APPLICATION ADVICE FOR PROSPECTIVE RESEARCH STUDENTS

To be eligible to be considered for admission to a research degree at ANU, you must already have an Australian bachelor degree with at least upper second class honours (first class honours is usually required) or its international equivalent, or a graduate diploma or master degree with a significant research thesis component, and there must be a supervisor at ANU available to supervise your research.

There are three main steps you need to follow in order to submit a complete application:

Step 1: Find a supervisor

You will need to ascertain whether or not ANU offers research supervision in your area of interest. Research students usually enrol in the academic area (academic college, school or centre) where their supervisor is located. You can explore the research options at ANU through:

Researchers – a database of all potential supervisors at ANU – including their research expertise, published works and contact details – can be found at: researchers.anu.edu.au

Academic colleges – each academic college can provide you with information about the areas of research, supervisors and/or research groups within its schools and centres, but check carefully as supervision in some areas of research can be offered in more than one academic college.

Step 2: Pre-application

Once you have identified which supervisor you would like to work with, or which academic college offers research supervision in your area of interest, you will need to check to see what the pre-application process is for that academic college. Most academic colleges will ask applicants to identify and secure the support of a potential supervisor before they can proceed to an application for admission. However, some academic colleges ask applicants to submit a short description of their proposed area of research as an expression of interest and a summary of their academic qualifications (including grades) to a central contact first. Visit the relevant academic college website for pre-application advice (see above).

Step 3: Application

You may apply for admission if you have been advised that it is appropriate to do so, or if you have secured the support of a potential supervisor. Be aware that if you choose to submit an application for admission without this endorsement your application may not be assessed.

Research applications are made directly to ANU either online or by downloading and submitting hard copy forms:

Online - International applicants will be required to pay a A$75 application processing fee*.
Download hardcopy form - International applicants will be required to pay a A$100 application processing fee.

*Unless you are applying through an ANU agent.

Before submitting your application to ANU, please make sure that you send the referee report forms to your referees, and ask them to submit their completed reports directly to the University.

Once you have submitted your completed application (including all supporting documentation), your application will be processed and assessed.

Are there any application closing dates?

You can apply for admission to a research degree at ANU at any time. However, if you wish to apply for a scholarship, you will need to apply for admission by the relevant scholarship closing date. You must indicate on your admission application form whether you still wish to be considered for admission if your application for a scholarship is unsuccessful. Further information on ANU research scholarships can be found below.

English language requirements

You are required to meet our English Language Requirements before you can be accepted for admission. Unless your previous tertiary-level studies were undertaken in English in (for example) Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States of America, you will normally have to sit for either the International English Language Testing System (IELTS - overall 6.5 with no band less than 6.0) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL - 570 with TWE 4.5). Some programs may require higher scores.

If you have any questions about your application for admission and where it is up to, you can contact the ANU Admissions Office (please remember to quote your application identification number in any correspondence with the Admissions Office):

ANU Admissions Office

T +61 2 6125 5594
E admissions@anu.edu.au
W anu.edu.au/sas/admission

Other Things To Consider

Scholarships

ANU funds and administers a range of scholarships for graduate research degree programs. Research scholarships are awarded to outstanding applicants with a proven capacity for research, and are extremely competitive. Although eligibility stipulates that applicants must hold an Australian bachelor degree with at least upper second class honours (or its international equivalent), competition is such that applicants usually have to hold a first class honours degree to be competitive (this is also mandatory for some scholarships). Eligibility can also be met through a master or graduate diploma, completed at a level equivalent to first or upper second class honours, from a recognised university.

You will automatically be considered for the full range of ANU research scholarships you are eligible for if you indicate that you wish to be considered for a scholarship on your application for admission. You must indicate on your application for admission form whether you still wish to be considered for admission if your application for a scholarship is unsuccessful. You should talk to your nominated supervisor or academic college about any other source of funding you might access, and advise the University regarding any external funding applications you have made.

If you wish to be considered in the main ANU research scholarships round, you should apply for admission by the following date:

31 August - for international applicants
31 October - for domestic applicants

Although the University may offer a mid-year scholarship round, chances of obtaining scholarship funding from the University may be greatly diminished, depending on your area of research.

International research students are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week. This will generally not cover living expenses and tuition fees and we strongly advise you to ensure that you will be able to meet the cost of living.

For full details on scholarships, eligibility criteria and application deadlines can be found at ANU Scholarships.

Accommodation

Information about accommodation options can be found at Residential and Campus Communities. If you wish to access accommodation on campus you should apply at the same time that you apply for admission to your research degree, as there is a shortage of accommodation places and the demand is very high.

Residential and Campus Communities provides information on external accommodation options in Canberra. Demand for all accommodation in Canberra, whether on-campus or elsewhere, is very high. Do not arrive in Canberra without confirmed accommodation.

Childcare

While there are four childcare centres that serve ANU students and staff, long waiting lists exist in all centres, so contact them well in advance of your arrival on-campus. Don't wait for your offer of admission before applying for childcare.