Minimum eligibility
If you're an Australian or New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or hold a permanent humanitarian visa, you're considered a domestic student.
To be eligible to apply for graduate research courses, you're normally required to have completed at least a four-year Australian Bachelor course or equivalent and achieved an overall average of greater than 75% in the relevant course.
You're also normally required to have completed a research project/component that accounts for at least 25% of your year's work at 4th year undergraduate or masters level.
Some courses may have higher or additional entry requirements. Check the course details to learn what these are.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants
The University has several entry pathways and research programs for Indigenous researchers interested in a graduate research course.
If you are new to Melbourne or are just starting to think about a PhD, the Indigenous Research Initiative can help you find a supervisor, advise you on how to develop a research proposal and provide an Academic shepherd to advise you through the application process.
Course-specific requirements
Requirements vary by course. Usually, to apply for a graduate research course, you first need to determine your research topic and find a supervisor. Some graduate schools advertise available projects. Visit Find a Course for the requirements of the course that interests you. You will need to be able to commit to the workload required by the course.
Finding a supervisor
Check with the course you're applying for to see if you need to find a supervisor for your course before applying.
If so, you want to make sure the supervisors you choose are right for your needs and can support you in your research. Support from supervisors does not guarantee admission, nor does it guarantee a scholarship or financial assistance.
For help finding a supervisor, visit Find an expert.
Writing a research proposal
Some graduate schools also require a research proposal as part of your application.
To develop a successful proposal, you need to be familiar with current research in the area. Your proposal also needs to state your research question, your area of interest, and how you'll undertake your research.
Many graduate schools offering research courses will have their own pre-application process, entry requirements and application due dates. Check the entry requirements for the course you're applying for.
English language requirements
All applicants must satisfy the University’s English language requirements to be eligible for a place.
Graduate applicants with predominantly local tertiary qualifications will usually satisfy the English language requirements via previous studies. If you're required to show additional evidence of your English proficiency, there are additional English programs and tests you can take.
Visit our Research website
Here you'll find information on research support, applications, funding opportunities, industry connections and more.