The Monash University Malaysia Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship 2026 supports high-achieving students pursuing a research master’s or PhD degree at Monash University Malaysia. The scholarship provides a full tuition fee waiver and a monthly stipend of MYR2,950 for up to two years for research master’s students and three years and six months for doctoral students. Unlike scholarships requiring a separate form, new applicants select the Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship while completing their graduate research admission application, while current Monash Malaysia research students may apply once during their first year of enrolment. In this article, we have explained everything you need to know about the Monash University Malaysia Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship, including its benefits, eligibility criteria, required documents, and a step-by-step application process to help you apply successfully.
The Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship, commonly called GRES, is awarded competitively rather than automatically to every applicant who meets the minimum academic requirement. Monash Malaysia considers the applicant’s academic record, research publications, previous research experience, and overall research potential, and shortlisted applicants are contacted by their school for an interview.
Related Scholarships in Malaysia
- Malaysia Government Scholarship
- Malaysian Government MTCP Scholarship
- Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Scholarship
- Universiti Malaya Bright Scholarship
Monash University Malaysia Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship Summary
- Level of Study: Research Master’s / PhD
- Institution: Monash University Malaysia
- Study Destination: Malaysia
- Program Period: Two years for a research master’s and three years and six months for a PhD
The eligible graduate research programmes are offered through the following academic areas:
- Arts and Social Sciences
- Business
- Engineering
- Information Technology
- Medicine and Health Sciences
- Pharmacy
- Science
Application Deadline
Monash University Malaysia offers four Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship rounds during 2026:
- Round 1: February 13, 2026
- Round 2: April 30, 2026
- Round 3: July 31, 2026
- Round 4: October 1, 2026
Your Higher Degree by Research offer letter must be issued by the applicable scholarship deadline for you to be considered in that round. The deadline is therefore not simply the date by which you should begin or submit your admission application.
Monash Malaysia advises applicants to allow approximately four to eight weeks for a graduate research application to be assessed. Applicants targeting the October 1, 2026 scholarship round should therefore submit a complete admission and scholarship application well before October rather than waiting until the scholarship closing date.
Monash University Malaysia Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship Coverage
The Monash University Malaysia Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship provides:
- A 100% tuition fee waiver
- A monthly stipend of MYR2,950 at the 2026 rate
- Funding for up to two years of full-time equivalent study for a research master’s degree
- Funding for up to three years and six months of full-time equivalent study for a doctoral degree
The stipend is intended to help recipients manage their living expenses while focusing on their research. However, the official scholarship information does not list separate funding for airfare, relocation, student visa charges, medical insurance, accommodation, research expenses or dependent-family costs. International students should budget for these expenses unless their school or another funding source confirms additional support.
Eligibility Criteria for Monash University Malaysia Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship
To qualify for the Monash University Malaysia Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship, applicants must fulfil the following requirements:
- Eligible Applicants: New and eligible first-year Monash University Malaysia graduate research students
- Required Language: English
- Applicants must apply for or be enrolled in an eligible research master’s or doctoral programme at Monash University Malaysia.
- Applicants must possess First Class Honours, known as H1, or an academic qualification recognised by Monash Malaysia as equivalent to First Class Honours.
- Applicants must meet the academic and English-language admission requirements of their selected graduate research programme.
- Applicants must have received, or be eligible to receive, an offer to study at Monash University Malaysia.
- Selection is based on academic performance, research publications, research output and previous research experience.
- Applicants must not have already completed a graduate research degree at the same level. For example, an applicant seeking funding for a second PhD would not be eligible.
- Applicants holding external financial assistance must obtain approval from the Monash University Malaysia Scholarship Office.
- The conditions of the external funding must not conflict with the Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship.
- Scholarships are awarded competitively, and meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee selection.
Eligibility for New Students
New applicants must apply for admission to an eligible research master’s or PhD programme and select the Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship during the same online application.
There is no separate Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship form for new applicants. The scholarship request is included within the graduate research admission application.
Eligibility for Current Monash Malaysia Students
Current graduate research students may apply only if they are still within their first year of candidature.
