Selection principles
The information below applies to the scholarships offered as part of the Melbourne Scholarships Program (MSP) for graduate research degree studies (eg. PhD, masters by research) at the University. The main scholarships available for graduate research degree studies are the APA, MRS, IPRS, MIFRS, and MIRS.
The topics covered are:
- how the scholarships are awarded
- the scholarship score and
- other scoring principles
How the scholarships are awarded
All applications that are eligible for scholarship consideration are assessed in accordance with the University's scholarship scoring guidelines as follows.
Step 1: the department in which the applicant wishes to undertake their research assessing the application and, if it is supported by the department,
Step 2: the University's Graduate Research Scholarships Committee (GRSC) will then assess the application.
Selection is based on academic merit and demonstrated research potential. Each applicant is awarded a scholarship score that is based primarily on results obtained for tertiary studies. Relevant research experience, publications in refereed journals of a national or international standing etc. are also taken into account.
The scholarship score assigned by the GRSC is used to rank all applicants in order of merit. This rank ordered list is used by the GRSC to award the APAs and IPRSs. The MRSs, MIRSs and MIFRSs are awarded by the faculties who take into account the scholarship score, areas of research strength and other strategic factors when awarding their allocation of MRSs/MIRSs and MIFRSs.
To be competitive for an APA or IPRS, a strong first class honours or equivalent is normally required. A first class honours or equivalent degree is also normally required to be competitive for an MRS, MIRS and MIFRS, although occasionally MRSs and MIRSs are awarded to applicants with second class division one results (ie. a H2A).
Additional information about the award of the IPRSs
IPRSs are only awarded to students who meet all eligibility requirements, including those outlined in the Commonwealth of Australia, Higher Education Support Act 2003, Guidelines for Commonwealth Scholarships. Under these guidelines, preference is given to students from regions identified as priorities under the Commonwealth Government's Endeavour Program. These regions are Asia, Europe, North and Latin America, and the Middle East.
top of pageThe Scholarship Score
Each application that is eligible for scholarship consideration is assigned a scholarship score in accordance with the University's scholarship scoring guidelines. The guidelines are outlined below.
The scholarship score is out of 100 and comprises two equally weighted components called the Academic Achievement Score (AAS) and the Department Recommended Score (DRS).
Academic Achievement Score (AAS)
The AAS is usually based on the results achieved for the last 2 years of the most recent academic studies. An exception is made if the applicant has completed a:
- masters by research, or a masters by coursework that required = 1.5 years of full-time study, provided that the masters studies were in a discipline relevant to the intended research higher degree. In these cases the AAS is based on the results achieved for the masters.
- MBBS, BDSc, BPhysio, BVSc or LLB that will be used for scholarship scoring. In these cases the AAS is sometimes based on the applicant’s position on their graduating class list.
In cases where the last 2 years of academic study are considered, results for the final year subjects will be weighted twice as heavily as the penultimate year studies.
For studies completed at a university other than the University of Melbourne, academic marks are converted to equivalent University of Melbourne marks.
Department Recommended Score (DRS)
The DRS is a notional score (out of 100) that is recommended by departments to reflect each applicants’ likelihood of successfully completing a graduate research degree. The DRS must not vary from an applicant's AAS by more than 10 points.
The criterion that a department may use to justify their DRS include:
- the completion of a masters by research
- research experience
- refereed publications of a national or international standing (including refereed exhibitions, recordings, etc.)
- professional experience (including performance)
- evidence of research potential
- the standing of the department, faculty, university from which the applicant graduated, and/or
- the age or currency of the qualification.
The GRSC will evaluate the DRS suggested by the department and adjust as appropriate to achieve equity across all applications.
Other scoring principles
The Committee will only use official marks. It does not use predicted or unofficial marks.
If a transcript provides grades (e.g. A, B, C etc) and there are no numeric marks (eg. a percentage mark or a grade point average), the Committee will use the lowest mark in the corresponding grade range. It is therefore advantageous for applicants to provide with their scholarship application official written advice about the actual numeric marks obtained for their tertiary studies.
For applicants who have completed a combined degree course (eg. BA[Hons]/BSc), the Committee usually uses the most relevant component for scholarship scoring (eg. the results obtained for Arts subjects would normally be used if the applicant plans to undertake their research higher degree studies in an Arts discipline).
Graduate diplomas are not usually used for scholarship scoring. This is because most graduate diplomas entail the completion of a sequence of largely undergraduate subjects (ie. 1st to 3rd year subjects). Scholarship scoring considers performance in subjects at the 3rd year level and higher.
Marks obtained for subjects at the 3rd year level and higher while participating in an exchange program may count toward the scholarship score. Applicants should provide with their application a transcript showing the grading system and marks obtained for any subjects that they have completed at the 3rd year level or higher while on exchange.
The AAS will reflect the relative size of the subjects/units undertaken by an applicant (eg. a subject worth 50 points has 4 times the weight of a 12.5 point subject)
The Committee takes into account the grading system used at the university where the applicant completed their tertiary studies and converts, if necessary, the marks to equivalent University of Melbourne marks.
Marks obtained for subjects that have not been credited toward a completed award course are not usually used for scholarship scoring.