The Queensland University of Technology Scholarships 2027 support international students undertaking undergraduate, postgraduate coursework, master’s by research, and PhD programmes at QUT in Brisbane, Australia. The university’s two major research awards—the Australian Government Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship and the QUT Postgraduate Research Award—provide a tax-free living allowance currently valued at AUD 37,010 per year and cover international research tuition fees, while eligible QUTPRA recipients also receive single Overseas Student Health Cover. International students beginning eligible undergraduate or coursework postgraduate degrees may instead receive the International Merit Scholarship, which covers 25% of tuition fees throughout the course. Unlike the automatically assessed coursework scholarship, research applicants must find a suitable supervisor, prepare a faculty-specific research proposal, and submit an Expression of Interest through QUT’s annual research scholarship round. In this article, we have explained everything you need to know about the Queensland University of Technology Scholarships, including their benefits, eligibility criteria, required documents, and a step-by-step application process to help you apply successfully.
The main Queensland University of Technology scholarships covered in this guide are:
- Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship
- QUT Postgraduate Research Award
- International Merit Scholarship
The first two awards support eligible Master of Philosophy and PhD candidates through QUT’s central research scholarship round. Applicants indicate their interest in scholarship consideration within the research-degree Expression of Interest and do not submit a separate application for each central research award.
Related Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia
Queensland University of Technology Scholarships Summary
- Level of Study: Undergraduate / Master / PhD
- Institution: Queensland University of Technology
- Study Destination: Brisbane, Australia
- Courses Offered: Eligible coursework and research programmes across QUT faculties
- Research Scholarship Period: Up to 1.75 years for an MPhil and 3.5 years for a PhD under QUTPRA
QUT offers research opportunities in architecture and the built environment, business and law, creative industries, education, engineering, health, justice, information technology, mathematics, science, social sciences, and related fields. Applicants can select an available QUT research topic or develop their own proposal with an appropriate supervisor.
Application Deadline
The deadline depends on the scholarship.
RTP and QUT Postgraduate Research Award Deadline
The 2027 QUT Annual Research Scholarship Round follows this schedule:
- Applications opened: April 1, 2026
- Deadline for international applicants: July 31, 2026
- Deadline for domestic applicants: August 31, 2026
- Scholarship outcomes issued: From November 21, 2026
- Scholarship commencement: Between January and July 2027
International applicants must submit their research-degree Expression of Interest by July 31, 2026 and meet QUT’s English-language requirements when the scholarship application is submitted. Successful recipients must be able to commence their programme and scholarship by the end of July 2027.
Submitting an Expression of Interest before the round closes is essential, but applicants should not wait until the final week to contact a supervisor. Preparing the research proposal, obtaining written supervisory support, collecting academic evidence, and completing the online form can take several weeks.
International Merit Scholarship Deadline
There is no separate International Merit Scholarship application or universal scholarship deadline. Eligible students are assessed automatically when they apply for admission to an approved QUT undergraduate or postgraduate coursework programme.
Applicants should follow the admission deadline for their chosen course and intake. The scholarship outcome is normally included with the QUT admission offer.
Queensland University of Technology Scholarship Coverage
Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship
The Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship is funded by the Australian Government and awarded by QUT to applicants with exceptional research potential.
The scholarship provides:
- A tax-free stipend of AUD 37,010 per year, based on the published 2026 full-time rate
- Fortnightly stipend payments
- Annual stipend indexation
- An Australian Government RTP Fees Offset
- Full tuition-fee coverage for the approved research period
- The opportunity to apply for an interstate relocation allowance of up to AUD 1,520
- The opportunity to claim a thesis allowance of AUD 420 for a research master’s or AUD 840 for a PhD after submitting the thesis
The stipend rate is indexed annually, so the amount paid to students commencing in 2027 may be higher than AUD 37,010. Successful applicants should check their final offer for the applicable 2027 rate.
International applicants awarded an RTP Stipend also receive an RTP Fees Offset covering their eligible research tuition fees. Applicants cannot apply independently for the fee offset; QUT assesses it through the research admission and scholarship process.
The official RTP scholarship page does not list airfare, accommodation, student visa costs, family expenses, or Overseas Student Health Cover among its standard benefits. Applicants should budget for expenses that are not expressly included in their scholarship offer.
QUT Postgraduate Research Award
The QUT Postgraduate Research Award, commonly called QUTPRA, is funded by Queensland University of Technology and supports students with exceptional research potential.