A current student may apply for the Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship only once. The student should discuss the application with their supervisor before completing the current-student scholarship form.
English Language Requirements
All applicants must submit complete and verifiable evidence of English proficiency with their admission and scholarship application. An application without acceptable English-language documentation may not be assessed. Test results must generally be obtained at an authorised test centre, must not be more than two years old and must remain valid at the proposed commencement date.
The minimum requirements depend on the applicant’s academic area.
For Arts, Business and related advanced-requirement fields, the accepted scores include:
- IELTS Academic: Overall 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component
- PTE Academic: Overall 65 with at least 58 in each component
- Cambridge C1 Advanced: Overall 185, with the required component scores
For Engineering, Information Technology, Medicine and Health Sciences, Pharmacy and Science, the standard requirements include:
- IELTS Academic: Overall 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component
- PTE Academic: Overall 58 with at least 50 in each component
- Cambridge C1 Advanced: Overall 176 with at least 169 in each component
TOEFL is also accepted, but Monash introduced a revised scoring scale for tests taken from January 21, 2026. Applicants using TOEFL should check the official English-language requirements for the score applicable to their test date and academic area.
Applicants may also satisfy the English requirement through eligible previous tertiary study taught and assessed entirely in English. The qualification must normally have a sufficient full-time duration, have been completed within the required timeframe and be supported by acceptable institutional evidence. You can also review our guide to scholarships without IELTS, but Monash makes the final decision on whether previous English-medium education is acceptable.
How to Apply for Monash University Malaysia Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship?
Please follow the instructions below to apply for the Monash University Malaysia Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship:
(1) Review the available graduate research programmes at Monash University Malaysia and choose a degree that matches your academic qualifications, research experience and proposed area of study.
The research degrees currently available include:
- Doctor of Philosophy in Arts and Social Sciences
- Master of Philosophy and PhD in Business
- Master of Engineering Science by Research and PhD in Engineering
- Master of Philosophy and PhD in Information Technology
- Master of Biomedical Science and PhD in Medicine and Health Sciences
- Master of Philosophy and PhD in Pharmacy
- Master of Science by Research and PhD in Science
(2) Check the academic entry requirements for your selected programme and confirm that your qualifications are equivalent to First Class Honours.
The minimum First Class Honours requirement is only the starting point. Since GRES selection considers research output and previous research experience, applicants should also assess whether their thesis, publications, conference papers, research employment or other achievements make them competitive.
(3) Identify at least one potential supervisor whose expertise matches your research interests. Monash University Malaysia states that graduate research degrees involve developing and investigating a research problem in consultation with an appropriate supervisor.
Use the Monash University supervisor search to identify academics working in your proposed field, then contact the most relevant person with a short explanation of your research interests, academic background and proposed project.
Prepare a focused academic CV that highlights your thesis, research experience, publications, conference presentations, academic awards, technical skills and relevant employment. Monash asks applicants to upload a CV of no more than two pages covering relevant education, research and experience not already explained elsewhere in the application.
(4) Develop a clear research proposal in consultation with your proposed supervisor. Your proposal should define the research problem, explain why it matters, establish its connection to existing research and describe the proposed methods and expected contribution.
The application asks for your proposed research title or area of interest and requires the research proposal to be uploaded with the supporting documents.
(5) Prepare evidence that you satisfy the relevant English-language requirement. Submit a valid test result or acceptable proof that your previous qualification was taught and assessed in English.
Do not submit an application without English-language evidence and assume it can be supplied after the scholarship deadline. Monash states that incomplete English-language documentation may prevent the application from being assessed for admission and scholarship consideration.
(6) Create an account and submit the graduate research application through the Monash My.App application system.
During the application, select:
- Monash University Malaysia as the study location
- Your intended graduate research degree and academic unit
- The appropriate scholarship round
- Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship as your intended scholarship
New applicants do not need to complete a separate GRES form. Selecting the scholarship within the graduate research application is sufficient.
(7) Upload all required academic and research documents before submitting the application. Monash does not allow applicants to change their responses after final submission, so review the application and uploaded evidence carefully.
