Australia is well-known for being a cosmopolitan country with a welcoming culture. This allows a newbie to readily integrate into an unfamiliar area. This welcoming attitude of the locals, combined with the unwavering reputation of Australian institutions, has made Australia a magnet for overseas students over the years. Many of these individuals opt to pursue their PhD in Australia since the Australian school system is often regarded as providing one of the best research opportunities in the world.
Here you will find all the necessary information about PhD programmes in Australia, such as degree titles, top universities, course fees, and visa requirements. PhD programmes are available in all faculties or across disciplines at Australia's top universities and consist of independent research and writing on an approved topic toward a thesis for examination.
The cost of pursuing a doctorate in Australia is approximately 30,000 AUD-42,000 AUD, equivalent to 16 to 23 lakhs per year for an Indian student. This cost can be offset by funding opportunities available in Australia for international students, such as studentships, scholarships, government grants, and so on. In Australia, the average annual salary offered after completing a PhD in research and academics is 80,000 AUD.
There are 43 universities in Australia. They are all publicly funded institutions that receive government support and accreditation. These organisations are also responsible for conducting research and training PhD students like you.
Other higher education institutions in Australia are primarily Technical And Further Education (TAFE) institutions that place emphasis on practical and professional training. They offer some postgraduate degrees at or near the Master's level but do not award PhDs.
Australia's universities are well-established in the world's top 250, and the Australian government highly values international PhD students, providing generous post-study work visas.
The top universities in Australia for higher education, as ranked by QS in 2021, are listed below, along with the fees for pursuing a PhD.
|
QS Ranking |
University |
Fees per Annum (AUD) |
|
27 |
Australian National University |
45,052 |
|
38 |
University of Sydney |
49,000 |
|
37 |
University of Melbourne |
44,128 |
|
47 |
University of Queensland |
40,736 |
|
58 |
Monash University |
34,100 |
|
93 |
University of Western Australia |
34,900 |
|
108 |
University of Adelaide |
45,000 |
|
196 |
University of Technology Sydney |
34,080 |
The Australian National University is divided into four schools: the School of Physical Sciences, the School of Social Science, the School of Pacific Science, and the School of Medical Research. ANU is well-known for its co-curricular and cultural activities, which are overseen by the University Council.
The university's campus encompasses 358 acres of land. It is located in Canberra Acton and is surrounded by thousands of trees. In addition, the campus was ranked second in Australia for being the greenest university.
The university is made up of four learned societies:
Its library, which houses millions of books and research papers, is divided into six branches and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to students and faculty. Within a diverse and vibrant community, the university provides a wide range of housing options for students. The campus provides a calm learning environment for the students.
The university is made up of seven colleges. They are all intertwined with research and education. The academic structure is upheld by the Council, which has 15 members. Undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional degree programmes are all available at ANU.
The University of Sydney is one of the world's leading research and teaching institutions. They provide an exceptional range of disciplines – over 400 areas of study – and their community includes over 70,000 students, 8000 permanent and fixed-term staff, and 350,000 alumni from over 170 countries.
Leadership has always been central to their values
They were one of the first universities in the world to admit students solely on academic merit and to welcome women on equal footing with men.
Their goal is to improve people's lives not just by producing leaders of society, but also by preparing their people to serve all of their communities at all levels.
The University of Melbourne has seven campuses spread across Melbourne and Victoria, Australia. The Parkville campus is the main campus, and undergraduate and graduate students can live in one of several nearby residential colleges. Other campuses include Southbank, Burnley, Creswick, Dookie, Shepparton, and Werribee. Tuition costs vary by subject at the University of Melbourne and are higher for international students. Dentistry, veterinary science, and medicine are among the more expensive programmes at the university.
Agriculture, arts, biomedicine, commerce, design, environments, fine arts, music, oral health, and science are among the bachelor's degree options available to undergraduate students at the University of Melbourne. Within these broad degree categories, they then select more specific majors. Indigenous students can also pursue extended Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science programmes. There are nearly 20 graduate schools at the University of Melbourne, including the Melbourne Business School, the Melbourne Medical School, and the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. The university has five Melbourne Research Institutes that promote collaboration among university researchers as well as participation from industry, government, and non-profit organisations. The institutes are organised around the themes of neuroscience, sustainable society, networked society, energy, and social equity.
The cochlear implant, an electronic device used to restore a sense of sound to people with severe hearing loss, was developed by researchers at the University of Melbourne in the 1970s.
The University of Queensland (UQ) is one of Australia's best teaching and research institutions. It is a member of both Go8 (Australia's Group of Eight Universities) and Universitas 21. Currently. The University of Queensland, which has over 50,000 students from 134 countries, is ranked #47 in the world by QS World University Rankings, 2022.
Students planning to apply for admission to The University of Queensland can choose from over 550 programmes at all levels, including undergraduate, postgraduate, and Ph.D. programmes.
MBA applications for the July intake close on April 30 and for the February intake on October 31. The annual cost of these courses at UQ ranges from $19,000 to $44,000 AUD. UQ offers a variety of scholarships to assist students in meeting these costs.
