Curtin University of Technology - Department of Mechanical Engineering including Mechatronics

Postgraduate Scholarships for Research in Mechanical (and Mechatronics) Engineering

To support the expansion of research activity in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, scholarships are available to high-quality applicants for PhD study.

Both Australian and international students, holding a Bachelor's degree at honours level in Mechanical Engineering (or a related Engineering or Scientific discipline, for example Physics, Applied Mathematics), are eligible to apply. In addition to possessing a sound technical base, applicants will be expected to possess excellent communications skills in the English language.

Research in the Department is being conducted across a wide range of disciplines. For details of these please view the research pages. Successful applicants would, ordinarily, be expected to conduct their research in one of our existing projects/research-directions.

Domestic Students: Our intention is to provide a total income broadly competitive with that commanded by a commercially employed recent graduate working in the Engineering sector. Thus, we will top up the AUD17,000 CUP/APA postgraduate scholarship available to high-quality graduates with a further AUD10,000, thereby yielding an annual tax-free income of AUD27,000.

Overseas Students: Curtin University will pay the tuition fees for high-quality graduates. In addition we will offer AUD10,000 annually as a contribution to living costs. (Note that, on average, students require AUD12-15,000 for their annual living costs.)

Holders will be expected to demonstrate initiative and commitment in their studies, leading to completion of the PhD within three years. They will also be required to contribute to the academic community of the department and school, more as colleagues than as students. In this role they will contribute to the teaching efforts of the department, for example giving tutorials and demonstrating laboratory activities, working alongside members of staff responsible for undergraduate teaching.

The scholarships are competitive. After receiving an expression of interest we will provide you with an application form to be completed and submitted. The ranking and selection process will be based upon a combination of applicants' existing academic qualifications, industrial experience (if any), aptitude for project work and match to our research strengths and directions. Applications can be considered at any time.

Curtin University is a rapidly developing university with a strong reputation as a provider of high-quality education. Its name is already well recognised both nationally and internationally. Over the last decade it has developed a significant research culture that is continuing to grow in both scope and stature. In the Department of Mechanical Engineering, there is high-level expertise in a number of research areas.

In the process of expansion, however, we have not lost sight of the individual. We believe that PhD students benefit from a close working relationship with their supervisors. This relationship often endures long after the student has graduated, generating personal and professional links that aid both parties. To permit this type of supervisor-student interaction we do not operate large and anonymous teams of research students merely serving the needs of a single supervisor. Instead, we deliberately seek to restrict numbers so that proper attention and guidance can be given to each student. This ensures that the PhD experience is much more than just the award of the degree at the end of the period of study.

If you are interested in applying, please contact us through one of the following ports.