The Flinders University Scholarships 2027 provide fully funded master’s by research and PhD opportunities for international students at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia. Through one competitive application, candidates are assessed for the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship and the Flinders International Postgraduate Research Scholarship, both of which cover international tuition fees, provide a tax-free living allowance currently valued at AUD 36,061 per year, and offer up to AUD 1,485 toward relocation expenses. The highest-ranked eligible candidates receive the Australian Government scholarship, which also covers Overseas Student Health Cover for the recipient and their dependants, while the next highest-ranked candidates may receive a Flinders-funded scholarship. In this article, we have explained everything you need to know about the Flinders University Scholarships, including their benefits, eligibility criteria, required documents, and a step-by-step application process to help you apply successfully.
Flinders University offers two main fully funded scholarships through its international Higher Degree by Research annual scholarship round:
- Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (AGRTPS)
- Flinders International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (FIPRS)
Applicants do not apply separately for these scholarships. One application is assessed for both awards, with up to five AGRTPS and up to five FIPRS places normally available each year. Competition is extremely strong, as Flinders receives hundreds of applications for no more than approximately ten awards across the two schemes.
Related Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia
- Adelaide University Scholarship
- Melbourne Research Scholarships
- Deakin University Scholarships
- Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia
Flinders University Scholarships Summary
- Level of Study: Master’s by Research / PhD
- Institution: Flinders University
- Study Destination: Adelaide, Australia
- Courses Offered: Eligible Higher Degree by Research programmes and research areas
- Program Period: Up to two years for a master’s by research and three years and six months for a research doctorate
Flinders offers research master’s programmes in areas including arts, business, engineering, law and science, alongside doctoral research opportunities across the university’s academic disciplines. The proposed project must align with an area in which Flinders has research strength, concentrated resources and relevant external funding.
Application Deadline
The 2027 Flinders University international Higher Degree by Research scholarship round followed this schedule:
- Applications opened: April 30, 2026
- Application deadline: June 18, 2026
- Scholarship commencement: 2027
The application round for scholarships commencing in 2027 is now closed. Flinders normally assesses applications after the closing date and aims to communicate outcomes by the end of August. Scholarship recipients are generally expected to commence their research degree no later than March 31, 2027, although a later start may be approved in exceptional circumstances.
Applicants who missed this round should monitor the official Flinders HDR scholarships page for the next international scholarship dates. Scholarship offers cannot be deferred; applicants who are unable to commence must normally submit a new application in a future round.
Flinders University Scholarship Coverage
Both scholarships provide full tuition funding and a living stipend, but there are important differences in health insurance and Commonwealth sponsorship.
Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship
The Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship provides:
- Full international tuition fee offset
- A tax-free stipend of AUD 36,061 per year, based on the published 2026 rate
- Fortnightly stipend payments
- Stipend funding for up to two years for a master’s by research
- Stipend funding for up to three years and six months for a research doctorate
- Tuition-fee coverage for up to two years for a research master’s
- Tuition-fee coverage for up to four years for a research doctorate
- Overseas Student Health Cover for the scholarship recipient and accompanying dependants
- An establishment allowance of up to AUD 1,485 for eligible relocation and airfare expenses
The stipend is indexed annually, so the amount paid during 2027 may differ from the published 2026 rate. The AGRTPS is treated as a Commonwealth-sponsored scholarship for student-visa purposes.
Flinders International Postgraduate Research Scholarship
The Flinders International Postgraduate Research Scholarship provides:
- Full international tuition fees
- A tax-free stipend of AUD 36,061 per year, based on the published 2026 rate
- Fortnightly stipend payments
- Stipend funding for up to two years for a master’s by research
- Stipend funding for up to three years and six months for a research doctorate
- Tuition-fee coverage for up to two years for a research master’s
- Tuition-fee coverage for up to four years for a research doctorate
- An establishment allowance of up to AUD 1,485 for eligible relocation and airfare expenses
- A possible thesis allowance of up to AUD 500 toward eligible thesis-production costs
The FIPRS does not include Overseas Student Health Cover and is not considered a Commonwealth-sponsored scholarship for visa purposes. International recipients must therefore arrange and pay for the required health insurance unless it is funded from another approved source.
Eligibility Criteria for Flinders University Scholarships
To qualify for the Flinders University Scholarships, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Eligible Countries: Citizens of any overseas country except New Zealand may apply.
- Applicants must not be Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or New Zealand citizens.
- Applicants must intend to commence a full-time Higher Degree by Research at Flinders University in 2027.
- Applicants must normally be commencing a Higher Degree by Research in Australia for the first time.
- Applicants must apply for an eligible master’s by research or research doctorate.
- The proposed project must be within an area of research concentration at Flinders University.