The university claims to have received the most national teaching awards of any university in Australia. UQ students can conduct research and experiments with its 100+ research centres and 400+ global research partners, which include Siemens, Boeing, Rio Tinto, Pfizer, Baosteel, and others. These are frequently some of the reasons why international students choose to study at UQ in Australia.
Monash University is located in the state of Victoria in southeastern Australia. The Clayton campus, the largest of the university's five Australian locations, is located about 12 miles southeast of Melbourne, Victoria's capital city. Monash University also has a Malaysian branch campus, a graduate school in China run in collaboration with Southeast University, and several other affiliated international sites. Monash students come from over 100 different countries. Monash University charges a higher tuition for international students, though some scholarships are available. On-campus student housing is available at three of the university's Australian campuses.
Art, design, and architecture; arts; business and economics; education; engineering; information technology; law; medicine, nursing, and health sciences; pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences; and science are among the many academic divisions at the university.
Monash University's language of instruction is English, and the academic calendar is semester-based. Undergraduates can apply to honours programmes, which provide a fourth year of study that is heavily focused on research. A bachelor honours degree has a higher-level credential in Australia than a bachelor's degree.
Monash University has student exchange agreements with over 100 universities in over 25 countries.
The Monash Injury Research Institute, the Monash Centre for Atomically Thin Materials, and the Monash Sustainable Development Institute are just a few of the university's research centres and institutes.
The University of Western Australia is Australia's sixth oldest university, it is also one of Australia's largest landowners. Furthermore, it collaborated with African doctors working in Australia to begin medical teachings alongside a different curriculum.
The university's campus is spread across 160 acres of land. It has extensive art collections as well as theatre venues, in addition to a plethora of sporting, cultural, alumni, and social groups. The university provides student housing on its premises.
The University of Western Australia is home to six major libraries, including the Reid Library, which is known as Australia's largest library. The libraries house a large number of books and research papers.
The university provides undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, as well as doctoral-level programmes. It also includes specialisation courses that are not included in the curriculum of the chosen programmes. The academic structure of the university includes a variety of courses organised into six faculties, which are further subdivided into numerous departments and schools.
Students have a wide range of subjects to choose from based on their areas of interest. Furthermore, the university has numerous research centres and institutes. Oceans Institute, Centre for Energy & Minerals, and Centre for Software Practice are among the well-known research institutes.
The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is a public university that follows the global-oriented learning model. In Autumn 2020, the university enrolled approximately 46,328 students, including 13,963 international students, making it a popular choice for students looking to study in Australia.
UTS is one of Australia's top universities for students under the age of 50, ranking 11th in the QS Top 50 Under 50 in 2021
The University of Technology Sydney offers over 500 undergraduate, graduate, and research courses in fields such as business, communication, education, engineering, and information technology. For international students, SHU-UTS Sydney Institute of Language and Commerce (SILC) Business School, Shanghai University, China offers programmes such as the UTS Bachelor of Business and Master of Engineering Management.
UTS graduates are among the highest paid in the country, with an average salary ranging from 62,000 AUD to 98,500 AUD. Within four months of graduation, approximately 70.8% of undergraduates, 81.3% of postgraduates, and 81.7% of research students at UTS were in full-time employment, with 14.4% pursuing full-time master's degrees in Australia.
A PhD can begin at any point during the academic year in Australia. This means that there is no set deadline for applications. In general, you should apply at least four months before starting your PhD.
In addition, you must have:
To apply for a PhD in Australia, you will typically need a Bachelor's and Master's degree in a relevant subject. Universities may accept you without a Master's degree, but this is unlikely.
Individual universities will have their own set of requirements and application procedures. Still, you can expect to submit some or all of the following:
If you are applying from the United Kingdom or Ireland, you can use the free Study Options service to get advice and guidance throughout the application process.
In order to apply for a doctorate in Australia, you must submit the following documents along with your master's application package:
The validity of IELTS, TOEFL, and Pearson PTE Academic tests for studying in Australia has been temporarily extended from two to three years.
For admission to a PhD programme in Australia, the following English language proficiency test scores are required.
|
Exam |
Required Minimum Score |
|
ILETS |
6.5 |
|
TOEFL |
85 |
|
CAE |
176 |
|
PTE |
61 |
When considering studying abroad, it is critical to plan your expenses ahead of time and then apply to the desired university. The cost of pursuing a PhD in Australia can vary depending on the university's fees and various TA (Teaching assistantship) or RA programmes (Research assistantship).
A student must generally bear two types of expenses, which are detailed below:
Pre-arrival costs: The study's costs begin long before the researchers arrive on its shores. Some of the costs that one must bear before arriving in Australia, such as visa fees, registration fees for tests required for a PhD programme in Australia, and others, are listed below:
|
Items |
Costs (AUD) |
|
Visa Application Fees |
620 |
|
IELTS fees |
251 |
|
TOEFL fees |
245 |
|
Flight fare |
757 |
|
PTE Fees |
375 |
|
Health Insurance |
430 per year |
Post-arrival expenses: According to the Australian government, one must demonstrate that they have 14,600 AUD per year for living expenses. If the individual has a partner, 5100 AUD is added, and if the individual has a child, 2200 AUD is added per child. According to the guidelines for studying in Australia, anyone should have a weekly budget of 60-317 AUD.
