Australia Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarships for Masters and PhD (Fully Funded)

Overview:

The Research Training Program (RTP) plays a vital role in supporting both domestic and international students pursuing research doctorate and research masters degrees at Australian higher education providers (HEPs). This program, funded on a calendar year basis, aims to provide students with the skills necessary for successful careers in academia and other sectors of the labor market. Additionally, it fosters collaboration between HEPs, industry, and other research stakeholders.

RTP Scholarships:

Students can benefit from RTP scholarships, which may include:

• Tuition fees offset
• Stipends for general living costs
• Allowances for ancillary costs related to higher degrees by research (HDRs)

Since January 1, 2017, the RTP has replaced the Australian Postgraduate Award (APA), International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS), and the Research Training Scheme (RTS).

RTP Scholarship Periods:

• Research doctorate students (full-time): 3 to 4 years
• Research doctorate students (part-time): 6 to 8 years
• Research masters students (full-time): up to 2 years
• Research masters students (part-time): up to 4 years

Application Process:

RTP scholarships are managed by individual HEPs, each with their own application and selection procedures. Prospective students should contact HEPs directly to inquire about applying for an RTP scholarship. Students can also apply for RTP scholarships at multiple HEPs if desired.

Further Information:

Refer to the RTP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for students and administrators for detailed information on the RTP.

Guidelines and Funding:

The RTP receives funding from the Australian Government, which is distributed through research block grants to eligible HEPs. The Commonwealth Scholarships Guidelines (Research) 2017 outline the legislative basis and conditions for RTP grant amounts.

Stipend Rates:

Each year, the RTP stipend rates for the following year are announced by October 1. These rates become effective on January 1. The current and recent stipend rates are as follows:

• 2024: Full-time base RTP stipend rate: $32,192; Full-time max RTP stipend rate: $50,291
• 2023: Full-time base RTP stipend rate: $29,863; Full-time max RTP stipend rate: $46,653
• 2022: Full-time base RTP stipend rate: $28,854; Full-time max RTP stipend rate: $45,076

Industry Internship Weighting:

Introduced to promote early industry engagement, an additional weighting of 2.0 is applied to each research doctorate student who completes an eligible industry internship.

• The internship must be at least 3 months long and include 60 full-time equivalent days of engagement.
• It should be agreed upon in writing between the student, HEP, and research end-user within specified timeframes.

HDR Grievance Factsheet:

This resource provides information to HDR students, including RTP scholarship recipients, on the available avenues to address grievances with their HEP.

Enquiries:

For more details, you can refer to:

• RTP FAQs for students
• RTP FAQs for administrators
• FAQs for the RTP industry internship weighting
• Email: RBGrants@education.gov.au

For Further information Please visit: https://www.education.gov.au/research-block-grants/research-training-program