- Applicants must meet the academic and English-language requirements for their chosen research degree.
- Applicants must have an agreement from a Flinders academic who is willing to supervise the proposed research.
- Evidence of the supervisor’s agreement must be submitted with the scholarship application.
- Applicants must demonstrate strong academic performance, research training, research experience and potential for independent research.
- All eligibility evidence must be available when the application is submitted. Incomplete applications are not considered.
Students who began a research degree during the previous year but could not apply because of the timing of their admission and enrolment may be considered in limited circumstances. An applicant who commenced and then terminated a research degree within six months may also be considered, but this is subject to the scholarship conditions.
Academic Admission Requirements
For PhD admission, applicants generally need a First Class or Upper Second Class Australian Bachelor Honours degree or an equivalent qualification at Australian Qualifications Framework Level 8 or above.
The qualifying degree should include a research component equivalent to at least six months of full-time study, and applicants should normally have achieved a distinction-level result of at least 75% in that research component. Relevant postgraduate qualifications and substantial research experience may also be considered.
For a master’s by research, applicants generally need an Australian Honours degree or an equivalent qualification containing a substantial research component relevant to the proposed project. Flinders may also consider evidence of equivalent research preparation, such as major authorship of a refereed publication, participation in a competitive grant or relevant professional research experience.
Meeting the admission requirements does not necessarily make an applicant competitive for the scholarships. Admission and scholarship selection are separate assessments.
Scholarship Shortlisting Requirements
Flinders uses higher shortlisting benchmarks when ranking international scholarship applications. Applicants are expected to demonstrate:
- At least two years of full-time-equivalent academic study containing a substantial coursework component
- Academic performance placing them within approximately the top 11% to 15% of their cohort or higher
- A thesis or research project completed as part of a university qualification
- A score of approximately 85% or equivalent for the thesis or research project
- Evidence of research publications
- A proposed project aligned with a recognised Flinders research concentration
Applicants may include up to five publications, which are scored according to their quality, the applicant’s contribution and the standing of the publication outlet. Flinders states that applicants without publications are unlikely to be competitive, and all students selected in the previous international scholarship round submitted the maximum five publications.
The five publications included in the scholarship assessment should generally be no more than five years old. Applicants with a longer publication record should work with their proposed supervisor to identify the five strongest and most relevant outputs.
English Language Requirements
For most Flinders master’s by research and PhD programmes, applicants can meet the English requirement through one of the following routes:
- English is their first language;
- They completed an eligible previous qualification in English in a country where English is the official or main language;
- They achieved an IELTS Academic score of at least 6.5 overall, with at least 6.5 in Writing and 6.0 in every other component;
- They achieved the required equivalent score in TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced, Duolingo English Test or LanguageCert Academic; or
- They completed another English-language pathway accepted by Flinders.
The PhD in Clinical Psychology has a higher IELTS requirement of 7.0 overall and 7.0 in every component.
For the 2027 scholarship round, evidence of English proficiency had to be uploaded with the application and remain valid until at least March 31, 2027. Applications submitted without valid evidence were made ineligible. A test result generally must be less than two years old at the proposed commencement date, while an eligible English-medium qualification must generally have been completed within the previous five years.
Applicants whose previous degree was taught in English should not assume that a general Medium of Instruction letter will automatically provide an exemption. Flinders assesses whether the qualification, country and evidence satisfy its specific policy. You can review our guide to scholarships without IELTS, but the university makes the final assessment.
How to Apply for Flinders University Scholarships?
The 2027 scholarship round has closed, but the following process explains how applications were submitted and will help applicants prepare for a future round.
(1) Check the Higher Degree by Research admission requirements and the international scholarship shortlisting criteria.
Before investing time in the application, compare your academic grades, thesis result, research experience and publications with the scholarship benchmarks. An applicant may qualify for PhD admission without being competitive enough to receive one of the limited scholarships.
(2) Use the Flinders research supervisor directory to identify an academic whose work closely matches your proposed project.
Contact the academic with a focused explanation of your research background, proposed topic and reasons for approaching them. Include your academic transcripts, a brief research outline and a concise academic CV highlighting your thesis, publications, research experience, technical skills and relevant employment.
You must obtain written agreement from a Flinders academic who is willing to supervise you if the application succeeds. Applicants without supervisor confirmation are not considered for AGRTPS or FIPRS.
(3) Prepare your research project outline and submit a separate application for Higher Degree by Research admission through the Flinders StudyLink application portal.
The admission application should include certified academic evidence, proof of English proficiency, a research experience statement, your proposed research project and the supervisor’s confirmation. Applicants are advised to apply early because admission and scholarship applications are separate processes.
