anu phd thesis guidelines

• Current students
• Content manager

PhD and MPhil applications in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

CASS HDR (Higher Degree by Research) programs

Graduate research degrees are available in more than 20 disciplines in the arts, humanities and social sciences within the College of Arts & Social Sciences (CASS). Students who wish to undertake a graduate research program at ANU can do so through either a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Master of Philosophy (MPhil).

Depending upon your research field, the major component of both research programs is usually a substantial written work (‘thesis’) which investigates a particular subject or issue. A research student works independently under the direction of a primary academic supervisor who forms part of a supervisory panel of academic staff (PhD candidates will have at least three panel members; MPHIL candidates will have at least two).

Prospective students are expected to have an agreed supervisor for their proposed projects before they make a formal application to a CASS research program. See Areas of Research below.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

PhD degrees are expected to submit their thesis for examination within four years (full-time study), or up to eight years part-time. A standard-format thesis is about 80,000 words, and makes a substantial contribution to the relevant scholarly literature, and demonstrates how their research relates to their discipline. It is also possible to submit a PhD in an alternative format (such as a composition, exhibition or other creative work) or by publication upon approval by your supervisory panel and School or Centre. School of Art and Design students normally produced a thesis by creative work (a combination of written exegesis and exhibition).

Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

Program duration for MPhil degrees is up to two years full-time and up to four years part-time. An MPhil thesis is normally limited to 60,000 words.

Applications

College schools and centres sit under two research schools: the Research School of Social Sciences (RSSS) and the Research School of Humanities & the Arts (RSHA).

Each research school has its own PhD and MPHIL programs – the program you apply for depends on the location of the academic staff member who has agreed to supervise your thesis. (See Areas of Research below.)

PhD Programs:

9520XPHD Doctor of Philosophy RSSS

Details and Application: https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/program/9520XPHD

9552XPHD Doctor of Philosophy RSHA

Details and Application: https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/program/9552XPHD

MPHIL Programs:

8520XMPHIL Master of Philosophy RSSS

Details and Application: https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/program/8520XMPHIL

8551XMPHIL Master of Philosophy RSHA

Details and Application: https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/program/8551XMPHIL

Areas of Research

Visit the Higher Degree Research page to browse areas of research within CASS. The College also supports interdisciplinary research through the Interdisciplinary and Cross-Cultural Research (ICCR) Program.

Schools and Centres hosting HDR candidates within the College:

Research School of Humanities & the Arts (RSHA):

School of Archaeology and Anthropology

School of Art & Design

School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics

School of Music

Research School of Social Sciences (RSSS):

Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research

Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies

Centre for Social Research and Methods

School of Demography

School of History

School of Philosophy

School of Politics & International Relations

School of Sociology

Minimum entry requirements

Admission to a Doctor of Philosophy program in CASS requires you to have completed an Honours degree at H2A level or above, or equivalent prior studies, such as a Master degree that includes a significant research component. Admission to a Master of Philosophy program in CASS requires you to have completed an Australian Bachelor degree or equivalent, with an overall grade of distinction. 

Generally it is a requirement that you have completed your tertiary studies in the discipline in which you are planning to do research. Please note that exceptions to this may be made with relevant approvals.

At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific requirements, and the University's English Language Admission Requirements for Students . Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry. 

Commencement

You can apply at any time throughout the year and commence at any time throughout the year (except the end of year University close down period). Please note that deadlines apply for those wanting to be considered for scholarship, as listed below. If you are successful in gaining a scholarship, your scholarship conditions may state that you must start by a particular date. For the main domestic and international scholarships rounds the deadline to commence your program (if successful in gaining a scholarship) is the 31st of March in the following year. If you apply to commence between 1 January and 31 March, please select the Summer session, not Semester 1. This is because many HDR courses run during the Summer session, and you need to be enrolled in the Summer session to take those courses. 

The College requires research students to complete postgraduate/research coursework (the equivalent of one semester full-time study) as part of their degree. Coursework may include training on research methods, ethics and other topics as deemed appropriate by your supervisory panel and School/Centre.

