The Monash Graduate Scholarship (MGS) is one of the principal research scholarships that will be provided by Monash University to support graduate research students (research master’s and PhD). The scholarship will be awarded to high-quality candidates so that living costs and tuition will be covered while research progress is being made.
This article covers: what MGS is, who is eligible, what it covers, how to apply (2026 cycle), how selection works, some practical advice for applicants, and why it remains a strong opportunity for research-minded students worldwide.
What is the Monash Graduate Scholarship (MGS)?
The Monash Graduate Scholarship is a university-funded research scholarship at Monash designed to support students enrolled in Research Doctorate or Research Master’s degrees i.e., PhD or Master by Research. It is open to both domestic and international candidates.
Rather than being a partial or incidental grant, MGS acts as a full doctoral-graduate scholarship offering a regular living allowance (stipend) — and for many international students, potential to combine with other tuition-fee scholarships, making it effectively a “fully funded” research offer.
In practice, MGS is among the standard “research-training” scholarships at Monash under the Research Training Program (RTP) umbrella.
What the Monash Graduate Scholarship will cover
When an MGS is awarded, the recipient will normally receive a stipend (living allowance), a tuition-fee waiver, and limited research and relocation support. The stipend is paid fortnightly and is designed to allow recipients to focus on research without full-time work obligations. For recent scholarship rounds the MGS annual stipend rate was published and may be used as a planning figure — check Monash’s rates page for the year you apply
Typical elements that will be funded are:
- Stipend (living allowance): AUD $37,145 per year (2026 rate) — paid fortnightly to support living expenses while pursuing your research.
- Tuition fees: a full tuition-fee waiver will be applied for the normal duration of the research degree. This fee waiver will be applied automatically once the scholarship has been approved and the scholarship contract completed.
- Relocation allowance: a modest relocation payment will be provided to successful international or interstate awardees to assist with moving costs. The exact amount will be shown in the scholarship conditions for each year.
- Research allowance: a small annual research allowance may be provided to cover conference attendance, fieldwork or consumables (where permitted).
Entry Requirements & Conditions for 2026
To be considered for MGS, applicants must meet the following criteria (from Monash’s official scholarship guidelines).
- Must be applying for (or already enrolled in) a Research Doctorate (PhD) or Research Master’s (Master by Research) at Monash University.
- Applies to domestic (Australia/New Zealand citizens or permanent residents/humanitarian visa holders) and international students alike.
- Must satisfy Monash’s competitive scholarship selection process, which includes academic excellence and — where relevant — prior research experience or outputs.
- Must meet English language proficiency requirements (for international applicants), as applicable under Monash’s admissions rules.
- Must be enrolling via on-campus mode (i.e. standard research degree, not purely online or external).
- Must not already hold certain other long-term postgraduate research awards with more than 6 months’ prior tenure — i.e. avoid overlap with prior RTP or similar funded scholarships.
How to Apply
Applying for MGS is streamlined and tied closely to the graduate research admissions process at Monash. Here’s how it works:
- Submit your course + scholarship application via Monash’s “myApp” Portal.
- If you are a new applicant, your application for admission to a research degree (PhD or Research Master) automatically serves as the MGS scholarship application — there is no separate scholarship form required.
- If you are already enrolled and eligible (e.g. for a joint or subsequent research degree), you can also apply via the same portal.
- Entrance rounds and deadlines (2026):
- There are four application rounds per year covering both international and domestic applicants.
- The cycles typically are:
- Round 1: International — closes 31 March
- Round 2: Domestic — closes 31 May
- Round 3: International — closes 31 August
- Round 4: Domestic — closes 31 October
- Faculty invitation (if required):
- In some cases, Monash may require a faculty invitation to apply before you can submit. Applicants should check with the relevant faculty or the Graduate Research Admissions team for guidance.
- Selection and assessment:
- Applications are reviewed competitively. Scholarship offers are based on academic excellence, research potential, prior research output (if any), and fit with Monash’s research priorities.
