Australian National University Research Scholarships 2027-2028
The Australian National University (ANU) Research Scholarships 2027-2028 provide an excellent opportunity for domestic and international students who want to pursue postgraduate research in Australia. The scholarships are offered through ANU's central research scholarship rounds and include the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend Scholarship, the RTP International Fee Offset Scholarship and other university research awards.
The current ANU RTP Stipend Scholarship provides a 2026 full-time base stipend of A$39,069 per year, paid fortnightly. The scholarship is currently listed for up to 3.5 years, with possible extensions in qualifying circumstances. However, applicants should not present A$39,069 as the confirmed 2027 rate because ANU has not yet published a final ANU-specific 2027 stipend amount.
For international applicants, the RTP package can also include a tuition-fee offset and other benefits, making it one of the strongest research funding opportunities available at ANU.
The Round 1 international deadline for students seeking 2027 commencement is 31 August 2026.
What Are ANU Research Scholarships?
The Australian Government Research Training Program provides funding to Australian universities to support high-quality research training for domestic and international postgraduate research students.
At ANU, the RTP is considered alongside other centrally managed research scholarships. New applicants generally do not submit a separate RTP scholarship application. Instead, they apply for admission to an eligible Higher Degree by Research (HDR) programme and indicate that they want to be considered for available scholarships.
ANU assesses eligible candidates through a competitive merit-based process. Academic performance, research potential, the quality of the proposed research and available supervisory capacity can all be important factors.
Degree Level
The ANU RTP Research Scholarships are intended for postgraduate research students.
Eligible degree levels primarily include:
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
Other eligible Higher Degree by Research programmes at ANU
The scholarship is not intended for conventional coursework master's or bachelor's degree programmes.
International scholarship recipients generally undertake their HDR studies on a full-time basis.
Available Subjects
The ANU RTP Stipend Scholarship is not restricted to one academic discipline. ANU lists the scholarship field of study as All, meaning eligible HDR applicants across the university's research areas can be considered.
Potential research areas include:
Engineering
Computer Science
Artificial Intelligence
Information Technology
Data Science
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Environmental Science
Climate and Sustainability
Medicine and Health
Public Health
Economics
Finance
Business
Public Policy
International Relations
Political Science
Law
Education
Social Sciences
Humanities
Arts and Culture
Agriculture
Natural Sciences
The exact admission requirements, research proposal requirements and availability of supervisors can vary between ANU colleges and research schools.
Benefits
1. Annual Living Stipend
The current ANU-listed RTP stipend is A$39,069 per year, based on the 2026 full-time base rate.
Payments are made fortnightly. The 2027 amount has not yet been confirmed by ANU, so applicants should treat the current figure as a planning benchmark rather than a guaranteed 2027 payment.
2. Tuition Fee Support for Eligible International Students
International students who receive the relevant RTP International Fee Offset Scholarship can have their eligible HDR tuition fees covered.
This is an important part of the funding package because international postgraduate research tuition fees can otherwise represent a significant expense.
ANU states that no separate application is required for eligible candidates for the RTP International Fee Offset Scholarship; applicants must submit their admission application by the applicable scholarship deadline and ensure their application is complete.
3. Overseas Student Health Cover
Eligible international recipients can receive program-length Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) through the international fee-offset component.
4. Research Support
The scholarship package may include additional support associated with research study, subject to the applicable conditions and ANU policies.
5. Travel and Relocation Support
ANU's research scholarship arrangements can include travel and removal allowances for eligible recipients relocating to Canberra.
These are conditional allowances and should not be confused with unrestricted additional scholarship cash.
6. Thesis Allowance
Eligible scholars may receive a thesis allowance under the relevant scholarship conditions.
7. Paid Leave
Scholarship conditions can provide eligible recipients with paid medical, maternity and parental leave.
8. Dependant Child Allowance
Eligible international scholarship recipients may receive a dependant child allowance under the applicable conditions.
However, applicants should not assume that this means ANU will cover all costs associated with supporting a family in Canberra.
Is the ANU RTP Scholarship Fully Funded?
For eligible international PhD and MPhil candidates, the RTP can form a fully funded research package when the stipend is combined with the relevant international tuition-fee offset and other applicable benefits.
The package can cover the two most significant costs of postgraduate research:
Living expenses through the stipend
Eligible HDR tuition fees through the fee-offset scholarship
Eligible international recipients can also receive OSHC support.
However, "fully funded" does not mean that every personal expense is automatically paid. Students may still need to budget for expenses such as visa fees, flights, private accommodation differences, personal spending, family costs and other expenses outside the scholarship conditions.