Students enrolled in Higher Degree Research programs are expected to be in attendance for the duration of the program (full-time is 40 hours per week and part-time is 20 hours per week) unless approval is given by the Delegated Authority for the student to be an external PhD degree candidate. On campus candidates will be expected to physically attend ANU as a full time student for 18 months or for a part time student for 24 months. Periods of absence on fieldwork, conference attendance, or in pursuit of the program at another institution do not count towards this attendance period. External candidates must spend a minimum of 4 weeks (consecutive or non-consecutive) per year of the program at ANU.

External candidates must note their periods of time in residence at the ANU in their Annual Reports. The written approval of the appropriate Delegated Authority is required for any variation to these attendance requirements. If you intend on applying to be externally based you should discuss this option with your proposed supervisor (Chair of Panel) and should also note this in your application for admission. Once enrolled, to gain formal approval to be externally based you will need to complete the Application for External Attendance in Research Program .

Preparing for your application

Research proposal.

To be considered for the PhD or MPhil program, prospective students must submit a research (or thesis) proposal for review. When contacting potential supervisors or Graduate Research convenors they will most often expect that you have already prepared a draft research proposal. The proposal is often utilised as an indicator to assess the quality and originality of your ideas, your skills in critical thinking, the projects feasibility, and how the research fits within the School or Centres current research focus and supervision capacity.

The length of the proposal required varies between different Schools and disciplines. As a guide you should aim for between 2 and 5 pages. On advice from your potential supervisor or Graduate Research Convenor you can adjust your initial proposal to fit within the School or Centres guidelines.

Please note that your initial research proposal should be viewed as a starting point or work in progress. In your first year of candidature your research proposal will most often be refined such as through: detailed literature reviews, coursework courses completed, supervisors and other academic colleagues.

In writing your research proposal you should consider:

• The field of research or topic of investigation
• Your primary research objective or central research question to address
• The value of your research and the contribution it will make to your field
• The context and background of your research
• Your research strategy and methods

What should I include in my thesis proposal?

• Title: A precise and informative description of the project. Avoid acronyms and phrases such as "A study of . . ."
• Abstract: A summary of the proposed research (approx 300 words) that includes the key research question or hypothesis, the rationale for the research, and the method to be employed in the study
• Aims & significance: A clearly focused statement of the overall purpose of the proposed research (i.e., why is it important?)
• Research questions and/or hypotheses: the questions that the proposed research will address and/or the hypotheses that will be tested
• Literature review: A preliminary review of the key research that has already been carried out in the field and identification of the gaps in the literature that the proposed research aims to fill
• Methodology: An explanation of what type of data will be required to answer the research questions or test the hypotheses and how the data will be collected and analysed
• Timetable: An indication of how the research will be carried out over the duration of a full-time (3 years for PhD, 2 years for MPhil) or part-time (6 years for PhD, 4 years for MPhil) candidature
• Resources: An indication of the funding that will be required over the course of the candidature (e.g., for fieldwork) as well any special materials or training that may be necessary for the successful completion of the project
• Institutional fit: A statement on why CASS is an appropriate 'home' for the project and an indication of potential supervisors/advisors
• Bibliography: A list of references cited in or relevant to the proposal

Finding a supervisor

Identifying a potential primary supervisor is an important part of any graduate research application. Browse the  Researchers database  to find and contact a potential supervisor to support your application. In most cases the School or Centre location of your potential supervisor will determine which School or Centre within CASS you will reside in.

Please note that once you have found a potential supervisor, any offer of supervision will be subject to you being formally offered admission to the program and meeting any conditions (if applicable).

Application Queries

If you have any technical difficulties when applying you should contact the Admissions Office:

Domestic enquiries | International enquiries

After you have completed your application, the normal timeframe for an outcome is six to eight weeks. If you are applying for an ANU administered scholarship, in order for us to prepare your application as best as possible you should try to aim to submit your application well in advance of the final closing deadline (2 to 3 weeks prior to the deadline). If you are applying for an externally administered scholarship such as the Endeavour Awards, you should apply well in advance of your deadline (try to leave at least 6 to 8 weeks prior to the deadline).

