Overview

Doctoral entry requirements

Entry into our PhD program requires that you have completed a significant research project (dissertation or thesis) as part of either a bachelor's degree with honours, e.g. BE(Hons) or BSc(Hons), or a Master's degree. A grade of B+ or above (GPA>6) is required. More information here.

Application process

1. Find a supervisor and research a project. The ABI recruitment event is a great way to talk to supervisors and learn about the research projects available. If you cannot attend the recruitment event, you can find a list of projects that have funding or are prioritised for funding on our webpage.
2. When you have found a supervisor and project, apply now to create an application in the Admissions system. The Admissions team will notify your supervisor of your application and keep you updated on the progress of the application.
   

Start dates

PhD projects funded by supervisor grants can start on the 1st of any month. PhD projects that UoA Doctoral Scholarships fund have fixed start dates throughout the year. See below for Round 1 2024 start dates.

UoA Doctoral Scholarships (UoADS)

UoADS are guaranteed for eligible students with a GPA of 8 or above. UoADS are available for eligible students with GPAs between 6 and 8 who apply to a priority project. There are 4 UoADS funding rounds per year.

Applications must be created in Admissions by 1 November 2023 to be considered for the first round of UoADS in 2024. This round's PhD start dates are 1 March 2024 or 1 June 2024.

See the UoA scholarships page for information on all postgraduate scholarships, including those for Māori and Pacific students.

Funding

PhD projects funded by UoADS or supervisor grant funding will cover all tuition fees and provide a stipend of at least $33,000 pa.

ME entry requirements

The ABI offers two ME degree options:

• 120 pt ME (one year of research) 
• 180 pt ME (1 semester of courses worth 60 pts followed by one year of research)

Admission to a 120 pt ME requires completion of a bachelor's degree with honours with a significant research project, e.g. BE(Hons) or BSc(Hons). Admissions to a 180 pt ME is available for students who have not completed an honours as part of their bachelors degree.

Application process

1. Find a supervisor and research project. The ABI recruitment event is a great way to talk to supervisors and learn about the research projects available. If you cannot attend the recruitment event, you can find a list of projects that have funding or are prioritised for funding on our webpage. 
2. When you have found a supervisor and project, apply now to create an application in the Admissions system. The Admissions team will notify your supervisor of your application and keep you updated on the progress of the application.

Start dates

ME projects start at the beginning of each semester. There are 3 start dates each year:

• Semester 1 (26 February 2024)
• Semester 2 (15 July 2024) 
• Late Year Term (1 December 2023/2024).

ME Scholarships

UoA Research Masters Scholarships are guaranteed for eligible students with a GPA of 8 or above. The scholarship covers compulsory fees and provides a stipend of $13,655 (2023). See the UoA scholarships page for information on all postgraduate scholarships, including those for Māori and Pacific students.

The ABI also offers scholarships for ME students, which are awarded by a selection committee. The scholarships cover compulsory fees and/or provide a stipend of $13,500, depending on the student's GPA. Work with your project supervisor to ensure scholarship applications are submitted one month prior to the project start date.

Funding

ME projects funded by supervisor grants will cover all tuition fees and provide a stipend of at least $13,500. Stipend values vary between grants. ME projects funded by UoA and ABI scholarships are described above.