ANU RTP Stipend: What About the A$39,069 Amount?
Applicants should be careful when discussing the scholarship's value for 2027.
ANU currently publishes:
A$39,069 per year — 2026 full-time base RTP stipend rate.
This is not necessarily the final 2027 amount.
The Australian Government establishes the national RTP stipend range, while universities determine the applicable institutional stipend within the permitted framework. Therefore, ANU must confirm its own 2027 rate.
Applicants should use A$39,069 as the current published benchmark and rely on their official scholarship offer for the actual amount applicable to their candidature.
Eligible Nationalities
The ANU RTP Stipend Scholarship is open to both domestic and international students.
This makes the programme particularly attractive to international students seeking fully funded PhD opportunities in Australia. ANU's central scholarship rounds separately identify international and domestic deadlines.
International applicants must also meet ANU's academic, English-language and visa-related requirements for admission.
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for the ANU RTP Scholarship, applicants generally need to meet the requirements for an eligible ANU Higher Degree by Research programme.
Key requirements include:
Be a domestic or international student.
Apply for an eligible HDR programme.
Meet ANU's academic admission requirements.
Demonstrate strong research potential.
Have an appropriate research background for the proposed degree.
Provide a suitable research proposal.
Meet the relevant English-language requirements.
Have appropriate supervisory capacity available at ANU.
Submit a complete application by the relevant scholarship deadline.
Meet any additional requirements specified by the relevant ANU college or research school.
The ANU University Research Scholarship, which is considered alongside the RTP in the central rounds, specifies an H1 or H1-equivalent prior academic result for eligibility.
PhD Admission Requirements
For PhD admission, ANU normally looks for a qualification demonstrating sufficient preparation for independent research.
Depending on the programme, this can include:
A bachelor's degree with at least upper second-class honours or equivalent;
A degree containing a substantial research or thesis component; or
A combination of qualifications, research experience, publications and professional experience considered appropriate by ANU.
Meeting the minimum admission requirement does not guarantee a scholarship.
Applicants should ideally demonstrate a stronger academic and research profile than the minimum required for admission because scholarship selection is competitive.
MPhil Admission Requirements
Applicants for an MPhil generally need an appropriate bachelor's degree or higher with a strong academic result, often at distinction level or an international equivalent, depending on the programme.
ANU colleges may have additional requirements relating to research experience, previous study and the proposed research topic.
Applicants should therefore check the requirements of their chosen research school before applying.
What GPA Is Required for ANU RTP?
ANU does not publish one universal GPA cut-off that guarantees an RTP Scholarship across every field.
However, applicants should aim for an academic record equivalent to First-Class Honours (H1) where possible.
ANU's University Research Scholarship specifically identifies H1 or H1-equivalent achievement as an eligibility requirement, while scholarship selection is based on merit and ranking.
A strong application should ideally combine:
Excellent academic results
Relevant research experience
A substantial thesis or research component
Strong academic references
Research methodology skills
A focused research proposal
Relevant publications or conference experience where available
Relevant professional research experience
Strong alignment with an ANU research group and supervisor
Publications can strengthen an application, but applicants should not assume that having published research is mandatory for every successful candidate.
Do You Need an ANU Supervisor Before Applying?
Applicants should normally make contact with a potential supervisor or relevant Graduate Studies Convener before submitting their application.
ANU specifically encourages applicants to contact the relevant Graduate Studies Convener or prospective supervisor to discuss their proposed research topic and related matters before applying.
Some research schools have additional pre-application requirements and may expect applicants to secure supervisory support before submitting their formal application.
A good supervisor email should briefly explain:
Your academic background
Your research experience
Your proposed research topic
Why the research is relevant
Why you are contacting that particular researcher
How your proposal aligns with their research
Your relevant achievements
Attach a concise CV and, where appropriate, a short research proposal or writing sample.
Supervisor interest does not guarantee admission or scholarship selection. ANU must also have suitable supervision and research capacity available.
English Language Requirements
International applicants must meet ANU's English-language requirements for admission.
Applicants may submit their HDR application before satisfying the English-language condition, but they must meet the requirement before receiving an unconditional study offer.
For many ANU HDR programmes, a commonly required standard is:
IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall
Minimum 6.0 in each component
However, requirements can vary by programme, so applicants should check the exact requirements for their chosen degree.
Certain previous tertiary qualifications taught and assessed entirely in English may also satisfy the English requirement under ANU's policy.
Application Procedure
The ANU RTP Scholarship application process is closely connected to the HDR admission application.
Step 1: Choose a PhD or MPhil Programme
Identify the ANU research degree and research area that matches your academic background and interests.
