UNSW Fully Funded University Postgraduate Award (UPA) 2025

About the positions

UNSW Fully Funded University Postgraduate Award (UPA) 2025

The University Postgraduate Award (UPA) is a prestigious scholarship funded by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and supported by UNSW Canberra to attract high-achieving domestic and international students to undertake higher degree research studies in Australia.

This scholarship opportunity is open to both domestic and international applicants who wish to pursue a Master’s by Research or a PhD in any eligible field offered at UNSW. It provides significant financial support, including a competitive living stipend and research allowances, to help students focus fully on their academic journey.

Scholarship Overview

• Scholarship type: Full living stipend

• Stipend value: AUD $38,438 per annum (2025 rate – tax-free)

• Other supports:

  • Relocation allowance for students relocating to UNSW (amount varies by faculty and circumstances)

  • Thesis allowance upon submission of thesis (subject to faculty guidelines)

• Health insurance: Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for international students

• Study Level: Master’s by Research / PhD

• Study Course: Open to all study areas offered by UNSW

• Citizen type: Domestic and International students

• Number of positions: Not specified (competitive and limited)

• Duration:

  • Up to 2 years for Master's by Research

  • Up to 3.5 years for PhD (extension may be possible based on academic progress)

• Deadline:

  • Domestic students: 13 September 2025

  • International students: 13 September 2025

Eligibility Criteria 

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be enrolled in or have applied for admission to a full-time eligible HDR (Higher Degree by Research) program at UNSW (Master’s by Research or PhD)

• Meet UNSW's admission requirements for the HDR program of choice

• Demonstrate academic excellence, research potential, and strong alignment with UNSW research strengths

• Be able to commence studies between January and June 2025 (for Round 1 offers)

• International students must also meet English language requirements

Eligible Countries: All nationalities

Eligible course or study program: Any Higher Degree by Research program offered by UNSW

Selection Criteria 

The selection will be based on merit and assessed across the following criteria:

• Academic excellence in previous studies

• Proven research potential in the chosen field

• Relevance of the study program to home country development

• Leadership qualities and future goals

• Endorsement and recommendation letters

• Quality and feasibility of the proposed research or development activity

• Potential for long-term impact and engagement with Australia

(Also apply for Griffith University RTP International Fee Offset Scholarships 2025)

How to Apply

1. Apply for admission to a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) program at UNSW through the UNSW Apply Online Portal

2. During the application process, indicate interest in being considered for a scholarship

3. Ensure all required supporting documents (academic transcripts, research proposal, CV, referee reports, etc.) are submitted by the application deadline

4. You will automatically be considered for the UPA and other available scholarships in the main round

Who to Contact

Graduate Research School, UNSW

•  Email: researchscholarships@unsw.edu.au
•  Website: https://www.unsw.edu.au/research

Visit the University Website to apply and for further details on this scholarship.

(Also apply for Monash University Graduate Research Scholarships)

Browse more fully funded Masters and PhD scholarships in Australia. 

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Pro-tips for research scholarship applications

The following are some helpful links to browse through. They include tips and guides on how to successfully apply for research Masters and PhD scholarships and admissions to study in Australia. 

These are just some essential elements that any international student thinking to study abroad must be aware of especially when applying for research degree programs abroad. 

This includes information about :

•  General Masters/PhD scholarship requirements to study in Australia, 
•  How to apply for research Masters/PhD scholarships and admissions,  
•  How to apply successfully to scholarships abroad. 
• Another essential guide that you must look at is  How to contact potential supervisors when asking for a Masters or PhD Studentship position. 
• And how to write a captivating research proposal for scholarship applications, 
• And finally Research Proposal Guide for Successful Admission/Scholarship applications

Looking for more scholarship opportunities?

Discover other related scholarships below: 

• Undergraduate Scholarships
• Fully Funded Masters Scholarships
• Fully Funded PhD Scholarships
• Top Scholarships infos and guides 
• List of Australian Universities with no application fee
• General Undergraduate scholarship requirements to study abroad(Australia)
• General Postgraduate Coursework degree program scholarship requirements
• A List of Fully Funded Government and Institution Sponsored Scholarships 

Don't hesitate to leave a comment below, tell us about your experience in applying for a scholarship abroad, your difficulties and how we can assist you if you need any help.

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