Melbourne International Scholarships (Graduate Research)
The Melbourne International Scholarships sit inside the University of Melbourne's Graduate Research Scholarships scheme, the university's flagship funding programme for international Master's-by-Research and PhD candidates. Awards are made on academic merit and research potential — there is no separate application form. Every eligible HDR applicant is automatically considered when they apply for admission.
University of Melbourne
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Living Stipend
AUD 39,500/yr (2026 rate)
Duration
Up to 2 yrs (MRes) / 3.5 yrs (PhD)
Extras
Full Fee Offset + AUD 3,000 Relocation + OSHC
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Strong Bachelor's + Research Background
Hold (or be about to complete) a Bachelor's with first-class honours or equivalent, OR a Bachelor's plus a research Master's. Sri Lankan first-class graduates from Colombo, Peradeniya, Moratuwa, or Jaffna are typically competitive.
Admission to a Melbourne HDR Programme
You must have applied for (or hold an offer for) an eligible Master's by Research or PhD at the University of Melbourne. The scholarship is not available for coursework Master's programmes.
English Proficiency
IELTS 6.5 overall, no band below 6.0 (humanities and education require 7.0). TOEFL iBT, PTE, and Cambridge English Advanced are also accepted.
Research Output Helps
While not strictly required, peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, or a strong honours/Master's thesis materially improve your ranking in the merit pool.
account_tree Application Process
Find a Melbourne supervisor
Browse the Find an Expert directory at findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au, shortlist 2-3 supervisors, and email them with your CV and research proposal. Securing supervisor interest is essential before the formal application.
Apply for HDR admission
Submit your graduate research application via the University of Melbourne online portal — research proposal (2-3 pages), supervisor confirmation, transcripts, two academic references, English-test result.
Automatic scholarship consideration
There is no separate scholarship form. Every eligible HDR applicant who applies by the relevant round deadline is automatically ranked for a Graduate Research Scholarship — domestic and international students are scored on the same merit criteria.
Outcome and acceptance
Scholarship outcomes are issued with (or shortly after) the admission offer. You must accept the scholarship within the published timeframe to retain it.
Why University of Melbourne?
Ranked #13 globally and consistently Australia's #1 university, Melbourne hosts more than 8,000 graduate researchers and produces a substantial share of Australia's research output. Strong Sri Lankan alumni community in Melbourne supports new arrivals through MUSAA (Melbourne University Sri Lankan Alumni Association).
#13
QS World Ranking 2026
#1
in Australia (QS / Times)
8,000+
Graduate Researchers Enrolled
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