Human Rights Scholarship 2027 at University of Melbourne, Australia (Fully Funded Masters by Research / PhD)
University of Melbourne.About the Human Rights Scholarship
The Human Rights Scholarship is a University of Melbourne graduate research award for candidates enrolling in a Masters by Research or a Doctoral degree and undertaking research in the field of Human Rights. The University lists four scholarships for this round.
The award is administered centrally by the University's scholarships office rather than by a single faculty, and it is not restricted by discipline: any candidate holding an offer for a graduate research degree whose proposed research sits in the human rights field may apply. That includes human rights law and policy research, for which the standard research pathway is the Melbourne Law School Doctor of Philosophy. Melbourne Law School is ranked 1st in Australia and 8th in the world in the Times Higher Education Rankings by Subject 2026.
What the Award Covers
- Living allowance of AUD 44,500 per year pro rata (2026 full-time study rate) for up to 2 years for a Masters by Research candidate, or up to 3.5 years for a Doctoral candidate. The allowance may be indexed annually and includes limited paid sick, maternity and parenting leave.
- Full fee offset for up to 2 years for a Masters by Research degree, or up to 4 years for a Doctoral degree.
- Relocation grant of AUD 2,000 for candidates moving from a State or Territory outside Victoria, or AUD 3,000 for candidates moving from outside Australia.
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), single membership, for international candidates who require a student visa to study in Australia.
The University states the total benefit as 100% fee remission plus AUD 89,000 to AUD 155,000, depending on the degree and its duration.
Eligibility
To be considered for this scholarship, an applicant must:
- have received an offer for a graduate research degree commencing in the year for which the scholarship is awarded;
- intend to undertake graduate research in the field of Human Rights; and
- not have already completed a research qualification at the same or a higher level than the course for which the scholarship is sought.
The scholarship is open to both domestic and international students, so Indian applicants are eligible. Note that the degree offer is a precondition, not something the scholarship application substitutes for: secure admission to a Melbourne graduate research degree first.
Selection Criteria and Conditions
The scholarship is offered to the candidate or candidates ranked highest by the selection panel on the strength of the application and the course entry score.
Successful candidates are bound by the University's Graduate Research Scholarship terms and conditions, which govern payment, leave, suspension and termination of the award. Scholarship benefits are activated only once the offer is accepted, the course has commenced, bank details are updated and the conditions set out in the scholarship offer are met. Stipend payments are processed fortnightly through the University's payroll system.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted online through the University's SmartyGrants portal for the 2027 Human Rights Scholarship. The form can be saved as a draft and resumed, and it must be reviewed before it can be submitted; a confirmation email with a copy of the submitted application is sent on successful submission.
The application requires a written statement addressing two things: the applicant's commitment to the peaceful advancement of respect for human rights extending beyond academic study (for example voluntary work or work experience), and how the proposed research will further the applicant's understanding of human rights and enable a contribution to the human rights field.
Application Fee
There is no application fee for the Human Rights Scholarship. The scholarship application is free to submit through the SmartyGrants portal. Separate University of Melbourne graduate research admission requirements and any associated costs are dealt with under the admission process, not this scholarship.
Key Dates and Outcome
Applications opened on 1 April 2026 and the official scholarship listing records the closing date as 31 October 2026. The SmartyGrants application portal states that submissions close at 12:00 am on 31 October 2026 (AEDT), so applicants should treat 30 October 2026 as the practical last day and submit well ahead of the cut-off.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome by email in February of the following year. The University states that reasons for non-selection and feedback on individual applications will not be provided.