The scholarship provides:
- A tax-free annual stipend of AUD 37,010, based on the published 2026 rate
- Fortnightly stipend payments
- Annual indexation
- Funding for up to 3.5 years for a PhD
- Funding for up to 1.75 years for a Master of Philosophy
- Tuition-fee sponsorship for the first four full-time-equivalent years of doctoral study
- Tuition-fee sponsorship for the first two full-time-equivalent years of master’s research study
- Single Overseas Student Health Cover for eligible international recipients
Single Overseas Student Health Cover applies only to the scholarship recipient. The QUTPRA page does not state that health insurance for a spouse or accompanying children is included, so applicants travelling with family should budget for dependant cover separately.
International Merit Scholarship
The QUT International Merit Scholarship supports high-achieving international students beginning eligible undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programmes.
Recipients receive:
- A 25% tuition-fee reduction
- The discount applied during each semester of the eligible programme
- Continued support for the normal duration of the course, provided the student meets the ongoing academic requirements
- Possible membership of the QUT College of Excellence
The scholarship is offered across QUT’s faculties of Business and Law; Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice; Engineering; Health; and Science, although individual course eligibility must be checked before applying.
Eligibility Criteria for Queensland University of Technology Scholarships
The requirements depend on whether you are applying for a research scholarship or the International Merit Scholarship.
RTP and QUT Postgraduate Research Award Eligibility
To qualify for QUT’s central research scholarships, applicants must:
- Be applying for or enrolled in an eligible QUT research degree
- Meet the academic entry requirements for the Master of Philosophy or PhD
- Meet QUT’s English-language requirements when submitting the scholarship application
- Identify an appropriate QUT supervisor
- Obtain written support from the proposed supervisor
- Prepare a research proposal using the template required by the relevant faculty
- Demonstrate strong academic achievement and research potential
- Not be receiving another living-allowance scholarship for the same research degree
- Normally enrol as a full-time internal student
- Submit all required evidence before the scholarship deadline
International students may apply for both the RTP Stipend and QUTPRA. Meeting the minimum entry requirements does not guarantee funding because scholarships are awarded competitively and the number available varies each year.
Current QUT research students may be eligible if they have completed:
- Less than one year of full-time-equivalent doctoral candidature; or
- Less than six months of full-time-equivalent research master’s candidature.
Eligible current students are invited to apply when the annual scholarship round opens.
Research Scholarship Selection Criteria
Each QUT faculty applies its own scholarship-ranking criteria. However, assessment generally considers:
- Academic excellence
- Quality and feasibility of the research proposal
- Publications and other research outputs
- Previous research or relevant professional experience
- Alignment with faculty and university research priorities
- Strength of the proposed research environment
- Supervisor and school support
- English-language proficiency, where relevant
For example, the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice allocates 50% of its assessment to the proposal, while Engineering and Science also consider publications, citations, patents, professional experience, research alignment, and supervisory capacity.
Applicants should therefore avoid relying only on high grades. A proposal closely aligned with QUT’s research strengths, supported by an experienced supervisory team, can be important in the final ranking.
Academic Requirements for Master of Philosophy
Applicants for a QUT Master of Philosophy normally need:
- A completed bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline;
- A minimum GPA of 5.0 on QUT’s seven-point scale; and
- Relevant professional or research experience;
or:
- A completed bachelor’s honours degree in a relevant discipline.
The proposed project must also be one that the relevant faculty has the supervision, facilities, and resources to support.
The scholarship competition is considerably more selective than general admission. Applicants with stronger grades, a substantial previous research project, publications, awards, or relevant research employment are more likely to be competitive.
Academic Requirements for PhD
Applicants for a QUT PhD must normally hold either:
- A recognised relevant honours degree at first-class or second-class Division A level, or an equivalent qualification; or
- A recognised master’s degree or professional doctorate completed through research or coursework.
A coursework master’s or professional doctorate must normally contain a research component representing at least 25% of the qualification. Applicants using this route must also:
- Have a minimum GPA of 5.0 on QUT’s seven-point scale; and
- Demonstrate research experience and potential.
Admission also depends on QUT having the necessary supervision, research infrastructure, and resources for the proposed project.
English-Language Requirements
International research applicants must meet the English-language requirements before submitting their Expression of Interest for the scholarship round.
The standard requirements for the QUT Master of Philosophy and PhD are:
- IELTS Academic: Overall 6.5 with at least 6.0 in every component
- PTE Academic: Overall 58 with at least 50 in each communicative skill
- Cambridge C1 Advanced: Overall 176 with at least 169 in every component
- TOEFL iBT: Overall 79, including at least 16 in Listening, 16 in Reading, 21 in Writing, and 18 in Speaking
English test results must generally have been obtained within two years of the intended QUT course commencement.
