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By Olami, AbroadPilot · Reviewed September 2026
The Charles Darwin University (CDU) RTP Scholarship is funded by the Australian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) and supports international (and domestic) students undertaking a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) — a Master’s by Research or a PhD — at CDU in Australia’s Northern Territory. It is a fully funded, competitively awarded research scholarship.
What the CDU RTP Scholarship covers
- A tax-free living stipend — AU$35,489 per year (2026 full-time rate), paid fortnightly
- Full tuition-fee offset for the duration of the degree
- A relocation allowance (up to AU$2,500 for international students)
- Paid sick and maternity/parental leave
- Duration: up to 3 years for a PhD, up to 2 years for a research master’s
Who is eligible?
- Be an international (or domestic) applicant eligible to enrol full-time in an HDR program at CDU.
- Master’s by research: a completed bachelor’s degree (with strong results). PhD: typically a bachelor’s plus a master’s or honours with a research component.
- Demonstrate exceptional research potential (research experience, publications and a strong proposal help).
- Meet CDU’s English-language requirements (e.g. IELTS around 6.5–7.0+ depending on program).
- Not be receiving an equivalent HDR living stipend from another source.
Documents you’ll need
- Academic transcripts and degree certificates (with certified English translations if needed)
- A research proposal and evidence of research potential (e.g. publications)
- Written support / confirmation from an eligible CDU supervisor
- CV and referee (HDR referee report) forms, returned directly by referees
- Proof of English-language proficiency
How to apply: step by step
- Check eligibility against CDU’s academic and English requirements.
- Find a research topic and supervisor. Contact a CDU academic in your field and secure their written support — this is essential for HDR admission.
- Apply for HDR admission to CDU (Master’s by Research or PhD) by the admission deadline.
- Submit the RTP scholarship application via CDU’s HDR online portal, including referee reports, by the scholarship deadline. In recent cycles, international applicants needed to apply for admission by around 1 September and submit the scholarship application by around 30 September.
- Await ranking & outcome. Applications are ranked competitively; outcomes are typically released around November–December, with study starting early the following year.
How competitive is it?
RTP scholarships are awarded through a competitive ranking process — they are not granted automatically to all admitted research students. CDU ranks applicants on research potential, academic record, the quality of the proposal and the fit with an available supervisor. Securing a committed, well-matched supervisor early is often the single biggest factor in a successful application.
Frequently asked questions
Does the CDU RTP fund coursework or undergraduate degrees?
No. The RTP only supports Higher Degrees by Research — a Master’s by Research or a PhD — not coursework master’s or bachelor’s programs.
Do I need a supervisor before applying?
Yes. You need a research project and written support from an eligible CDU supervisor; HDR admission cannot proceed without it.
How much is the CDU RTP stipend?
The 2026 full-time rate is AU$35,489 per year, tax-free, paid fortnightly, plus a tuition offset and relocation allowance.
Apply / verify on the official site: CDU HDR Scholarships (cdu.edu.au). Rates and deadlines change each round — always confirm on the official page.
Free tools for this
- Scholarship Odds Estimator — real award-to-applicant ratios where funders publish them
- Scholarship Eligibility Checker — which of our tracked scholarships you can actually apply for
- Scholarship Deadlines Calendar — never shows a deadline that already passed
- How to Verify a Scholarship Is Real — the red flags that separate real funders from scams
Explore more on our Scholarships hub, including the Commonwealth PhD Scholarship.
Olami is the founder and lead writer at AbroadPilot. He started the site after going through the visa process himself — a German student visa in 2019 and a Canadian work permit in 2023 — and learning first-hand how confusing official immigration language can be, how often rules change, and how easy it is to lose money to bad advice. He spent three years as an international education and travel consultant, helping people source and verify the information that landed their visas and planned their trips. Every guide on AbroadPilot is built from official sources — embassy pages, government immigration portals, and .gov fee schedules — and reviewed as requirements change. AbroadPilot does not sell visas or applications; it is a free resource to help readers apply with confidence.
