Study in Australia for Free: Deakin University 2027 PhD Scholarships | Fully Funded + AUD $37,450 Annual Stipend.

Programme Overview

Detail	Info
University	Deakin University, Victoria, Australia
Degree	Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Higher Degree by Research (HDR)
Duration	Up to 4 years (stipend for 3 years; tuition fee offset for 4 years)
Language	English
Annual stipend	AUD $37,450/year (2026 rate, tax-exempt)
Tuition fees	Fully covered for scholarship recipients
Open to	Domestic and international students
Next international round	Opens 6 July 2026 — closes 23 August 2026
Application portal	deakin.edu.au/research

Available Research Areas

Deakin offers PhD programmes across six broad faculties, all with active scholarship-funded research groups:

Faculty	Key Research Areas
Faculty of Business and Law	Accounting, finance, management, marketing, law
Faculty of Education	Learning sciences, digital education, teacher training
Faculty of Health	Nursing, public health, nutrition, allied health sciences
Faculty of Science, Engineering & Built Environment	Engineering, data science, environmental science, architecture
Faculty of Arts & Education	Humanities, social sciences, communication
Research Institutes	Institute for Frontier Materials, Institute for Intelligent Systems Research & Innovation (IISRI), Applied Artificial Intelligence Initiative (AAI), and more

Most PhD project scholarships at Deakin are open to international students — the university specifically seeks the best candidates regardless of nationality.

Scholarships — What You Can Receive

1. Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship

The Australian Government's flagship research scholarship, administered by Deakin.

RTP scholarships can support you for up to four years of study and may include full tuition fee coverage, overseas student health cover for international applicants, relocation allowances where relevant, and a stipend to support living costs, currently $37,450 per annum (2026 rate, tax-exempt).

Important limits:

• Only up to 10% of RTP Scholarships may be awarded to international students — making this highly competitive for non-Australian applicants

• Stipend duration: 3 years for PhD (tuition fee offset: 4 years)

• To be eligible for an RTP or DUPRS Stipend, a student must not be receiving income from another source to support their general living costs while undertaking their course of study, if that income is greater than 75% of the base RTP or DUPRS Stipend rate

2. Deakin University Postgraduate Research Scholarship (DUPR)

Deakin's own institutional scholarship, running alongside the RTP.

• The DUPR Scholarship provides additional support for both domestic and international students

• Paid at the same rate as the RTP Stipend — AUD $37,450/year (2026 rate, tax-exempt)

• Also covers tuition fees and relevant allowances

• Duration: same as RTP (3 years stipend, 4 years tuition)

3. Additional / Project-Specific Scholarships

Because Deakin researchers are always looking for the best students, most PhD project scholarships are open to international students. These are tied to specific research projects and are advertised throughout the year.

Use Deakin's Find a Scholarship tool and filter by "Higher Degrees Research" to browse all currently available PhD scholarships: 👉 deakin.edu.au/study/fees-and-scholarships/scholarships

Eligibility Requirements

Academic:

• To study for a PhD, you must have completed a bachelor's degree with honours (second class or above) or a master's by research from a recognised tertiary institution. Your discipline must align with an area where Deakin can provide the required supervisory expertise.

• For the best scholarship chance, you'll need an H1 grade average or equivalent (First Class Honours / GPA equivalent)

English Language (for international students):

Test	Minimum Score (PhD)
IELTS	Overall 7.0, no band below 6.5
TOEFL iBT	Equivalent to IELTS 7.0
PTE Academic	Equivalent to IELTS 7.0

English requirements are higher for PhD than for coursework programmes. Check your specific programme page for exact requirements.

Scholarship-specific:

• Must be enrolled (or applying for enrolment) in a Deakin HDR course

• Must not be receiving equivalent Commonwealth funding

• Must not be receiving income above 75% of the stipend rate from other sources

Application Rounds & Deadlines

Applications must be submitted by the relevant round closing dates:

Round	Opens	Closes	Intake
🟢 2027 international	6 July 2026	23 August 2026	February 2027
2027 domestic	6 July 2026	25 October 2026	February 2027

These deadlines do not apply to applicants for the Institute for Frontier Materials, the Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation, or the Applied Artificial Intelligence Initiative, who can apply at any time.

🟢 The next international round opens 6 July 2026 — approximately 7 weeks away. Start preparing your documents and supervisor contact now.

How to Apply — Step by Step

Step 1 — Find a supervisor Browse Deakin's research experts and identify a professor whose work aligns with your interests. Contact them directly with your CV and a brief research proposal. Supervisor agreement strengthens your application significantly.

Step 2 — Find your scholarship Check the scholarship finder tool and identify which scholarship(s) you are eligible for: 👉 deakin.edu.au/study/fees-and-scholarships/scholarships

Step 3 — Submit your application Apply via Deakin's online application portal during the relevant round window. Processing time for PhD/research degrees can exceed 8 weeks — apply early.

Required documents:

• Academic transcripts (Bachelor's and Master's)

• Research proposal / statement of purpose

• CV / résumé

• English language test scores (IELTS/TOEFL/PTE)

• Two letters of recommendation

• Passport copy

Step 4 — Scholarship assessment Currently enrolled graduate research candidates can apply for an RTP or DUPRS Stipend and will be assessed by the Faculty/Institute. New applicants are assessed as part of the admission process in the relevant round.