University of Sydney International Research Scholarships 2027
There is no single scholarship called the University of Sydney International Research Scholarship. The name people search for covers four awards listed together on one Sydney page: two stipend scholarships that pay living costs (the RTP Stipend Scholarship and the University of Sydney International Stipend Scholarship, or USYDIS), and two tuition awards that come automatically with them. For 2027, the stipend rate is $44,293 a year, and the tuition awards cover 100% of fees for up to 14 research periods. The round for research starting in Research Periods 3 and 4 of 2027 closes on December 18, 2026, about eight weeks from today. The earlier round, for Research Periods 1 and 2, closed on September 11, 2026.
Sydney offers these awards to international students who are commencing or enrolled in a higher degree by research, meaning a PhD or a master’s by research. Its pages name no excluded countries, so Pakistani applicants are eligible on the same terms as everyone else. You cannot apply for the scholarship alone. It is judged together with your admission application, and Sydney ranks applicants on marks, research experience and the strength of the institution that gave your degree. This guide explains that ranking in detail, because it is where most applications are won or lost.
What You Are Actually Applying For
| Award | Who can hold it | What it provides |
|---|---|---|
| RTP Stipend Scholarship | Domestic and international students, commencing or enrolled in a higher degree by research. Competitively awarded | $44,293 a year (2027 rate), $42,754 (2026 rate), plus relocation and thesis allowances |
| RTP Fee Offset | International students. Given automatically to anyone awarded an RTP Stipend Scholarship | 100% of tuition fees for up to 14 research periods, plus Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) |
| USYDIS (University of Sydney International Stipend Scholarship) | International students, commencing or enrolled in a higher degree by research. Competitively awarded | $44,293 a year (2027 rate), $42,754 (2026 rate), plus relocation and thesis allowances |
| University of Sydney Tuition Fee Scholarship | International students. Given automatically to anyone awarded USYDIS | 100% of tuition fees for up to 14 research periods |
You submit one scholarship form, and Sydney decides which award you receive. The pages show the amounts with a $ sign and do not name the currency, so confirm it with the Scholarships Office before you plan a budget. Note also that the RTP Fee Offset lists OSHC, while the USYDIS tuition award, as listed on the same page, does not. Ask which health cover applies to you if you receive USYDIS.
Key Facts at a Glance
| University | University of Sydney, Australia |
| Level | PhD or master’s by research, full time. Part-time is considered, but the award terms limit it |
| Stipend | $44,293 a year at the 2027 rate, indexed each January 1. Paid fortnightly into an Australian bank account |
| Tuition | 100% of fees for up to 14 research periods for a doctorate. Up to 7 research periods for a research master’s under USYDIS |
| Relocation allowance | Up to $1,485 to travel to Sydney at the start, and up to $1,485 to return home after you finish. Receipts required |
| Thesis allowance | Up to $840 for doctoral candidates and up to $420 for master’s candidates |
| Leave | Up to 20 working days of recreation leave and 10 days of sick leave a year, plus paid parental leave |
| Next deadline | December 18, 2026, for Research Periods 3 and 4 of 2027 |
| Outcomes | From February 26, 2027. Final outcomes May 18, 2027 for off-shore applicants and June 30, 2027 for on-shore applicants |
How Sydney Ranks Applicants
Selection is based on academic merit and research experience. The Scholarships Office checks applications first, faculties review them, and a University committee decides how many offers to make. Applicants doing their first PhD get first priority. For USYDIS, the terms add two more criteria: whether Sydney has a high-quality research environment and resources for your project, and whether it has suitable supervisors. That is why choosing a supervisor early matters.
Sydney scores applicants on a mix of these items, where they apply:
- Undergraduate weighted average mark (WAM), an average of your unit marks weighted by credit value.
- First class honours (H1) mark, or an equivalent qualification ranked as H1E.
- A completed Master of Philosophy or equivalent by thesis, which Sydney scores at 85 unless your transcript shows a higher thesis mark.
- World rankings of the institution that gave the qualification. Sydney uses the Academic Ranking of World Universities, Times Higher Education and QS lists, and says the lists can change.
- Research experience, explained below.
Overseas qualifications can count as an H1 equivalent. For a master’s by coursework to count, Sydney asks for a weighted average mark of at least 80 and a research component, such as a dissertation or a research treatise of at least 25,000 words, with other routes for postgraduate diplomas and professional fellowships. Sydney says it scales marks to account for a pass mark other than 50 and an honours cut-off other than 80.
Research Experience: What Counts and What Does Not
Research experience is optional, but if you have it, Sydney only counts what is submitted in its required format (the research experience evidence template). Counted items include:
- Scholarly publications from the last five years, either published or formally accepted, with a confirmation from the publisher for accepted ones. Journals must be listed in the ISI Master Journal List, Scopus (and verified as refereed), or the Excellence in Research for Australia list. Conference papers must be on Scopus or ISI.
- A granted patent, a published book or an edited book chapter.
- For art and music: significant exhibitions, performances, collections or published compositions within the last five years.
- At least 1.5 years of relevant professional or research experience since graduation, supported by a letter from the employer.
