Fees and scholarships - graduate research degrees

Getting help with the costs of study

If you are applying for candidature as a graduate researcher at La Trobe you can apply for a stipend scholarship to assist with your living expenses. International applicants can also apply for scholarships to fund their tuition fees.

We offer a range of scholarships to provide stipend and tuition fee support. We advertise our available scholarships throughout the year, with two main application rounds opening late February and late August each year.

Australian and New Zealand citizens and Australian permanent residents enrolled in a higher degree by research will not usually pay tuition fees, as fees for graduate research degrees are covered by the Australian Government's Research Training Program (RTP). The RTP provides eligible candidates with a fee offset scholarship for up to a maximum period of four years' full-time equivalent study for a doctorate by research and two years' full-time equivalent study for a Masters by research.

A RTP Fees Offset Scholarship is not a paid stipend. It is paid directly to the University on your behalf to offset costs for tuition and institutional support of your studies and not all candidates will receive a RTP Stipend Scholarship or living allowance. The 2024 RTP offset values are $26,000 (high cost) and $11,000 (low cost).

All domestic students pay a bi-annual Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). Details about the SSAF, including costs and payment options, are available on our SSAF information page.

Tuition fees for international students will vary, depending on the research area. International students may apply for a full fee research scholarship to cover the cost of their fees.

Are there other scholarships and funding sources?

In addition to scholarships that are administered by La Trobe, there are also a number of external scholarships.

Both prospective and current students can also search for scholarships (living allowance, top-up, travel and conference, etc.) using the Good Universities Guide Scholarship Search.

You can take also take advantage of La Trobe's subscriptions to:

• Research Professional (a database containing thousands of Australian and international research funding opportunities)
• PIVOT (a funding database of grants, fellowships, prizes and awards).

You will need to register using a computer on any La Trobe campus. Once registered you can access your account from any location.

You can also email Research Mailer to subscribe to notifications of upcoming grant opportunities, including ARC and NHMRC funding.