100 Questions about the Australian National University's Master of Philosophy, Doctoral, and other Higher Degree Research programs

Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

#1Find a Future Research Supervisor

Based on your research interests and topics, find a supervisor who aligns with your research direction. You can search for their research areas and published works through the following website and obtain their contact information.

🔗https://researchers.anu.edu.au/

#2Check Research Opportunities in Each College

Visit the websites of ANU's various colleges to inquire about the research projects and opportunities they offer. Note that some research areas are interdisciplinary, and different colleges can provide relevant research opportunities.

#3Understand the Application Requirements of Each College

If you have found a supervisor you wish to collaborate with and the college you want to enroll in, you need to understand whether the college requires you to meet specific requirements before applying. For example, most colleges will expect you tofirst find and obtain the support of your future supervisor. Some colleges may require you to first send a brief statement of your research area, expressing your research interests, as well as your academic resume, including transcripts, etc.

Scholarship Applicants

Application Requirements

> Minimum Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for Master of Philosophy degrees

Hold an Australian bachelor's degree or higher with a high distinction or higher overall, or an internationally recognized relevant degree; or hold other equivalent degrees; or have relevant research experience, published journal articles, and/or professional experience.

Admission requirements for Doctor of Philosophy degrees

Hold an Australian bachelor's degree with at least second-class honors (some programs may require first-class honors), or an internationally recognized relevant degree; or hold a degree with a focus on research or thesis publication; or have relevant research experience, published journal articles, and/or professional experience.

> English Language Requirements

Applicants must meet ANU's English language requirements. For example, for academic IELTS scores, the minimum score for all higher degree by research programs (excluding Doctor of Clinical Psychology) isoverall 6.5, with each component 6.0; the minimum score for Doctor of Clinical Psychology is overall 7.0, with each component 7.0. If unsure, students can contact the college they are applying to for further information on specific English language requirements.

> Research Proposal

Your research proposal can be brief. Before submitting your application, please communicate with your future supervisor to clarify their expectations for your research proposal. Your research proposal should clearly present your research ideas or research questions in the discipline and consider them as the basis for your future research.

Your research proposal should include: Establishing the relevance of your research ideas to the degree program you are applying for; explaining the research gaps in the field and how your research will address these issues; including how you will conduct the research project—your ideas, research methods, and resources.

After enrollment, students can also modify their research proposal.

> Referees

Recommendation letters are required when applying for higher degree by research programs, andat least two recommendation letters are requiredbefore the school will begin to evaluate the admission application. Although academic referees are preferred (they can evaluate whether the applicant has the ability to complete the program), other professional recommendation letters can also be accepted. During the evaluation of the admission application, the school may require the applicant to provide additional recommendation letters.

Please ensure that the contact information of the referees is accurate. After receiving your application, the school will send them an email with a system-generated link to a recommendation letter form, which the referees need to fill out. Your referees must send the completed recommendation letter directly and confidentially to the school, not to you.

> Supporting Documents

When submitting your application, please upload clearcolor copies of your academic transcripts and graduation certificates. You do not need to certify these documents, but you must provide original copies. We will verify their authenticity. If your academic documents are not in English, we need the official original and translated copies of these documents for verification.

> If You Have Not Graduated Yet

If you are in your final year of study, youcan also apply to ANU in advance. When submitting your application, please provide your expected graduation date to the graduate office and submit a copy of your academic credentials upon receiving our admission notice.

Select the course you want to enroll in from the ANU course catalog (https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/)

On the course page, click the 'Apply' button to enter the application portal.

Complete your application

Receive an admission notice from ANU

Click 'Read More' to view more information about ANU's higher degree by research programs