Scholarships

Admission and ANU administered scholarships for HDR degrees are applied for together in the one application for admission (an online form). If you are interested in being considered for an ANU administered scholarship you should indicate this in the relevant sections of the application.

In order to be eligible to be considered for a scholarship you must have the equivalent of H1 honours (first class honours). The Scholarship ranking process is very rigorous, each applicant must first be internally ranked and recommended by their School or Centre for the Scholarship round. Then a central College HDR Scholarship round committee assesses and ranks each applicant. Many criteria are taken into account such as the applicants:

• Academic record (including GPA)
• Research Proposal
• Referee reports & questionnaires
• Publications
• Prizes, Awards and Scholarships
• Relevant professional experience
• English language competency
• Ranking relevant to others in the graduate research field or discipline area

Following this there is often a University level ranking committee that ranks applicants put forward by the College to reach a final ranked list of applicants.

Information on scholarships is available at the  ANU Apply online portal

Domestic students

Domestic research students at ANU are covered by the Fee Offset scholarship offered under the Australian Government Research Training Program ( AGRTP ) where the cost of your tuition is paid by the Commonwealth Government.

Research students are required to pay other associated costs such as the Services and amenities fee .

International students

Information on Fees is available at the ANU Apply online portal . 

HDR transfers

If you are currently undertaking an PhD or MPhil at another Australian university, you will still need to apply to ANU as normal. If you are given an offer of admission before you can be enrolled you will need to provide the following:

• Your program commencement date and withdrawal date (if already withdrawn)
• A statement of your RTS (or AGRTP) consumption to date (in EFTSL - Equivalent Full Time Student Load).
• Dates and durations of any periods of leave (other than recreational leave).
• Whether your enrolment was full or part-time.

Please note these details can be obtained from your university administration.

So we can determine your eligibility for Scholarships please advise if you have been in receipt of any Scholarships under your current (or previous) Higher Degree by Research programs (such as an APA scholarship). 

Please also note that before you can enroll at ANU, the enrolments office will also require Proof of withdrawal from your current University. You can provide this information to us once you have received an offer letter from ANU.

Contact us 

For further information, assistance or enquiries please contact us at: [email protected] .

Current Students ANU College of Health & Medicine ANU College of Science

Application to submit phd thesis by compilation, degree level.

CHM/COS Requirements for a Thesis by Compilation

A 'Thesis by Compilation' allows a candidate to submit his / her thesis for examination by published work. The number of publications is not prescriptive due to disciplinary variability, however should include at least three publications of which the majority are first author.

All candidates are automatically set up to submit their thesis as a standard thesis. If you wish to submit your thesis as a 'Thesis by Compilation' you must submit an MMD-HDR "Change Working Thesis Details" eForm at least 12 months, and no later than 6 months before completing the 'Notification of Intent to Submit' (NOI) milestone eForm. This process requires approval from your Primary Supervisor and Delegated Authority. It is important to speak with your Primary Supervisor, Delegated Authority or HDR Administrator before requesting a change to your thesis format.

Please see: " Change Working Thesis Details " webpage for more information on format types and procedure. 

The University procedure ( ANU HDR - Thesis by Compilation and Thesis by Creative Works procedure ) also requires a detailed ‘statement of contribution’ to be included and bound into the thesis at the time of submission.

This statement must detail the contribution to each paper, and include an agreement to the contribution statement and the inclusion of the paper by co-authors, using the ' Thesis by Compilation_Statement of Contribution ' template attached.

To ensure this requirement is followed, the statement must be endorsed by the supervisor and the Delegated Authority before submission of the thesis.

At least two months prior to submission, and after consulting with your supervisory panel, a candidate should commence the 'Notification of Intent to Submit (NoI)' milestone eForm (available via ISIS) indicating the thesis title, abstract, intended date of submission and thesis format.

NB: You CANNOT change these details following submission so please ensure they are correct prior to submission of thesis for examination. 

