UTS President's Scholarship
The UTS President's Scholarship is the University of Technology Sydney's most prestigious PhD funding — a full-tuition waiver plus an AUD 41,000 (approx) tax-free annual stipend for up to 3.5 years. The scholarship is competitive across all UTS faculties: Engineering & IT, Business, Design Architecture & Building, Health, Science, and Law. Sri Lankan applicants with a strong research portfolio — published papers, a clear PhD proposal, and a UTS supervisor's endorsement — should target this scheme over the broader UTS International Research Scholarship.
Round 2 closes late August 2026 for an Autumn 2027 start. UTS runs two research-scholarship rounds a year — Round 1 around April and Round 2 around August — so the next Round 1 falls around April 2027.
University of Technology Sydney
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
Full Tuition + ~AUD 41,000/yr
Duration
Up to 3.5 Years (PhD)
Awards
Around 25 per Year
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
University of Technology Sydney — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.
What it covers
Full Tuition + AUD 41,000 Annual Stipend. This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.
Where we come in
We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Bachelor's with First-Class Honours or Master's
A Bachelor's degree with first-class honours, or a Master's degree with substantial research component (typically including a thesis worth 25%+ of the programme). Sri Lankan applicants from Colombo, Peradeniya, or Moratuwa with first-class honours often clear this bar.
Outstanding Research Record
Most successful applicants have at least one peer-reviewed publication, conference paper, or substantial research thesis. A clear PhD proposal aligned with a UTS supervisor's research is essential.
UTS Supervisor Endorsement
You must identify and contact a potential UTS supervisor before applying. The supervisor's support letter is part of the application package and is often the difference between shortlisting and rejection.
English Proficiency
IELTS 6.5 overall with writing 6.0 (or equivalent TOEFL / PTE). Some faculties (Law, Design) require IELTS 7.0+. Conditional offers are possible while the language test is pending.
account_tree Application Process
Find a supervisor and align a proposal
Identify potential UTS supervisors via the UTS Find an Expert portal. Email them with your CV and a 1-2 page research proposal. Expect 2-4 weeks of back-and-forth refining the proposal before they confirm support.
Submit HDR + Scholarship application
Apply through the UTS HDR online portal by the Round 1 (April) or Round 2 (August) deadline. The single application covers both PhD admission and the President's Scholarship — tick the scholarship consideration box.
Faculty + central review
Your application is reviewed first at faculty level (academic and research ranking), then at the UTS Graduate Research School for the President's Scholarship shortlist. Outcomes usually arrive within 8-12 weeks of round close.
Accept and arrange visa
Successful applicants accept the scholarship and arrange the subclass 500 student visa. Note that PhD students on this scholarship may also be eligible for OSHC (health cover) support — confirm with the UTS Scholarships Office.
Why UTS?
UTS is Australia's leading 'young' university — ranked in the global top 100 and consistently #1 worldwide for universities under 50 years old. Its central Sydney campus sits next to Central Station, with strong industry links across engineering, IT, business, and design. Sri Lankan research alumni in software engineering and data science are particularly well-placed.
#88
QS World Ranking 2026
Top 10
Under-50 Universities
Full
Tuition + Stipend
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
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Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for AU, in LKR as well as local currency.
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Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
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