Am I eligible for a PhD?
You need at least one of the following:
- An Australian bachelor’s degree with at least 2A second-class honours (preferably first-class honours) or the international equivalent, or
- Another degree with a significant research/thesis component, or
- A combination of qualifications, research publications and/or professional experience related to your field of study
You also need to meet English language requirements for the enrolling university. Check specific requirements at the enrolling university.
Do you accept international students?
Most projects do accept international students.
Some projects will involve accessing secure information or spending significant periods of time at the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. These are limited to Australian citizens. Each project will note whether it is limited to Australian citizens or open to international students.
How do I get a visa?
If you are the preferred candidate, we’ll send you a letter of offer and the documents you need to enrol. Once that paperwork is complete, we’ll send you a Confirmation of Enrolment. The Confirmation of Enrolment is the document you need to apply for a student visa. Typically this is a subclass 500 student visa.
You are also required to have a valid passport for the duration of your stay in Australia. If your passport is due to expire while you are in Australia you should check how to renew it before you depart.
What about international student tuition fees?
If you have first-class honours or an international equivalent, the Training Centre will waive your student tuition fees. Your supervisor and university admissions team can confirm if you meet this requirement.
What about health cover?
We will pay for individual overseas student health cover. If you are the preferred candidate and are travelling with a family or dependents, please mention this to your supervisor so we can check if we have budget available to provide you with family cover.
English language requirements
The requirements are a little different between each university, but the below info is common across them.
Applicants to a higher degree by research (HDR) whose native language is not English must demonstrate their English language proficiency by one of the following:
- Achieving Band 2 in a test such as Academic IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson (PTE Academic). The test result must be no more than two years old. Minimum score for IELTS is 6.5 overall, with no less than 6 in each category, or
- Successful completion of two years of full-time postgraduate level study for which the qualification was awarded no more than two years ago in an English speaking country, and the language of instruction was English, or
- Successful completion of an English language course offered by an approved pathway provider (different at each university)
These are the links to specific English language requirements at the Australian National University (see sections 32 – 37), James Cook University (see Band 2), and University of Canberra (UC standard PG degree).
When can I start the PhD?
For domestic students, you can start as soon as you enrol and get your Confirmation of Enrolment. This could be as soon as November 2024. If you’d like to start later, please let your supervisor know. We can accept start times in 2025.
For international students, you will need to have your visa approved before you can start. This may take several months. We would expect the earliest start time to be February 2025.
A great time to start a PhD is February or July, as these are the start of semesters in Australia and it means you can join the orientation activities. That said, we are flexible and can work with you to find the right time.
What if I want to apply to more than one project?
That’s great! You just need to send in a separate Expression of Interest to each project you are interested in, and we recommend writing separate 200 word statements of your motivation for doing a PhD and interest in that specific project. Note that each project has a different supervisory panel who will assess your application. See the full list of projects at PhD opportunities.
We do ask in your Expression of Interest if you are thinking of applying to multiple projects. This is for our internal reporting purposes, and does not affect your application.
What does the selection process include?
The selection process looks like this:
- You complete an expression of interest form for the project. You’ll be asked to provide a statement of your motivation for doing a PhD in this project, your CV, your academic transcript, and a sample of your research writing. The deadline for our current projects is 22 January 2025.
- A supervisor will review these documents and create a shortlist.
- If you are shortlisted, you will get an email to invite you to an interview with the supervisors. Interviews are expected to occur in early 2025.
- The interview will assess your suitability for the project, and it is a chance for you to ask questions and meet your supervisors.
- After the interview, we will ask for contact details for two references. A supervisor will contact your references to discuss your suitability for the project.
- Finally, the supervisory panel will choose a preferred candidate.
If I am selected as the preferred candidate, what happens next?
The university supervisor will reach out to invite you to put in a formal application to the university. This includes some paperwork to confirm your eligibility. The university admissions team will assess your application. Once confirmed, they will send you a Letter of Offer and ask you to enrol in the university.
Once you have enrolled, you’ll get a Confirmation of Enrolment and we will welcome you to the Training Centre and organise a start date and an induction.
What are the benefits of doing a PhD through the Training Centre?
Each of our PhD projects will build your technical skills and professional networks to equips you for a career as a leader in biosecurity.
The Training Centre provides a range of training opportunities including leadership, cultural awareness and communication. These are the skills your future employers are looking for. We know our partners are experiencing a shortage in PhD qualified employees, and while we can’t guarantee you a job, we can see a lot of great jobs out there and we’re committed to providing you with the networks, skills and knowledge you need to land a job you love.
During your PhD you’ll receive a $40,000 tax-free stipend a year for 3.5 years (that’s $1500 a fortnight), and we’ll cover your travel costs to Training Retreats, Centre Forums and more. This will include networking with like-minded people by the beach in tropical Queensland, in the bush outside Canberra, and in capital cities around Australia.
Who are your partners?
Here is a full list of our partners.
How much travel is involved?
There will be travel each year to our Centre Forums and Training Retreats. This are great opportunities to connect with other PhD students in the Training Centre and meet staff from our many partner organisations. You can expect travel to some beautiful locations, including the sunny beaches and rainforests of tropical Queensland, the vibrant cities of Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, and Canberra the bush capital of Australia.
Your project may also include placements with partners from around Australia and overseas, including visiting different labs, undertaking fieldwork, and meeting the people who will use your research in the future. In the first six-months of your PhD, you’ll create a placement plan with your supervisory panel and we are keen for this to meet your needs not only for the project, but as an individual with your own interests and curiosity.
What are my career options once I’ve completed my PhD?
There’s so many options! Here’s just a few to consider:
- A researcher in a government or private organisation
- A policy maker in government
- A partnerships or stakeholder engagement manager
- Academic at a university
- Computer or data scientist
- Founder of a start up
Where will I be based during my PhD?
Check the PhD opportunities page for information on location for the projects you are interested in. We have several locations across Australia.
Got a question not listed?
Send your questions to plantbiosecurity@anu.edu.au and we’ll reply with an answer.