there are Scholarship assessment guidelines. The Melbourne Scholarships Office (MSO) receives approximately 1,000 local and 600 international scholarship applications each year. Once a scholarship application has been received and is deemed eligible for consideration department staff and the Graduate Research Scholarships Committee (GRSC) assign a numerical score to the application using specific scholarship assessment guidelines below. This score is made up primarily of the applicant’s academic record but also takes into consideration factors such as work experience, referees reports and research potential etc. This scholarship score is then used to award scholarships.
The assessment of scholarship applications is a complex process therefore the scholarship assessment guidelines described below have been developed by the GRSC to ensure transparency, consistency and equity for all scholarship applicants. Scholarship assessment guidelines have been subdivided into the following categories:
Which scholarships do these guidelines apply to?
Scholarships offered as part of the Melbourne Scholarships Program (MSP) for graduate research degree studies (eg. PhD, masters by research) are assessed by these guidelines. The main scholarships available for graduate research degree studies are the APA, MRS,Prestigious and other major scholarships, IPRS, MIFRS, and MIRS.
Who will assess my scholarship application?
Scholarship applications are assessed by both University of Melbourne departmental/school staff and the Graduate Research Scholarships Committee (GRSC). The GRSC is made up of academic staff from across the University of Melbourne. The assessment and selection process is supported by staff at the MSO.
Overview of scholarship assessment and award process
Once applications are received MSO staff use specific eligibility criteria to determine if the applicant is eligible for scholarship consideration. All eligible applications are then processed as follows:
Step 1: the application is assessed in accordance with University scoring guidelines by the department/school in which the applicant wishes to undertake their research.
Step 2: applications supported by their department/school are then assessed by the GRSC in accordance with University scoring guidelines.
Selection is based on academic merit and demonstrated research potential. Each application is assigned a scholarship score that is based primarily on results obtained for tertiary studies. Other factors such as relevant research experience and publications in refereed journals of a national or international standing are also taken into account. Assessors use a web-based Scoring Calculator to assist them with scholarship scoring.
Step 3: The scholarship score assigned by the GRSC is used to rank all applicants in order of merit. This rank ordered list is used by the GRSC to award the government-funded APAs and IPRSs. The internally-funded MRSs, MIRSs and MIFRSs are awarded by the faculties who take into account the scholarship score, areas of research strength and other strategic factors when awarding these scholarships.
Scoring of scholarship applications
The scholarship score is out of 100 and comprises of two equally weighted components called the Academic Achievement Score (AAS) and the Department Recommended Score (DRS).
Scholarship score (out of 100) = AAS+DRS/2
Academic Achievement Score
The AAS is out of 100 and is usually based on academic results. Calculation of the AAS depends on the applicant’s qualifications. For most applicants the AAS is based on the last 2 years of academic study. The AAS will reflect the relative size of the subjects/units undertaken by an applicant (eg. a subject worth 50 points has 4 times the weight of a 12.5 point subject).
The table below shows how the AAS can be calculated based on academic results.
| Qualification | AAS Calculation |
| 3 year Bachelor degree with Honours (eg BSc.Hons) | Penultimate Year (PY) Score (eg. 3rd year of a BSc.). The PY Score forms 1/3 of the AAS. Final Year (FY) Score. The FY Score forms 2/3 of the AAS |
| Masters by research (research component greater than or equal to 66% of course requirements) in a discipline relevant to the intended research higher degree | AAS is based on the results achieved for the masters. |
| Masters by coursework in a discipline relevant to the intended research higher degree that required more than or equal to 1.5 years of full-time study | AAS is based on the results achieved for the masters. |
| MBBS, BDSc, BPhysio, BVSc or LLB courses completed at a limited number of institutions | AAS is based on the applicant’s position on their graduating class list. |
Department Recommended Score (DRS)
The DRS is a score (out of 100) that is recommended by departments/schools. The DRS is designed to reflect each applicant’s research potential based on evidence that is in addition to academic results. The DRS can be up to 10 marks higher or lowerthan the AAS depending on how many extra points are awarded for demonstrated research potential. The GRSC will evaluate the DRS suggested by the department and adjust as appropriate to achieve equity across all applications.
