Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend Scholarship at ACU
The Australian Government offers Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend Scholarships to support both domestic and international candidates undertaking a Research Doctorate or Research Masters degree at Australian Catholic University (ACU).
Scholarship Benefits
Successful applicants will be awarded a comprehensive scholarship package. The benefits differ slightly depending on your residency status.
Domestic Applicants
- RTP Stipend Scholarship: A living allowance of AUD $34,315 per annum for full-time study, paid as a fortnightly stipend. This rate is based on 2026 values and is indexed annually.
- RTP Fees Offset Scholarship: A full fee offset valued at approximately AUD $34,728 per annum for the minimum duration of your degree.
International Applicants
- RTP Stipend Scholarship: A living allowance of AUD $34,315 per annum for full-time study, paid as a fortnightly stipend. This rate is based on 2026 values and is indexed annually.
- ACU Tuition Fee Scholarship: A full fee offset valued at approximately AUD $34,728 per annum for up to 3.5 years.
- RTP Allowance for Health Care: A single Overseas Student Health Care policy.
- RTP Allowance for Relocation: Up to AUD $2,000 to support the costs of relocating to Australia for the purposes of commencing your research degree at ACU.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for an RTP Stipend Scholarship, you must meet the following criteria:
- You must be a domestic student or an overseas student enrolled in an accredited research higher degree at ACU.
- You must not be receiving income from another source to support your general living costs while undertaking your course of study if that income is greater than 75 per cent of your stipend rate. Income unrelated to your course of study or income received for your course of study but not for the purposes of supporting general living costs will not be taken into account.
Research Alignment
RTP Stipend Scholarships are open to all applicants whose research aligns with any of ACU’s broad areas of expertise:
- Faculty of Education and Arts
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Faculty of Law and Business
- Faculty of Theology and Philosophy
- ACU’s Institutes and Centres
Application Deadlines
Applications open twice per annum in April and October. The application deadlines for 2026 are as follows:
- Wednesday 1 April 2026, 11:59 PM AEDT
- Thursday 1 October 2026, 11:59 PM AEST
How to Apply
RTP Stipend Scholarships are competitive and are awarded following a merit-based selection process. Candidates with strong academic credentials and research potential are encouraged to apply.
For New Applicants
Visit the official ACU How to Apply page for detailed application instructions.
For Current Research Candidates
If you are already a research candidate at ACU, you must follow a specific internal process:
- Visit the Student Portal and download the scholarship application form.
- Submit your completed form along with all required documentation directly to the Graduate Research School at [email protected].
Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend Scholarships are funded by the Australian Government and are awarded and administered in accordance with the ACU Research Training Program Scholarship Policy. The information provided is subject to change without notice.
For more information, kindly visit Australian Catholic University Scholarship