Step 2: Research Potential Supervisors
Search for academics whose research interests closely match your proposed project.
Review their recent research, publications and current projects before contacting them.
Step 3: Check College Requirements
Some ANU research schools require additional pre-application steps before you submit your central application.
Check whether your chosen college requires an expression of interest, supervisor confirmation or another preliminary process.
Step 4: Develop Your Research Proposal
Prepare a focused research proposal explaining:
The research problem
Research question
Background and significance
Existing research
Research gap
Proposed methodology
Expected contribution
Relevance to the ANU research environment
ANU advises applicants to discuss the proposal with their potential supervisor because research schools can have different expectations.
Step 5: Prepare Your Documents
Typical supporting materials may include:
Academic transcripts
Degree certificates
Grading information
Curriculum vitae
Research proposal
Academic references
Evidence of English proficiency
Research publications or writing samples, where relevant
Other documents required by the chosen programme
Step 6: Submit the ANU HDR Application
Complete the online ANU application for admission to your chosen HDR programme.
During the application, select the relevant options indicating that you wish to be considered for available research scholarships.
There is generally no separate RTP scholarship application for new applicants.
Step 7: Submit Referee Reports
Applicants should allow enough time for referees to submit their reports.
ANU advises applicants to submit their applications early because referee reports are requested after the application enters the system. An application that is incomplete by the scholarship deadline may not be included in scholarship ranking.
Step 8: Scholarship Assessment
Eligible applications are assessed and ranked through ANU's scholarship selection process.
The strongest candidates are generally those with excellent academic records, strong research potential, suitable research projects and an appropriate supervisory match.
Is There an Application Fee?
There is no separate application fee for RTP scholarship consideration.
However, international applicants may be charged an ANU admission application fee when submitting their university application. Applicants should check the fee displayed in the ANU application system at the time of submission because fee policies and exemptions can change.
Other applicant-funded costs may include:
English-language testing
Document translation
Visa application
Medical examinations
Police certificates
Travel expenses
Can A$39,069 Cover Living Costs in Canberra?
The current stipend can provide a reasonable basis for living in Canberra, particularly for a single student who manages accommodation and discretionary expenses carefully.
However, applicants should prepare a realistic budget before accepting an offer.
Accommodation is one of the biggest variables. A student sharing accommodation may have significantly lower costs than someone renting a private apartment.
Students bringing a spouse or children should also budget carefully. The availability of dependant-related benefits does not mean that all family expenses, childcare or schooling costs will be fully covered.
Who Is the ANU RTP Scholarship Best For?
The scholarship is particularly suitable for applicants who have:
A strong academic record
First-Class Honours or equivalent results
Meaningful research experience
A clear and feasible research proposal
Strong academic references
Relevant research skills
A well-matched ANU supervisor
Research interests aligned with ANU's strengths
Applicants should reconsider applying in the current round if their research idea remains extremely broad, they have not identified suitable supervisors or their supporting documents are unlikely to be ready before the deadline.
The scholarship is awarded through a competitive academic process rather than simply on the basis of financial need.
How to Apply for ANU Research Scholarships 2027-2028
New applicants should apply for admission to an eligible ANU Higher Degree by Research programme and request consideration for available scholarships within the application.
The basic process is:
Select an eligible PhD or MPhil programme.
Identify suitable ANU supervisors.
Contact the relevant academic or research convenor.
Check the research school's pre-application requirements.
Prepare a strong research proposal.
Gather transcripts, certificates, CV and other documents.
Arrange academic referees.
Submit the ANU HDR admission application.
Select the option to be considered for available scholarships.
Ensure all supporting documents and referee reports are submitted before the deadline.
Wait for the admission and scholarship assessment.
For the 2027 international Round 1 intake, the deadline is 31 August 2026.
Final Thoughts
The Australian National University Research Scholarships 2027-2028 offer an outstanding pathway for talented researchers seeking a PhD or MPhil in Australia.
The current A$39,069 annual stipend, together with potential tuition-fee support, OSHC and additional research-related benefits, can provide a strong funding package for eligible students. However, applicants should remember that A$39,069 is ANU's published 2026 rate, not a confirmed 2027 amount.
The biggest challenge is not simply meeting the minimum admission requirements. ANU scholarship selection is competitive, and applicants should aim to present a strong combination of academic excellence, research experience, a focused proposal and a clear fit with an appropriate supervisor.
For international students planning to begin their research degree in early 2027, the most important date is 31 August 2026. Prospective applicants should begin contacting supervisors and preparing their research proposal well before the deadline so that the complete application, including referee reports, can be submitted on time.