| Factors applicant may receive DRS points for: |
Completion of a masters course for which the research component (eg. thesis) normally requires greater than or equal to 1 year or full time or equivalent study |
Evidence of research potential such as: -research or professional (including artistic) experience that is directly relevant to the applicant's RHD -demonstrated distinguished record of professional (including artistic) acheivement and/or leadership relevant to the applicant's RHD -accepted patent applications -refereed publications of a national or international standing (including refereed exhibitions, recordings, etc.) |
Professional experience (including performance) |
| Finalist in a prestigious competition, composition of original music etc. relevant to the intended RHD |
Completion of specialist medical qualification or fellowship |
Standard of the degree |
Standing of the department/faculty/university from which the applicant graduated compared with the University of Melbourne |
| Factors applicant will NOT receive DRS points for: |
Exceptional referees reports |
Posters, abstracts, conference presentations and unrefereed conference papers |
Attainment of, or nomination for, prizes, scholarships and other awards that are based on academic marks |
| Position on class list, unless previously agreed by the GRSC |
| Health and other personal problems (applicants should consider applying for the FMS instead) |
| Confirmation of PhD candidature or conversion from a masters to a PhD |
Completion of studies over and above that normally required to undertake a RHD eg. completion of a degree or research project that is particularly relevant to the intended graduate research degree, or more than one qualification relevant to the RHD |
Excellent performance in the research component of the applicant’s previous study |
Provisional patent applications and journal articles that that not yet been accepted for publication |
| Professional experience that is NOT directly related to the applicant's RHD |
Involvement in vacation research projects at the undergraduate level |
| Personal attributes, such as maturity, diligence, initiative etc. These abilities should already be reflected in the applicant's AAS |
Frequently asked questions about scholarship scoring
How are overseas qualifications assessed?
The same scholarship scoring guidelines apply to local and international applicants. Scholarship committee members are highly experienced at assessing international qualifications. Information about international institutions and their grading systems can found in publications such as the Australian government’s National Office of Overseas Recognition (NOOSR) ‘Country Education Profiles’ is utilised by GRSC members when assessing international qualifications. The GRSC has also developed specific guidelines for the assessment of qualifications from a range of countries.
What if I have not completed my qualifications at the University of Melbourne?
For studies completed at a university other than the University of Melbourne, academic marks are converted to equivalent University of Melbourne marks. The Committee takes into account the grading system used at the university where the applicant completed their tertiary studies and converts, if necessary, the marks to equivalent University of Melbourne marks.
What if I have an unusual academic background and normal scoring guidelines cannot be applied?
In these cases your Department/School may present a special case for you when use of the scoring guidelines has produced a scholarship score that is too low (or too high). The GRSC may then opt to award a Committee Score. The Committee Score replaces the AAS and DRS.
What if I have completed a combined degree?
For applicants who have completed a combined degree course (eg. BA[Hons]/BSc), the Committee usually uses the most relevant component for scholarship scoring (eg. the results obtained for Arts subjects would normally be used if the applicant plans to undertake their research higher degree studies in an Arts discipline). If both degrees/components are relevant to the intended research higher degree, the AAS is based on both ‘sets’ of results.
What if I have completed studies on exchange?
Marks obtained for subjects at the 3rd year level and higher while participating in an exchange program may count toward the scholarship score. Applicants should provide with their application a transcript showing the grading system and marks obtained for any subjects that they have completed at the 3rd year level or higher while on exchange
How are the marks & grades on my transcript used?
The Committee uses the marks on the transcript to assign the AAS. If a transcript provides grades only (eg. A, B, C) and there are no numeric marks (eg. a percentage mark or a grade point average), the Committee will use the lowest mark in the corresponding grade range. It is therefore advantageous for applicants to provide with their scholarship application official written advice about the actual numeric marks obtained for their tertiary studies.
Subjects on a transcript only showing a pass or fail (ie no numeric result) are generally excluded from the scholarship score if numeric marks have been assigned to most other subjects on the transcript.
The Committee will only use official results. It does not use predicted or unofficial results. Marks obtained for subjects that have not been credited toward a completed award course are not usually used for scholarship scoring.
If grades are presented as GPAs (Grade Point Averages) our Scholarships Scoring Calculator automatically normalises these marks to allow them to be used to calculate the scholarship score.
What if I have completed a Graduate diploma or a Postgraduate diploma?
Graduate diplomas are not usually used for scholarship scoring. This is because most graduate diplomas entail the completion of a sequence of largely undergraduate subjects (ie. 1st to 3rd year subjects). Scholarship scoring considers performance in subjects at the 3rd year level and higher. Results obtained for Postgraduate diplomas may form part of the AAS if the course is equivalent to an Honours year in terms of qualifying the applicant for admission to a PhD or other research doctorate, and if the course is relevant to the research higher degree.
How are ungraded masters and applications with more than one masters qualification assessed?
If the masters degree is ungraded, department/school scholarship assessors are asked to assign a mark on the basis of examiner’s reports. The GRSC will then evaluate the assigned mark and adjust the mark if required to ensure equity. If the applicant has completed more than one masters qualification, the AAS is normally based on the qualification most relevant to the intended research higher degree. If both masters are of equal relevance, the most recent masters is be used to calculate the scholarship score.
For further information Scholarship assessment guidelines
To request further information about scholarship assessment please contact the Melbourne Scholarships Office Scholarship assessment guidelines.
