Advice for Research Candidates Applying for Scholarships in CSSE

Postgraduate scholarships at UWA are awarded to outstanding candidates, expected to be able to make a valuable research contribution to the research output of their chosen School and to complete their PhDs within 3.5 years. Scholarships are awarded to applicants based on their position in a ranked list, taking into account any special conditions for specific scholarships. The ranked list is determined by their School, Faculty and the University, based on four criteria: research potential or demonstrated performance, academic performance, supervision environment and English language proficiency.

Before submitting your scholarship application, please read these pages to make sure that your application contains all the information the School needs to make the best possible case for you to win a scholarship. As well as ensuring the necessary information and evidence is available in your application, you are encouraged to send an email with answers to the questions below to the CSSE Graduate Coordinator rachel@csse.uwa.edu.au to ensure we don’t miss anything. Good luck with your application!

Academic Performance

The Scholarships committee will consider your academic record, focussing on your most recent degree. Please help us by providing your weighted undergraduate average mark (WUAM) where possible (average or weighted average of all units taken), explaining how this is calculated if not shown clearly on your academic transcript. If you know your position within your year cohort, and the size of that cohort, please include that information (and/or ask your referees to do the same). Also, if your School or University is well ranked internationally, please remind us of that too.

Research Potential or Performance

Applicants are usually expected to have a first class or upper second class honours degree from an approved university. Your Honours degree or coursework Masters degree should have a substantial research component, usually identified by a project unit on your academic record. Your application should show the title of your research dissertation(s), and the mark awarded for that part of your course.

If you have published any research papers, please list these clearly, together with information about the conference or journal in which the paper was published, and explain your contribution to the paper. Evidence should be provided of the quality of the publication (for example, that it has been fully peer refereed, and the impact factor or acceptance rate of the journal or conference).

Other factors that will be taken into account in assessing your research potential include: an additional degree (Masters, or double degree), relevant work experience, current PhD candidature, substantial prize winning, patents or any other evidence of quality of impact of your work.

Supervision

CSSE needs to demonstrate that it can provide excellent research supervision for your chosen research topic. In addition, the School may be asked to provide part of your scholarship. For these reasons it is very important that you have made contact with a potential supervisor and discussed your research goals with them. Travel scholarships of up to Aus$2000 are available for PhD applicants to visit CSSE and discuss their research proposal.

English Language

To be eligible for a scholarship you must meet UWA’s English Language Competency requirements.

Any additional evidence of your English competency should be mentioned: for example papers or dissertations written in English, any teaching or work experience in an English speaking environment.

Referees

Please show the above advice to your referees, as their comments and observations about your performance to date and your potential for research provide important additional information for ranking scholarship candidates.