Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend Scholarship
- Category
- Funded research project
- Location
- Ballarat, Berwick, Gippsland, Online
- Value
- $40,000
- Open date
- 05/06/2026
- Close date
- 06/07/2026
- Study sector
- Higher education
- Study level
- Higher Degree by Research
- Student type
- Domestic
- Student status
- Continuing, New / commencing
RTP Stipend
RTP Stipends are competitively awarded and have limited availability. Meeting eligibility criteria does not guarantee the award of an RTP Stipend scholarship. Applications are ranked according to merit and only the top ranked applicants will be awarded a stipend. Applicants should consider the Selection and Ranking criteria in the preparation of their application.
Note: Federation University is currently unable to offer Research Training Program stipend scholarships to international applicants, however, there are other stipend scholarship opportunities available to international applicants. Selected scholarships are available to international applicants.
Scholarship Details
Scholarship amount: $40,000 per annum tax-free, paid as a fortnightly stipend of $1,532.46
Fees: Up to $33,500 per annum covered by a Research Training Program Fee-Offset Scholarship
Applications will open on the Friday 5th June 2026.
Federation University Australia offers Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend Scholarships annually to eligible and competitive applicants - both current* and prospective Higher Degree by Research candidates are eligible to apply, who are either:
- Australian citizens
- Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders
- Australian permanent residents
- New Zealand citizens
*Current PhD candidates must be within two years of candidature. Current MPhil students must be within six months of candidature.
Application Information
Step 1: Check your eligibility for admission to a higher degree by research program.
Step 2: Browse through our Federation University academics on the Find an Expert webpage and contact a potential supervisor.
Step 3: Apply between 5th June 2026 and 11:59pm 5th July 2026. The link to submit is here: https://federation.smapply.io/prog/2026_mid-year_research_training_program_rtp_scholarship
There will be a pre-eligibility checklist that will ask if you are a prospective student, which will make a form specifically for prospective students to complete available underneath the completed pre-eligibility checklist on the left-hand side.
With your RTP Scholarship Fee-Offset and Stipend Application, you will be required to upload:
- 250-word title and summary of intended project
- Transcripts of all tertiary level academic study
- Copy of honours or masters thesis abstract
- Evidence for Australian honours equivalency, if applicable
- Australian citizens must provide a copy of their birth certificate or passport
- Permanent Residents must provide a copy of their visa and passport
- Any awards or accolades
- Any evidence of research performance, such as publications, conference proceedings, creative outputs etc. Please refer to the Selection and Ranking criteria for further information.
- A link to your online researcher profile, such as ORCiD, Research Gate, Scopus or Google Scholar
Current candidates must not have completed more than two years of candidature for a PhD or six months for a Masters by Research/Master of Philosophy to qualify for an RTP Scholarship, as outlined in the RTP and HDR Scholarship Procedure.
Current students can apply via the University scholarship portal at:
https://federation.smapply.io/prog/2026_mid-year_research_training_program_rtp_scholarship
Current Higher Degree by Research Federation University candidates should provide the following:
- Any evidence of research performance, such as publications, conference proceedings, creative outputs etc. Please refer to the Selection and Ranking criteria for further information.
- Any awards or accolades
- Any other relevant information - please provide any updated or new transcripts etc
Applicants are responsible for providing DOIs (Digital Object Identifiers) for all journal articles, fully refereed conference papers, books or book chapters provided. Where DOIs are not included, the output will not be considered in the scholarship application or ranking.
Applicants submitting creative outputs should provide links to available online catalogues, programs, and exhibitions, where available.
Conditions for receipt of a Research Training Program (RTP) stipend scholarship
- Students are expected to commit to full-time study for the duration of their candidature.
- Scholarships are for a period of three years for PhD students and 18 months for Masters by Research students (minus any completed candidature) and extension to scholarships will not be granted.
- Successful scholarship applicants must participate in an internship period, if available to them.
- Students are expected to reside in Australia for the duration of their RTP funded program.
- Prospective students are expected to commence in Semester 2, 2026.
General conditions for Federation University HDR Scholarships can be found on the Graduate Research School website
RTP scholarships, administered by Federation University on behalf of the Australian government, provide an annual living allowance of $40,000 (Federation 2026 rate). This stipend is a flat rate over three years and is a tax-free scholarship.
The tenure of these awards is for a period of 18 months for a Master by Research and three years for PhD candidates. Extensions to the award are not available. Tenure of the award is reduced by any prior studies already completed by candidates in their HDR program prior to receiving an RTP scholarship.
Further information regarding eligibility and selection for scholarships is available on the Eligibility and selection for RTP Stipend Scholarships policy.