You’re wrapping up the last moments of your undergraduate experience. Maybe you’re writing your Honours thesis, the due date looming before you, and your family are interrogating you about what’s next. You realise you have no idea what you want to do with your life and decide you’re not ready to leave the warm, comforting embrace of the university just yet. So how can you apply for further study?
Research or coursework?
You can apply for postgraduate research degrees (a Master or Doctor of Philosophy) or coursework Masters in numerous subjects and fields. Research degrees involve writing a thesis (depending on the subject, this is usually around 80,000 words for a PhD), compared to a coursework Masters which might combine work placements, coursework units, and shorter researched theses.
How to apply
For coursework postgraduate study, you apply via SATAC, as you would for an undergraduate degree. The applications are now open for 2019 and close on November 4. See more information here.
Research programs have a different application process. You may need to approach your Faculty or Discipline to learn their requirements, and you may need to secure a supervisor prior to formally applying. Places in research programs depend on the availability of supervisors and the direction of your proposed research. You may need to prepare a research proposal and, in practice-led disciplines like Creative Writing, a portfolio of your creative work. Applications close on 31 May for mid-year rounds and 31 October for the Major round (which has the most scholarship opportunities). See more information here.
Funding and scholarships
Prospective postgraduate research students can apply for a scholarship to fund their research. The major one is the Research Training Program Scholarship, which has a value of $27,082 per annum for up to three years. There are also numerous discipline-specific scholarships available.