QUT may recognise eligible qualifications completed in approved English-speaking countries or other forms of accepted English-language evidence. Applicants should check the official research-degree entry requirements rather than assuming that a general Medium of Instruction letter will automatically provide an exemption.
You can also review our guide to scholarships without IELTS, but QUT makes the final decision on whether an applicant’s previous study or test result satisfies its English requirements.
International Merit Scholarship Eligibility
To qualify for the International Merit Scholarship, applicants must:
- Be international students
- Meet the academic entry requirements for an eligible QUT course
- Meet the minimum English-language requirements
- Be commencing the course for the first time
- Receive an admission offer for an eligible undergraduate or postgraduate coursework programme
- Meet the published academic threshold for their previous country and qualification
- Not receive another QUT academic scholarship
Selection is based entirely on academic performance. Financial need, educational disruption, medical circumstances, and other personal factors are not considered when determining eligibility.
The required academic result differs by country and qualification. For example, the published threshold includes an ATAR of 90 for Australian secondary qualifications, an International Baccalaureate admission score of 34 for students who studied the IB in Australia, and country-specific results for overseas qualifications. Applicants should check their own qualification on the official International Merit Scholarship page.
How to Apply for Queensland University of Technology Scholarships?
The application process differs between research scholarships and the International Merit Scholarship.
How to Apply for RTP and QUT Postgraduate Research Awards?
(1) Review the QUT Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy programmes and confirm that your academic qualifications and research background meet the entry requirements.
Use QUT’s research-degree eligibility checker as an initial guide. Applicants whose qualifications were completed more than ten years ago or whose eligibility depends primarily on extensive professional experience should proceed through the normal application process for an individual assessment.
(2) Decide whether to apply for an existing project or develop your own research topic.
Search the available QUT student topics for projects aligned with your qualifications and experience. You may also develop your own topic when QUT has suitable supervision and research resources.
(3) Identify an appropriate academic using the QUT experts and supervisors directory.
Contact the academic with a focused email explaining:
- Your previous qualifications
- Your honours or master’s thesis
- Relevant research experience
- Publications or other research outputs
- Your proposed topic
- Why your project aligns with the academic’s expertise
- Your intention to apply in the 2027 scholarship round
Attach your academic transcripts, preliminary research outline, and a concise academic CV highlighting your research employment, publications, awards, technical skills, and other relevant achievements.
QUT recommends discussing the proposed research with the supervisor early in the process. Written evidence of the supervisor’s support must be uploaded with the Expression of Interest.
(4) Prepare the research proposal with your proposed supervisor.
QUT uses different proposal templates for:
- Business and law
- Creative industries, education, and social justice
- Engineering
- Health
- Psychology and counselling
- Science
The proposal should be written by the applicant but developed in consultation with the supervisor. It should normally explain the research problem, relevant literature, objectives, methods, expected contribution, project feasibility, and alignment with the faculty’s research priorities.
The proposal is a major scholarship-selection document. In some faculties, its quality carries as much as 50% of the scholarship assessment.
(5) Prepare the information required for the online Expression of Interest.
The form asks applicants to provide:
- Personal and academic information
- Evidence of supervisory support
- English-language certification
- A short summary of the project
- Research objectives
- Overview of the topic
- Proposed research methods
- Potential industry engagement, where relevant
- Previous research experience
- Academic records
- CV
- Citizenship or residence evidence
- Full research proposal
Each short project-summary field has a maximum limit of 500 characters, so applicants should prepare concise responses before opening the form.
(6) Submit the Expression of Interest through the QUT research application portal by July 31, 2026.
In the financial details section, indicate that you wish to be considered for the QUT Annual Research Scholarship Round. You do not need to submit separate applications for the RTP Stipend and QUT Postgraduate Research Award.
Some applicants must apply through an approved QUT representative based on their country of citizenship or residence. The online portal will identify whether this requirement applies.
(7) QUT will assess your Expression of Interest for academic admission, research suitability, supervision, English proficiency, and scholarship competitiveness.
If the Expression of Interest is supported, QUT will invite you to complete the final application. The entire admission process normally takes six to eight weeks, although applications submitted during the annual scholarship round may take longer.
(8) Complete the final application and provide any additional documents requested by QUT.
Scholarship outcomes for the 2027 round will begin to be issued from November 21, 2026. Successful recipients must accept their admission and scholarship offers and arrange to commence between January and July 2027.
How to Apply for the International Merit Scholarship?
(1) Search QUT’s international undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programmes and confirm that your chosen course is eligible for the scholarship.
