AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAM (RTP) SCHOLARSHIPS 2027 — AUSTRALIA (FULLY FUNDED)

The Research Training Program (RTP) is the Australian Government’s flagship funding scheme for postgraduate research, replacing the old International Postgraduate Research Scholarship in 2017. It’s not a single centralized scholarship — instead, the government allocates block grants to around 40+ participating Australian universities, who each run their own selection process for domestic and international research students.

For African students pursuing a research master’s or PhD, RTP is one of the most reliable fully funded pathways into Australian higher education, and there’s no separate national application. You apply for the scholarship through the same portal you use to apply for your research degree.

What It Covers

• Full international tuition fee offset
• Living stipend of up to AUD 52,352 per year (amount varies by university)
• Overseas student health cover
• Some universities add relocation, travel, and publication support on top

Who Can Apply

• Domestic and international students applying for a research Master’s or PhD (not coursework degrees)
• Strong academic record and, where relevant, research publications or experience
• English language proficiency requirements set by the individual university

Study Levels: Master’s (research), PhD
Host Country: Australia
Deadline: Set individually by each university — most 2027-intake deadlines fall between August and October 2026 (e.g., University of Sydney: December 18, 2026; Charles Sturt: October 9, 2026). Applicants should confirm the exact date with their chosen university’s research office.

How to Apply

Choose a participating Australian university and apply for admission into an eligible research Master’s or PhD program. Indicate RTP scholarship consideration on the admission application — most universities auto-assess eligible applicants, so no separate scholarship form is usually needed.