How to apply for a graduate research degree

Find everything you need to know about applying for a graduate research degree at Macquarie University.

Take the first step towards your research journey by following our step-by-step guide for applying for a graduate research degree.

1Choose your degree

2. Find a research scholarship

3. Find a supervisor and develop your research proposal

* this step is not applicable to Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma of Research applications

4. Gather required documents and referee details

  • gather the documents required for your application. See Further Information below
  • confirm the names, positions, phone numbers and email addresses of two (2) referees

5. Apply

  • apply directly to Macquarie University via our online application form.
  • if you are:
    • an international applicant intending to reside in Australia, register as ‘Temporary entry permit’ under the nationality field on the registration page of the applicant portal
    • currently enrolled in a Macquarie research degree, or have a candidature offer less than six months old, refer to the scholarship-only application user guide.
  • if you are applying for a scholarship, indicate the scholarship reference number under the scholarship details question
  • all applicants are required to review the Terms and Conditions below before submitting their application

Previous academic qualifications with the following documents need to be provided:

  • Official academic transcripts for all prior studies (e.g. Bachelors, Masters, etc) and evidence of current program enrolment (if applicable). If you are currently enrolled in a program in another university, we can accept unofficial transcripts of the current program that have the university stamp/seal.
  • Official university grading scale (marking system) for your current and/or prior qualification(s). This is usually accompanying your academic transcript and is sometimes located on the back of your transcript, and includes the range of grades awarded by the institution.
  • Testamur or official university awarded degree/statement of completion for all prior studies (if completed).
  • English proficiency test result score card or evidence showing you have met the Language requirements.
  • Detailed CV (including all research output e.g. publications, journal papers etc).
  • If you completed a thesis (or major research project) as part of your degree:
    • the abstract of the thesis
    • a copy of the thesis
    • examiner reports for the thesis
    • the grade awarded for the thesis component
    • the duration in months of the thesis component of your degree.

Required identity documents:

  • copy of your passport (or birth certificate if no passport available)
  • current Australian visa (for Permanent Residents or Humanitarian Visa holders).

Additional required documents:

  • research proposal (MRes, MPhil and PhD only)
  • supporting documentation for any claimed university prizes awarded
  • supporting documentation for any claimed scholarships awarded
  • supporting documentation for any claimed publications (published and accepted for publication), conference presentations, books, book chapters or articles
  • statement of exclusion a from university course, if applicable
  • proof of enrolment at the partner university, including the expected thesis submission date (if applying for a cotutelle or joint PhD)
  • if transferring from another Australian institution, you must provide details of:
    • enrolment periods in that institution
    • study mode
    • scholarships received
    • total EFTSL consumed.
  • for MRes, MPhil and PhD in the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences – an email from a supervisor confirming their support to supervise is compulsory.

If any of these documents are not in English you must provide certified English translations.

Below are the Graduate Research Application terms and conditions.

Macquarie University is subject to the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW).

Macquarie University collects:

  • The information on this application form for the primary purpose of meeting its obligations under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, the Education Services for Overseas Students Regulations 2001 and the National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training for Students 2009 (National Code).
  • Your personal information and, in some circumstances, information regarding your health, to assist in the assessment of your application and, if you are successful, offering you a course place and recording your acceptance of that offer. The other purposes of collection include corresponding with you, attending to day-to-day administrative matters, informing you about your courses and other aspects of admission or enrolment and complying with legislative reporting requirements.
  • While your personal information is generally collected from you, Macquarie University also collects information about you (such as official records of study) from other educational institutions that you have attended for the purpose of verifying the supporting documentation you have provided with your application.

The information you provide in your application (and, if your application is successful, any offer letter) is recorded on the University’s student database and may be disclosed to the following types of organisations:

  • government departments (such as the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Education, Skills and Employment and agencies involved in administering the ESOS legislation
  • external organisations (such as other tertiary education institutions) where disclosure is necessary to verify your previous qualifications and other supporting documentation provided with your application
  • University-owned entities
  • contracted service providers which the University uses to provide services on its behalf (such as banks, printers/mailing houses and IT service providers)
  • where required by law.

If you do not provide the required information, the University will not be able to consider you for admission or to enrol you.

You are able to gain access to any personal information and health information that the University holds about you, subject to any exceptions in relevant legislation. To obtain access, or if you have any questions about the handling of your personal information, contact gr.applications@mq.edu.au.

  1. I wish to be considered for entry to the specified course and/or scholarship.
  2. I declare that the information supplied by me in this application is true, accurate and complete and that I have supplied all required supporting documents. I understand that Macquarie may request original copies of any submitted documents for the purpose of verification, and I am prepared to present original documents (including English translations) to Macquarie University for inspection prior to enrolment as requested. Macquarie University will verify documents via back-to-source (BTS) checks with applicants’ home institutions. I acknowledge that all documents submitted will become the property of Macquarie University and will not be returned to me.
  3. I understand that the information collected is to enable Macquarie University to assess my application, create a record on its student database, undertake statistical analysis, meet any statutory reporting requirements, and to further inform me about the program to which I am applying. If I do not complete all the relevant sections of this form, or fail to supply all required supporting documentation, I acknowledge that it may not be possible for Macquarie University to process my application.
  4. I hereby authorise Macquarie University to make enquiries and to obtain official records from any university or tertiary institution concerning my current or previous attendance, which in its absolute discretion, it believes to be necessary.
  5. I understand that giving false and misleading information is a serious offence under the Criminal Code of the Australian Commonwealth and acknowledge that Macquarie University reserves the right to reverse any decision made about my application for candidature and/or scholarship if it is found that I have provided false or incomplete information. If fraudulent documentation is detected:
    1. My application for candidature and/or scholarship will be rejected;
    2. If an offer has been made, it will be withdrawn;
    3. If a visa has been issued to me, the Australian Department of Home Affairs will be notified; and
    4. Other relevant authorities (such as NSW Police and the Independent Commission against Corruption) may also be notified.
  6. Macquarie’s Ethics Framework requires that all staff and students act within the framework of core values and principles. I understand that Macquarie University abides by the Macquarie Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, and that intentional plagiarism of data, results, or written outputs (including the written Research Proposal submitted with my application) without appropriate acknowledgement of source material constitutes a breach of the code. I understand that Macquarie University reserves the right to submit written components of my application to plagiarism detection software (ie Turnitin), and that the detection of plagiarism in my written submissions will result in the rejection of my application.
  7. Should my application be successful, I agree to comply with Macquarie University’s rules and policies as set out on the Macquarie University Policy Central website, along with any subsequent amendments approved by the relevant committees.
  8. I authorise Macquarie University to access the Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) for verification of my current visa status and entitlements.
  • An acknowledgement of receipt will be sent to your email. This acknowledgement will contain your Login ID.
  • If further information is required in order for the University to assess your application, you will be contacted via email.
  • Once your application is considered complete, it will be reviewed by the Graduate Research Academy’s Admissions team. It will then be sent to the relevant faculty for further assessment.
  • You will be notified of the outcome of your application via email within approximately six to eight weeks after receipt of your complete.