 student research related travel must be booked through TOP

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.

Insurance

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.