(4) After registering through StudyLink, note the Flinders Student ID sent to you by the university. Activate your account using your Student ID and date of birth to obtain a Flinders Authentication Name.
Use these credentials to access the Flinders Student System and submit the separate application for the International RHD Scholarship Group. You only submit one scholarship application to be assessed for both AGRTPS and FIPRS.
(5) Upload the research proposal, certified transcripts, CV, supervisor confirmation, English-language evidence and supporting publication documents.
The scholarship research proposal should be approximately 500 words and clearly identify:
- The research problem;
- The hypothesis, research question or proposed design; and
- The methodology or approach that will be used.
Applicants may include no more than five publications in the formal scholarship assessment. Each selected publication must have a completed publication cover sheet containing a working URL. Publications submitted without the required cover sheet are not considered.
(6) Complete Section A of two Academic Referee’s Confidential Report forms and send the forms to two suitable academic referees.
The referees should know your academic work and be able to assess your research ability and potential. Each referee must submit the completed form directly to hdr.scholarships@flinders.edu.au before the scholarship deadline. Reports received after the closing date are not considered. Our guide on requesting a scholarship recommendation letter can help you select and approach appropriate referees.
(7) Review both applications carefully before submitting them. Admission to a research degree does not automatically mean that a scholarship application has been lodged.
Applicants using an education agent should confirm whether the agent has submitted both the admission application and the separate scholarship application. If only the admission application has been completed, the applicant must submit the scholarship application independently through the Student System.
Applicants who submitted both applications are informed of the admission and scholarship outcomes at the same time. A candidate who receives admission but is not awarded funding must still accept, decline or request deferral of the admission offer.
Documents Required for Flinders University Scholarships
Applicants should prepare the following documents:
- Completed Higher Degree by Research admission application
- Separate International RHD Scholarship Group application
- Written confirmation from a Flinders University research supervisor
- Certified copies of all university-level academic transcripts
- Certified English translations of documents issued in another language
- Evidence of English-language proficiency valid for the required period
- Research proposal of approximately 500 words
- Updated academic CV covering employment, research experience and publications
- Up to five research publications published within the previous five years
- A completed publication cover sheet for each selected publication
- Working URL or DOI for each publication
- Two Academic Referee’s Confidential Reports
- Research experience statement and other documents required for HDR admission
- Programme-specific evidence requested by the relevant academic college
All scholarship documents must be in English and submitted in PDF format with the correct page orientation. Flinders recommends naming each file with the applicant’s family name and document type, such as Surname_Transcript or Surname_Publication1. Mobile-phone photographs of documents are not accepted as certified scans.
Website
For more information about the Flinders University Scholarships, please visit the official pages:
- International Higher Degree by Research Scholarships and Fees
- Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship
- Flinders International Postgraduate Research Scholarship
- StudyLink Admission Portal
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the Flinders University Scholarships fully funded?
Yes. Both AGRTPS and FIPRS cover international tuition fees, provide a tax-free living stipend and offer a relocation allowance. AGRTPS also covers Overseas Student Health Cover for the recipient and their dependants, while FIPRS recipients must arrange their own health insurance.
Can international students apply?
Yes. Citizens of overseas countries may apply, except Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and citizens of New Zealand. Applicants must meet the admission and scholarship requirements for full-time research study at Flinders University.
Are the scholarships available for master’s students?
Yes. Both scholarships support eligible master’s by research programmes for up to two years. They do not fund postgraduate coursework master’s degrees.
What is the difference between AGRTPS and FIPRS?
AGRTPS is funded through the Australian Government and includes tuition, a living stipend, relocation support and Overseas Student Health Cover for the recipient and their dependants.
FIPRS is funded by Flinders University and provides tuition, a stipend and relocation support, but it does not include health insurance and is not considered a Commonwealth-sponsored scholarship for visa purposes.
Do I need to submit two scholarship applications?
No. Applicants submit one International RHD Scholarship Group application and are assessed for both scholarships. The highest-ranked eligible applicants receive AGRTPS, while the next highest-ranked applicants may receive FIPRS.
Do I need a supervisor before applying?
Yes. Applicants must contact a suitable Flinders academic and obtain written confirmation that the academic is willing to supervise the project. Applications without supervisor confirmation are not considered for either scholarship.
Can I apply without publications?
Flinders does not describe publications as a universal HDR admission requirement, but applicants without published research are unlikely to be competitive for these scholarships. All successful applicants in the previous international scholarship round submitted five publications.
Is IELTS compulsory?
Not always. Applicants may satisfy the English requirement through an accepted English-language test, eligible prior study completed in English or another route approved by Flinders. For most research programmes, the IELTS requirement is 6.5 overall, with 6.5 in Writing and 6.0 in the remaining components.