(2) Check the academic threshold for your country and previous qualification on the International Merit Scholarship page.
(3) Submit an international admission application through QUT’s official application system or an approved QUT representative where required. Upload your academic records, passport, English-language evidence, and any course-specific supporting documents.
(4) No separate scholarship form is required. QUT assesses the qualifications submitted with the course application and includes the scholarship outcome with the admission offer when the applicant qualifies.
Documents Required for Queensland University of Technology Scholarships
Applicants for the RTP Stipend and QUT Postgraduate Research Award should prepare:
- Completed research-degree Expression of Interest
- Passport, birth certificate, or citizenship evidence
- Bachelor’s degree certificate
- Complete bachelor’s academic transcripts
- Honours degree certificate and transcripts, where applicable
- Master’s degree certificate and transcripts for PhD applicants, where applicable
- Official grading scale used by each previous institution
- Certified English translations of documents issued in another language
- Evidence of English-language proficiency
- Academic CV or résumé
- Evidence of research-related employment
- Evidence of publications and other research achievements
- Full research proposal using the appropriate faculty template
- Written evidence of support from the proposed QUT supervisor
- Short project summaries required in the online form
- Employer statements where professional experience supports eligibility
- Evidence of a legal name change where documents contain different names
- External sponsorship statement where an organisation will support the research
Academic records should be high-resolution copies and must show the qualification, subjects, grades, and evidence of completion. Applicants must also provide the previous institution’s grading scale, which may appear on the reverse of the transcript.
The academic CV should emphasise research activities rather than functioning as a general employment résumé. It should include research-related positions, publications, conference outputs, awards, research projects, technical abilities, and other evidence demonstrating the applicant’s research potential.
Applicants for the International Merit Scholarship generally need:
- International course application
- Passport copy
- Secondary-school certificate and results for undergraduate admission
- Degree certificates and transcripts for postgraduate admission
- Proof of English-language proficiency
- Certified translations where required
- Course-specific supplementary documents
QUT will use the qualifications submitted for admission to assess scholarship eligibility automatically.
Website
For more information about the Queensland University of Technology Scholarships, please visit the official pages:
- QUT 2027 Annual Research Scholarship Round
- Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship
- QUT Postgraduate Research Award
- International Merit Scholarship
- Research Application Portal
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the Queensland University of Technology Scholarships fully funded?
The RTP Stipend and QUT Postgraduate Research Award provide a living stipend and cover international research tuition fees. QUTPRA also includes single Overseas Student Health Cover for eligible international recipients.
The International Merit Scholarship is not fully funded because it covers 25% of tuition fees without providing a living allowance. (QUT)
Can international students apply for QUT research scholarships?
Yes. International applicants may compete for the RTP Stipend and QUT Postgraduate Research Award through the 2027 Annual Research Scholarship Round.
They must meet the admission and English-language requirements and submit their Expression of Interest by July 31, 2026.
How much is the QUT scholarship stipend?
The published 2026 stipend rate for both the RTP Stipend and QUTPRA is AUD 37,010 per year, paid fortnightly and tax-free at the full-time rate.
The stipend is indexed annually, so the amount payable in 2027 may be higher.
Does the QUT scholarship cover tuition fees?
Yes. International recipients of a QUT-awarded research stipend receive either an RTP Fees Offset or QUT tuition-fee sponsorship for the approved period.
International Merit Scholarship recipients receive a 25% reduction rather than complete tuition coverage.
Is the scholarship available for master’s students?
Yes. The central research awards support eligible Master of Philosophy students. QUTPRA provides a stipend for up to 1.75 years and tuition-fee sponsorship for up to two full-time-equivalent years.
The International Merit Scholarship is also available for eligible postgraduate coursework programmes.
Do I need to find a supervisor before applying?
Yes. Research applicants must identify a suitable QUT supervisor and upload evidence that the supervisor supports the proposed project.
Applicants should then work with the supervisor to develop the faculty-specific research proposal.
Do I need separate applications for RTP and QUTPRA?
No. Applicants indicate their interest in scholarship consideration in the financial details section of the research-degree Expression of Interest.
QUT uses the application to assess candidates for the central research scholarships for which they are eligible.
Is IELTS compulsory for QUT Scholarships?
Not always. QUT accepts TOEFL, PTE Academic, Cambridge English, and certain recognised previous qualifications in addition to IELTS.
The standard research requirement is IELTS 6.5 overall with no component below 6.0, or an accepted equivalent. QUT makes the final decision on whether previous English-medium education satisfies the requirement.
