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APA/UPA, Top-up scholarships and more

Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA) and University of Sydney Postgraduate Awards (UPA) are offered to postgraduate research students undertaking a higher degree by research at the University of Sydney. In conjunction with the APA/UPA, top-up scholarships and other awards are also available. Please see below for further information.

Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA) and University of Sydney Postgraduate Awards (UPA)

Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA) are Commonwealth Government scholarships awarded to students of exceptional research potential to undertake a higher degree by research at an Australian university. The scholarships are provided to assist with general living costs. In 2011, 3,270 APA places were available from the Commonwealth Government and the allocation to The University of Sydney was 329.

In addition, 60 University of Sydney Postgraduate Awards (UPA) were awarded in 2011 and they are similar to the APA in terms of tenure and benefits. Eligible APA applicants are automatically considered for these awards.

The number of APA and UPA available in 2012 is expected to be similar to that offered in 2011. The University awards APA and UPA twice a year – applications for the Semester one round opens in late August and applications for the Semester two round opens in May.

Some faculties and departments also offer postgraduate research scholarships and top-up awards with the APA/UPA process (see Sections 3 and 4 of the information document below).

2012 Semester 1 APA/UPA

Applications for these awards are now closed and late applications will not be accepted.

  • Information for 2012 Applicants PDF

Information on 2012 semester 2 is shown below. Applications for the 2013 semester 1 APA/UPA will open around the end of August 2012.

2012 Semester 2 APA/UPA

These awards are primarily for candidates who wish to commence their postgraduate studies in 2012 Semester two. Students who did NOT apply in the 2012 Semester one APA/UPA round but enrolled in 2012 Semester one will also be eligible to apply.

Please note unsuccessful 2012 Semester one APA/UPA applicants who have commenced their postgraduate studies at this University will NOT be considered. They will need to apply in the 2013 Semester one round (applications open around late August 2012).

VCRS and Merit Awards are available in 2012 Semester two for highly ranked APA/UPA applicants.

Applications for 2012 Semester two will open around mid May 2012.

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Top-up Scholarships

The following top-up scholarships may be offered in conjunction with the APA/UPA to highly ranked eligible applicants. A separate application is not required:

Vice-Chancellor’s Research Scholarships (VCRS)

The Vice-Chancellor’s Research Scholarships (VCRS) are offered each year to attract students with an outstanding track record of academic achievement and research potential to pursue full-time PhD studies at the University of Sydney.

In 2012, up to 10 VCRS are offered as top-up scholarships to highly ranked PhD commencing students who are awarded an Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) or University of Sydney Postgraduate Award (UPA). The value of the VCRS will be up to $35,000 (tax-exempt) over a maximum period of up to 3.5 full-time years, payable at the rate of $5,000 p.a. for the first year and $12,000 per annum for the remaining 2.5 years. A relocation allowance of up to $5,000 may be provided for students who need to relocate to Sydney to take up the scholarship.

The VCRS will be awarded by the Vice-Chancellor on recommendation by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and the Academic Board’s Postgraduate Awards Sub-Committee. Academic excellence (e.g. a University Medal) and outstanding research potential will be the selection criteria.

The VCRS can be held at any Faculty at the University but is not transferable to other universities. Eligibility criteria for the VCRS will be the same as the APA, except that only commencing PhD students will be considered. A separate application for the VCRS is not required and highly ranked eligible applicants for the APA/UPA will be automatically considered.

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Val Street Scholarship

Established in 2010 from the estate of the late Valerie Ruth Street, one Val Street Scholarship of the same value and duration of the VCRS will be awarded every year for approximately 10 years. The scholarship will be awarded as a top-up award to the highest ranked eligible female applicant in the Semester one round of Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) and University of Sydney Postgraduate Award (UPA) who will commence full-time research doctorate studies. The recipient must have attained First Class Honours in the Arts, Sciences (currently Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources; Science or Veterinary Science) or Social Sciences (currently Arts and Social Sciences, Education and Social Work or Business) Faculties of the University of Sydney.