Where several documents must be uploaded under one item, combine them into a single PDF or Word file. Individual files must normally remain within the size limit shown in the application system.
(8) Enter the details of at least two referees who know your academic abilities and can assess your research potential.
Monash may contact the referees directly if further information is required. Choose academics or research supervisors who can discuss your ability to conduct independent research rather than referees who know you only in a general capacity. Our guide on scholarship recommendation letters can help you approach suitable referees.
(9) Submit the application early enough to receive your Higher Degree by Research offer letter before the scholarship-round deadline.
The application normally takes four to eight weeks to process. After assessment, Monash University Malaysia will notify you by email and explain the enrolment process if admission is offered.
(10) If shortlisted, attend the interview arranged by the relevant Monash Malaysia school. The interview may examine your proposed research, academic preparation, previous research experience, understanding of the project and ability to complete the degree successfully.
You can use our guide to scholarship interview questions and answers when preparing, but your answers should remain closely connected to your research proposal, publications and actual experience.
Documents Required for Monash University Malaysia Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship
Applicants should prepare the following documents:
- Completed online graduate research admission and scholarship application
- Copy of passport, birth certificate or citizenship evidence
- Curriculum vitae of no more than two pages
- Research proposal
- Bachelor’s degree certificate
- Bachelor’s degree academic transcripts
- Master’s degree certificate and transcripts for PhD applicants, where applicable
- Official explanation of the grading system used by the previous university
- Final thesis or examiner reports, where requested
- Evidence of English-language proficiency
- Names and contact details of at least two referees
- Evidence of academic awards, prizes or previous scholarships
- Evidence of relevant research or professional experience
- Proof of accepted or published journal articles, books or book chapters
- Conference abstracts and the front pages or contents pages of relevant publications
- Evidence of previous graduate research candidature, where applicable
- Sponsorship or external scholarship letter, where applicable
- Programme-specific portfolio or creative-work evidence, where required.
Website
To learn more about the Monash University Malaysia Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship and submit your application, please visit the official pages:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Monash University Malaysia Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship fully funded?
Yes. The scholarship provides a full tuition fee waiver and a monthly living stipend of MYR2,950 at the 2026 rate.
However, the official scholarship information does not list separate allowances for airfare, relocation, accommodation, visa costs, health insurance or dependants.
Can international students apply for the Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship?
Yes. International students may apply for eligible research master’s and doctoral programmes at Monash University Malaysia and request consideration for GRES during their graduate research application.
Applicants must meet the academic, English-language and scholarship requirements.
Is the scholarship available for master’s students?
Yes. The scholarship supports eligible research master’s degrees for up to two years of full-time equivalent study.
It does not fund postgraduate coursework master’s programmes.
How much is the monthly stipend?
Recipients receive MYR2,950 per month at the published 2026 rate.
Monash may revise the stipend in future years, so applicants should check the official scholarship page before applying.
Do I need to submit a separate scholarship application?
New applicants do not submit a separate Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship form. They select the scholarship when completing the graduate research admission application.
Current Monash Malaysia research students must use the designated current-student form and can apply only once during their first year.
What academic result is required?
Applicants must possess First Class Honours or a qualification recognised by Monash Malaysia as equivalent to First Class Honours.
Meeting this minimum does not guarantee selection because academic record, publications, research output and previous research experience are also considered.
Do I need to find a supervisor before applying?
Monash University Malaysia instructs graduate research applicants to identify at least one potential supervisor as part of the application process.
Contacting a suitable supervisor before applying also helps you develop a realistic research proposal aligned with the school’s expertise.
Is IELTS compulsory?
Not always. Applicants may satisfy the English requirement through an accepted test or eligible previous tertiary study completed in English.
Applicants using IELTS generally need an overall score of 6.5 or 7.0, depending on the academic area. Monash makes the final decision on whether previous English-medium education is acceptable.
Is there an interview?
Yes. Applicants considered for the scholarship are contacted by their school for an interview after the admission and scholarship application has been assessed.
Do scholarship recipients have teaching duties?
Recipients must contribute up to 240 hours per year to academic or research-support activities assigned by their managing school.
