Victoria University RTP Stipend Scholarships in Australia for PhD researchers 2027

Victoria University in Australia is taking applications for its international research training stipend scholarships for Research Period 1 of 2027. The award is aimed at people about to start a doctorate, and it is open to any nationality.

What the scholarship covers

Three things come together in one package. Tuition fees are waived through a fee offset scholarship, a living allowance of AUD 35,707 a year is paid at the 2026 rate, and single overseas student health cover is included. What it does not pay for is also stated plainly: English-language testing, bridging or language programmes, and the flight from your home country.

Who can apply

You count as an international applicant if you hold neither Australian citizenship nor Australian permanent residency. Beyond that the bar is academic. You need a weighted average mark or honours grade of H1, which is 85% or above on the university scale, in your most recent qualification. You must be starting a research doctorate, nominate a research-focus outline in the application, and enrol full time. Anyone currently or recently funded by an AIDAB or AUSAID scholarship is excluded.

How the application works

There is no separate scholarship form. Your eligibility is assessed as part of the application for admission to the course, so the quality of that single file decides both questions. The university publishes an application guide for the round and asks that every required document for admission and for the scholarship arrives with it.

Your real chances

The university is unusually candid here. Rounds are competitive, the number of awards depends on the funds available that year, and it estimates that successful candidates sit around 85 to 90 on its grading scale. It also warns that it cannot give individual feedback on unsuccessful applications.

Deadline

Applications close on 13 September 2026 at 11.59pm Australian Eastern Standard Time. Convert that to your own time zone before you plan the final day, because a submission that lands after the cut-off is simply not in the round.