The Australian government and universities offer numerous scholarships to international students. In addition, while researching, you can work for pay, for up to 40 hours per fortnight. However, you should ensure that any work you do is in line with the requirements of your PhD. (and the expectations of your supervisor).
|
University |
Scholarship |
Amount Granted (AUD) |
|
Australian National University (ANU) |
ANU PhD Scholarships |
Stipend of 28,092 per annum |
|
University of Melbourne |
Graduate Research Scholarship |
Full tuition fee waiver and stipend |
|
University of New South Wales |
Tuition Fee Scholarship (TFS) plus a Research Stipend |
Stipend of 28,597 per annum , Tuition Fees Covered |
|
University of Queensland |
Graduate School Scholarship |
Stipend of 28,597 per annum |
|
Monash University |
Maxwell King PhD Scholarship |
35,60 stipend per annum |
|
University of Western Australia |
The Dean's Excellence in Arts, Business, Law and Education PhD Scholarships |
Stipend of 33,000 per annum, a research allowance of 5,100. |
|
University of Adelaide |
University of Adelaide Research Scholarships |
Stipend of 28,597 per annum |
|
University of Technology Sydney |
International Research Training Program Scholarship (IRTP) |
Covers the tuition fees, the cost of standard Overseas Student Health Cover |
|
University of Wollongong |
PhD Scholarship Opportunity as per Faculty |
Stipend of 28,092 per annum |
Studying for a PhD in Australia opens the door to a variety of job opportunities. Whether you want to work in academia or improve your chances of getting a job in industry, a PhD can be a helpful factor in advancing your career.
In addition to academic research opportunities, there are significant jobs for international students in Australia for PhDs to work with young, global start-ups and innovative high-growth employers. According to emolument, the average salary offered after completing a doctorate in Australia is 80,000 AUD.
The following are some research and academic profiles available to PhD students in Australia:
|
Designation |
Annual Salary (AUD) |
|
Research Scientist |
94,000 |
|
Research Associate |
83,000 |
|
Lecturer |
87,000 |
|
Research Fellow |
92,000 |
|
R&D Manager |
133,000 |
|
Research Officer |
77,000 |
|
Senior Lecturer |
125,000 |
|
Senior Research Scientist |
109,000 |
Employees who have completed the rigorous research training that leads to a PhD can be considered highly skilled in their field. When it comes to adaptability, technical skills, and employability, employers rate postgraduate research graduates significantly higher than others. Only in collaborative skills are PhD holders rated slightly lower than undergraduates.
Step 1: Confirm that you meet the minimum eligibility requirements.Check the Programs & Courses website to make sure you meet the academic requirements of the institution where you want to study for a doctorate in Australia. All students, domestic or international, must also meet the minimum exam marks to study in Australia.
Step 2: Develop a Research ProposalThe draught research proposal included with the application serves as a tool for outlining your intended research or clarifying your own ideas. It is more general and adaptable to change after you have begun your programme.
Step 3: Locate a supervisor.Search potential supervisor profiles on the Researcher's website, which includes their research expertise, published works, and contact information.
Step 4: Pre-application requirements for colleges
Before applying to Australian universities, most colleges will require applicants to identify and secure the support of a potential supervisor. However, some colleges require applicants to submit a brief description of their proposed research area.
Step 5: Proposal for a Joint or Dual/Cotutelle PhD
To begin the Joint or Dual Award PhD application process, you may need to submit a proposal to potential supervisors as part of the pre-application process.
Step 6: Implement
If you have the support of a potential supervisor, you can look up application deadlines for Australian universities and apply. To support your application, you must name three referees.
Step 7: Obtain a result
Applications are typically evaluated in 6-8 weeks, or longer if you are applying for a scholarship. All communications, including application results, are delivered to your email address.
The country is a vibrant hub for its research courses, with world-class research centres and internationally ranked universities. A PhD in Australia means that you will expand your knowledge and skills, increasing your chances of employment in Australia and elsewhere. If you want a bright future, Australia should be at the top of your list! If you require any more support with your study abroad experience, please contact our AECC counsellors!
In Australia, the standard scheme for funding PhD candidates' living expenses is a tax-free stipend from their university. The funds are provided to the university through the Research Training Program (RTP). This stipend is now worth $28,854 per year (indexed annually against inflation).
The PhD is the highest qualification on the Australian Qualifications Framework and their premier research award. PhD programmes typically last three years full-time or six years part-time.
Australia is similar to the United Kingdom. In general, a Master of Research is required to apply to a doctoral programme. However, if you have a Bachelor's degree with Honours or a double degree, you may still be considered for a PhD.
Proof of completion of three to four years of undergraduate study and two years of postgraduate study. A minimum of 6.5 overall in English language proficiency tests such as IELTS is required.
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