Eligibility and how to apply

HDR Projects with competitive scholarship opportunities for commencement in semester 2, 2026*, are available to PhD applicants looking to excel in their chosen field.  Please read the eligibility criteria and process carefully, and contact the supervisor before applying for a scholarship.

*Deferral to semester 1 2027 will be considered on a case-by-case basis

Eligibility:

A PhD candidate must be:

  • eligible to enrol in a PhD at CDU, as defined by these guidelines
  • able to commence between 1 July and 31 August 2026 (later start dates may be negotiable)

Essential Criteria:

Specific essential attributes vary by project, so please see project descriptions and discuss your suitability with the project supervisor. However, only high-quality applicants will be considered. High-quality applicants must have a combination of the following:

  • Qualifications & Academic Performance that includes a honours or master’s qualification with thesis and/ or research units of at least one full semester at AQF level 8 or 9, and a high GPA
  • peer-reviewed research publications in Q1-Q4 journals or other high-quality NTROS
  • relevant, significant practical research experience/portfolio
  • have skills and knowledge that align with strategic priorities (Faculty- and project-specific)

Very high quality Criteria:

The following may be indicative of a very high-quality applicant:

  • 2- 4 Q1 first-author publications (or equivalent NTROs)
  • First class honours at AQF level 8
  • Master by Research/ MPhil and other 2-year research qualifications at AQF 9 with at least 1.5FTE research and a GPA of 85% or above
  • Master by coursework at AQF 9 or equivalent with thesis of > 20,000 and GPA of of 85% or above
  • equivalent combination of experience and outputs

The PhD applicant needs to submit an Expression of Interest to the supervisor, which includes:

  • A cover letter that includes a brief statement of the applicant’s suitability (max 2 pages) and how you meet both the PhD admission, scholarship ranking and specific project eligibility criteria
  • A curriculum vitae, including a list of any peer-reviewed publications, relevant postgraduate qualifications and their research components, relevant work and/or research experience
  • A brief statement not exceeding 500-words in length that explains why you are interested in this research project/area
  • A copy of your postgraduate transcript/s showing grading scheme, GPA and all thesis and research units

Application deadlines?

If you are interested in a scholarship with one of the available research projects or have more questions, then please contact the lead supervisor of the project.

Application and award process

  1. Applicants should check the eligibility criteria and submit an EOI to the project supervisor by the stated project EOI deadline
  2. Project supervisors will assess all EOIs received by the deadline against the relevant criteria, select the most suitable (preferred) quality applicant to undertake the project and recommend the award of a scholarship to the ADR Review Panel (see scholarship types here).
  3. Nominated applicants will be asked to complete an HDR Candidature and Scholarship Application Form
  4. Applications for admission may take up to one month to process from the time the application is complete, any missing essential documentation may delay the process
  5. Once complete, the applicant will be assessed for admission and for the recommended scholarship by the ADR Review Panel, which will award scholarships once per month, subject to:

    1. Availability of that scholarship type
    2. Meeting the eligibility criteria and
    3. Faculty strategic objectives.
  6. CDU HDR team (in collaboration with CDU Global for international applicants) will communicate outcomes to applicants, including offers of admission and scholarship to successful applicants.