The University of Melbourne offers these graduate research programs: the Master of Philosophy (Veterinary Science) and the Doctor of Philosophy (Veterinary Science). We recommend that you familiarise yourself with both these programs before deciding on the one most suitable for you.

When you have completed or are close to completing the prerequisite studies, please follow the steps below.

Step 1 – Check your eligibility

The entry requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) are the same. Check our entry requirements to confirm that you are eligible.

Please also check that you meet the University’s English Language requirements. We can assess your application even if you do not yet meet the English requirements, however, any course or scholarship offer will be issued conditional on meeting our English language requirements before enrolment.

Step 2 – Find a prospective supervisor

Before you apply, you must have the written support of an academic supervisor. You can search for potential supervisors by exploring the University’s Find an Expert directory. You can also browse the Melbourne Veterinary School website, which outlines the research areas, themes and staff contacts:

Melbourne Veterinary School

When contacting a potential supervisor, you should include the following documents and information:

Copies of all higher education transcripts, including a grading scale
A current CV/resume outlining any experience relevant to your proposed field of research, including work experience and prior research output
A brief summary of your intended area of research, or a research proposal.

Step 3 – Check the scholarship deadlines

Applications for admission to one of our graduate research programs may be submitted at any time in the year. However, to be considered for one of the faculty's Graduate Research Scholarships you are required to submit a complete application before one of the deadlines of our scholarship rounds. If you intend on applying for a course offer to then apply for a scholarship from a sponsor external to the Faculty of Science, such as an external government scholarship, you will not be considered for a faculty Graduate Research Scholarship and you will instead receive an outcome to your application outside of the below listed timelines.

Scholarship Round	Closing date	Applicant outcome notified by
Round 1	1 October 2026*	Late December
Round 2	1 February 2027*	Early May

*Please note that if you do not submit your application with all relevant documentation before this date your application will not be considered in the respective round.

Step 4 – Prepare your documentation

To ensure your application is assessed without delay, please provide the following documentation in your online application:

Evidence of supervisor endorsement
Copies of all higher education transcripts, completion statements and grading schemes
A research proposal of 300-500 words, including a proposed thesis title
A current CV/resume outlining any experience relevant to your proposed field of research, including:
- relevant work experience (include total duration in full-time equivalents)
- prior research output (include journal articles, book chapters, etc.)
Copies of, or links to, any prior research publications
Evidence of having met the University's English language requirements
The names and contact information of academic and/or employer referees.

If you completed a masters degree with an ungraded thesis, please also provide a copy of your thesis and any examiner reports (if available).

When you submit your application, your referees will be emailed a link to access the Graduate Research Referee tool and you will be notified when they submit their reference. It is important that you contact your referees before submitting your application to ensure that they will expect the request for a reference from the University of Melbourne.

Please ensure that your academic referees are able to comment on your most recent, relevant study.

Step 5 – Submit an application

Submit an online application by selecting the link at the top or bottom of this page.

Domestic applicants include all Australian citizens or permanent residents, holders of a permanent Australian humanitarian visa and New Zealand citizens. If you do not fall into one of these categories, you will need to apply as an international applicant.

To apply you will need to search using the course code 'MR-PHILVET'. Please also note the following:

Liability category:
- International applicants select ‘PG Overseas Fee Paying’
- Domestic applicants select ‘RTP / RTS / CTS’
Attendance mode: select 'On Campus'
Study mode: select 'Standard'.

Once you've submitted your application, you will receive an email stating that your application has been received. If your application is incomplete, you will receive an email requesting additional documents. Assessment of your application will only commence once you have provided all required documents.

Step 6 – Wait for the outcome

If you have submitted a complete application before the closing dates for any round, you will receive an outcome by the relevant date outlined above. We would encourage you to remain in contact with your supervisor while you wait for an application outcome.

Master of Philosophy - Veterinary Science

How to apply

How to apply