A separate application for the Val Street Scholarship is not required and highly ranked eligible applicants for the APA/UPA will be automatically considered. The scholarship will be awarded by the Chancellor on recommendation by the Academic Board’s Postgraduate Awards Sub-Committee.

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University of Sydney Merit Awards

Similar to the VCRS, the Merit Awards are top-up scholarships offered to highly ranked eligible APA/UPA applicants who wish to pursue full-time PhD studies at the University of Sydney. PhD students who have commenced their candidature but do not hold any postgraduate research scholarships before they apply for a 2012 APA/UPA will also be considered. The value of each Merit Award will be $5,000 p.a. for up to 3.5 years for a full-time PhD and up to 40 are offered in 2012.

A separate application for the Merit Awards is not required and highly ranked applicants for the APA/UPA will be automatically considered. The Merit Awards will be awarded by the Academic Board’s Postgraduate Awards Sub-Committee on the basis of academic excellence and outstanding research potential.

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Alumni Scholarships

Established from accumulated funds donated by the University’s alumni, 6 scholarships of $5,000 each for one year are offered in the 2012 semester 1 round to highly ranked eligible APA/UPA applicants- two in each of the three ‘faculty clusters’: Health; Humanities and Social Sciences; Sciences and Technology.

A separate application for the Alumni Scholarships is not required and the scholarships will be awarded on the basis of academic excellence and outstanding research potential.

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Other awards offered in conjunction with APA/UPA

The following primary scholarships may be offered in conjunction with the APA/UPA round. A separate application is not required:

A.E. and F.A.Q. Stephens Scholarship

This scholarship is funded by the assets of the estates of both Francis Stephens and his wife Alice. It will be awarded to the highest ranked APA/UPA applicant who is not awarded a VCRS or Merit Award. The scholarship is tenable in any faculty at The University of Sydney. The value of the scholarship shall be the same as the current Australian Postgraduate Award (Industry) ($27,651 p.a. in 2011). Other benefits will be the same as those offered under the APA scheme. Only two awards are available at any one time.

When available, it will be awarded to a highly ranked APA/UPA eligible applicant and a separate application for this scholarship is not required.

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Chancellor's Committee Research Scholarship

Established in 1997 by the Chancellor’s Committee of the University of Sydney, the purpose of the scholarship is to promote and encourage research at the University. Only one scholarship is available at any one time and commencing 2012, the scholarship will be awarded in rotation to a student from a faculty in the Humanities and Social Sciences cluster, followed by a student from a faculty in the clusters of Health, Sciences and Technology. The scholarship is valued at $2,000 above the current value of the UPA. Other benefits will be the same as those offered under the UPA scheme.

When available, it will be awarded to a highly ranked APA/UPA eligible applicant and a separate application for this scholarship is not required.

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Application Tips

  • Applying for an APA/UPA is a separate process to applying for admission. You will need to submit an application for admission into the postgraduate research degree, and an application to the Scholarships Office for the APA/UPA. Note that some faculties may set an earlier closing date for application for admission.
  • You will need to find a supervisor in order to apply for admission into the degree. Research Supervisor Connect is a service that can help you find a supervisor. Speak to your Faculty for further advice on the candidature application and supervision, or visit the Research Degree Applications website. Each faculty has postgraduate advisors who can assist you with the application process for admission into the degree. Check your faculty’s website for details.
  • Read through the APA/UPA information document thoroughly before you start your APA/UPA application. The application itself is relatively simple for most applicants who are completing or have recently completed their honours or final undergraduate year of studies and best to get out of the way as soon as possible. If you are stressed and trying to complete the application at the last minute you may find that you are unable to provide the required documentation, or make simple mistakes.
  • If you are a current honours student, it is important that you submit your honours thesis on time if you intend to apply for an APA/UPA. Your honours thesis mark is used in the APA/UPA application ranking, so if your thesis is submitted late your marks may not be available in time to include you in the APA/UPA ranking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Enquiries

Please direct any enquiries regarding these scholarships to:

Email:
Phone: +61 2 8627 8112
Fax: +61 2 8627 8485

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