Southern Cross University is committed to providing postgraduate students with practical assistance to complete their programs. The University offers two types of Commonwealth Scholarships to assist higher degree by research (ie: PhD and Masters by Thesis) students.

Australian Postgraduate Award (APA)

The APA is funded by the Commonwealth Government, and is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, those who have permanent resident status and International Postgraduate Research Scholarship recipients. The Award provides a basic stipend of $22,860 p/a tax-free to cover living expenses.

There are usually two application rounds each year. The first closes on 31 October of the previous year - and for this round recipients must normally commence study by March 31 of the following year. The second closes on 31 May each year. In the case of a PhD, an Awards is made for three years (with a possible extension of up to six months); and in the case of a Masters by Thesis the Award is made for two years (with no provision for extension).

International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (IPRS)

This scholarships is available for both PhD and Masters by Thesis international only students. These students must be engaging in quality research (fundamental or applied) in SCU areas of designated research priority. The IPRS is a scholarship funded by the Australian Government for the purpose of tuition fees. In addition, an IPRS recipient may apply for an APA for the purposes of a living allowance. The scholarships will be for a period of two years for a Masters by Thesis and three years for a Doctorate. Extensions beyond this will be at the discretion of the University.

For more information, please contact one of our offices

Last Updated: 26 September 2012

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