Sydney will not count newspaper or magazine articles, work more than five years old, submitted or under-review papers, papers needing revision, repeated versions of the same work, literature reviews, research reports or case studies, or prizes.
The most useful detail in Sydney’s selection document is what happens when marks are missing. If you give no numerical marks, Sydney enters a default: 57 for a pass, 69.5 for a credit, 78.33 for a distinction and 85 for a high distinction. If grades are shown only as letters or a CGPA, your application can be scored at a default instead of your real marks. So send your actual numerical marks wherever you can, plus the page that explains your grading scale and the minimum mark for each grade. Sydney also converts for a pass mark other than 50 and an honours cut-off other than 80, but it can only do that if it can see your grading system.
Dates and Rounds
| Commencing research period | Submission deadline | Outcomes issued from | Outcomes finalised |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Periods 1 and 2, 2027 | September 11, 2026 (closed) | November 10, 2026 | December 17, 2026 |
| Research Periods 3 and 4, 2027 | December 18, 2026 | February 26, 2027 | Off-shore applicants: May 18, 2027. On-shore applicants: June 30, 2027 |
| Research Periods 1 and 2, 2028 | September 10, 2027 | November 16, 2027 | December 20, 2027 |
| Research Periods 3 and 4, 2028 (estimate) | Mid-December 2027 | Mid-February 2028 | Mid-March 2028 |
Sydney gives no time of day or time zone for these deadlines. On-shore means an applicant who is completing a degree in Australia. If you submit late, you are automatically considered in the next round, as long as you are currently enrolled or have asked by the deadline to defer your admission to the next relevant research period.
How to Apply, Step by Step
- Apply for admission to a higher degree by research through Sydney’s courses site, and submit every required admission document by the deadline for your round.
- Collect your student ID (SID), which Sydney issues after you submit the admission application. If you do not have it yet, use the same email address you used for admission.
- Submit the scholarship form by the same deadline. Sydney hosts it on the RTP international page.
- Add research experience if you have it, using Sydney’s template. It is optional for new and current students.
- Resubmit if something changes, such as a paper accepted after you applied. A resubmission after the deadline waits for the next round.
Sydney cannot tell you your chances in advance, because the Scholarships Office does not pre-assess applications. It also does not release results early, and it does not give detailed ranking feedback to unsuccessful applicants.
Official Sydney RTP international page (includes the scholarship form)
Applying for the scholarship without an admission application is not possible, because Sydney assesses them together. Missing the December 18 deadline pushes you to the next round, which is a long wait. Submitting letter grades or a CGPA with no numerical marks can cost you points. Listing papers that are under review, or that sit outside the accepted databases, earns nothing. And the scholarship is for merit and research potential only: Sydney says it does not consider financial need.
What You Must Follow After You Win
- Study full time, unless Sydney approves part-time for special circumstances and your visa allows it.
- Tenure is fixed. USYDIS lasts up to 14 research periods for a doctorate or 7 for a research master’s, with no extension, and time you have already spent on the degree is deducted.
- Other income is limited. You can hold another award or salary only if it is worth less than 75% of the scholarship. Salary unrelated to your research is not counted.
- Deferral is limited. You can defer the scholarship to a later period in the same calendar year, as long as your admission is deferred too.
- It does not transfer. It is tied to Sydney, and moving to another university ends it.
- Acknowledge the funder in any publication from your research, using the wording in the terms.
Notes for Pakistani Applicants
Sydney’s pages name no countries and describe no Pakistan-specific route. Three points matter in practice. First, supply numerical marks and your grading scale, because rankings and mark scaling decide your score. Second, the ranking of your degree-awarding institution is part of the score, so a strong research record and publications from the last five years help balance it. Third, an MPhil or MS by thesis can be ranked as an H1 equivalent, so name the thesis clearly in your documents. Sydney’s pages do not mention HEC attestation or visa details, so check those with Sydney’s admissions and visa pages before you pay any fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Sydney says scholarship applications are assessed together with your admission application for a higher degree by research.
No. Sydney says these scholarships are awarded on academic merit and research potential only.
Yes, you will be considered. If you win, the scholarship terms decide whether you can hold it part-time, and for USYDIS this is allowed only in special circumstances, subject to your visa.
Not in detail. Sydney does not give specific ranking outcomes, only notices to successful and unsuccessful applicants, and points to its selection process document.
Official Sources
- University of Sydney: RTP scholarships, International (awards, amounts, rounds, how to apply)
- University of Sydney: RTP scholarships FAQs (deadlines, documents, relocation allowance)
- University of Sydney: HDR scholarship selection process (PDF) (ranking criteria and research experience)
- University of Sydney: USYDIS terms and conditions (PDF) (tenure, allowances, conditions)
- University of Sydney: Course search (where HDR admission applications start)
Information in this guide was checked against the official pages above on October 24, 2026.
Scholarship requirements, deadlines, and funding details can change. Always verify current information directly with the official provider before applying.
ScholarshipOrbit is an independent guidance resource and is not affiliated with the University of Sydney, the Australian Government, or any organization mentioned above.