- If awarded, stipend and any allowances begin once enrolment and contract formalities are completed.
- Combine with tuition-fee support (for international students):
- While MGS covers living costs, international students who receive MGS are often packaged with separate tuition-fee scholarships (e.g. tuition waiver under Monash’s international scholarship schemes) — check your offer letter carefully.
- Reporting & compliance:
- Recipients must comply with standard scholarship policies under Monash’s RTP Scholarship Policy and Procedures.
Check the official website for more information about the scholarship.
What will be required in your application
Applications will typically be submitted through Monash’s Graduate Research Scholarships portal and will include:
- An admission application (if not already enrolled): Your research proposal, academic transcripts and referee details will be required.
- A scholarship application form (online): where a case for support and brief research outline will be uploaded. The scholarship will be awarded on merit and research fit.
- Referees’ reports: usually two or three academic/professional references will be requested, and these will be sought directly or uploaded as part of your application.
- Supervisor nomination and Faculty endorsement: a prospective supervisor and faculty will be expected to endorse your proposal; funding will be approved only when supervisory arrangements and budget are confirmed.
You will be encouraged to apply early, and faculty-level deadlines (where applicable) will be observed. Incomplete applications and late referee letters will commonly lead to disqualification.
Selection criteria
Your application will be assessed on several core dimensions:
- Academic quality and research track record: your prior grades, research outputs, and evidence of research potential will be found compelling.
- Quality of the proposed project: the methodology, feasibility, expected outputs, and alignment with supervisory and faculty expertise will be scrutinised.
- Supervisory environment and infrastructure: the strength of the supervisory team and availability of facilities will be evaluated; co-supervision and cross-disciplinary arrangements are often prioritised where appropriate.
- Strategic priorities and impact: alignment with Faculty or University strategic priorities (for example, translational impact, interdisciplinary themes, or industry partnerships) will be considered.
Tips for Applicants — How to Improve Chances
If you plan to apply for MGS, consider the following strategies to strengthen your application:
- Prepare a strong research proposal: Even if brief, ensure clarity, feasibility, and alignment with Monash research strengths.
- Highlight prior research or academic excellence: If you have prior research experience, publications, or relevant academic background — emphasise it.
- Demonstrate motivation and long-term commitment: Explain why this degree matters to your goals; scholarship panels value serious, dedicated researchers.
- Apply early in the relevant round: Especially for international applicants — aim for Round 1 (closes 31 March), to maximize chances and allow for admin lead time.
- Ensure all admissions and English-language requirements are met: For international applicants, visa and English-proficiency compliance is essential.
- If international, check tuition-fee scholarship eligibility: Confirm whether your funding package includes a tuition waiver or support in addition to stipend.
Why MGS Remains a Leading Graduate Research Scholarship
For many reasons, MGS continues to attract high-caliber students globally:
- Financial viability: The stipend is generous and enough to live reasonably well in Australia while studying, reducing reliance on external jobs.
- Flexibility: Open to domestic and international students, for PhD and Research Master’s.
- Comprehensive support: Living allowance + potential tuition waiver makes it effectively full funding.
- Frequent application rounds: Four rounds per year give applicants flexibility depending on when they receive an offer or decide to apply.
- Strong research environment: Monash University is internationally recognised for research; being funded gives you access to resources, supervision, and academic networks at no personal cost.
Conclusion
For many aspiring researchers — domestic or international — the Monash Graduate Scholarship (MGS) stands out as one of the most generous and accessible fully-funded support options for graduate research studies at Monash University. If you’re considering a Master’s by Research or PhD at Monash, the MGS can significantly ease your financial burden, helping you focus on your research without the stress of living expenses or tuition fees.
You are advised to start the process early: identify supervisors, draft a research plan and secure referee support well before faculty deadlines. When a scholarship is awarded, you will be enabled to focus on research full-time, supported by a stipend, fee coverage and institutional research resources.