[SEE: Thesis by Compilation Application & Thesis by Compilation_Statement of Contribution forms]

• New bachelor students
• New masters students
• Requesting permission to enrol
• Structuring your degree
• Forms, protocols & processes
• Bachelor degree courses
• Honours pathway
• Master degree courses
• Other courses
• First year course guide
• Direct entry Honours programs
• Admission to honours
• Scienceshop
• Field Trips
• Science coursework internship program
• Science, Health & Medicine HDR Internships
• Available placements
• Past placements
• COS Student ambassador
• CHM Student ambassador
• Career development
• Other opportunities
• Bachelor & Honours research
• Postgraduate research
• Scholarships
• Finding a supervisor
• College research links
• Student Services
• Student appointments
• Accessibility contacts
• Feedback & grievances

ANU Postgraduate research

Research is at the core of everything we do. It informs the content of our degrees, influences public policy and solves some of our region’s greatest challenges.

ANU postgraduate research

Find a supervisor

Scholarships & Fees

How to apply

Change the conversation

Studying an advanced, research-focused Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree at The Australian National University (ANU) is an opportunity to make a substantial and original contribution to your discipline or area of professional practice.

We’ll automatically consider you for a scholarship when we receive your application.

Research areas

Our research priorities reflect the challenges facing the world today.

ANU researchers are currently exploring a range of disciplines and study areas .

university in the world

QS World University Rankings 2024

Nobel laureates among ANU staff & alumni

in Australia in 13 disciplines

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023

for student-teacher ratio and staff qualifications

Good Universities Guide 2023

Before you apply

Find a potential supervisor and explore our colleges’ research opportunities. Some colleges have different application requirements – so make sure you’re aware of and follow these before you apply.

1. Find a supervisor

Discover potential supervisors. Explore their research and published works and find their contact details.

Search supervisors

2. ANU college research opportunities

Our colleges can provide you with information about research areas, supervisors and groups, as well as who to contact.

NOTE: More than one college can offer supervision in a particular study area.

• ANU College of Arts & Social Sciences
• ANU College of Asia & the Pacific
• ANU College of Business & Economics
• ANU College of Engineering, Computing & Cybernetics
• ANU College of Health & Medicine
• ANU College of Law
• ANU College of Science

3. Explore college application requirements

If you have found a supervisor you would like to work with and the college that offers this supervision, you will need to find out if there are any pre-application steps that your college would like you to take.

Most colleges would like you to find and secure the support of a potential supervisor before you complete your application. For example, the ANU College of Business & Economics has different arrangements for setting up supervision, so please check in with them before applying.

Some colleges will ask you to send a short description of your proposed area of research as an expression of interest and a summary of your academic qualifications, including grades, to them first.

Visit the ANU college research pages for pre-application advice (see the links under 'ANU colleges’ content above).

  Previous   Next

Applying to ANU

You can apply at any time of the year – but if you would like to be considered for a scholarship, you will need to send your application within the scholarship’s application deadline.

Scholarship applicants

Your referees should send their reports before your scholarship’s deadline. Give them as much time as possible by completing your ANU application 2–3 weeks earlier than the scholarship’s deadline. We’ll contact your referees when we get your application.

Application requirements

Your application to study at ANU must meet the following requirements.

1. Minimum admission requirements

Explore our minimum admission requirements.

Requirements for admission to a Doctor of Philosophy degree

• An Australian bachelor’s degree with at least second-class honours (Upper first-class honours may be required by some programs) or the international equivalent, or
• Another degree with a significant research/thesis component, or
• A combination of qualifications, research publications and/or professional experience related to your field of study

Requirements for admission to a Master of Philosophy degree

• An Australian bachelor’s degree or higher, with an overall grade of distinction or higher, or the international equivalent, or
• Another equivalent degree, or
• A combination of qualifications, research publications and/or professional experience that are related to your field of study

2. English language requirements

You must meet our English language requirements to be eligible for admission to ANU. While you can apply without having met them, you will need to show that you do when you get a study offer from us.

Unsure whether you can meet the English language requirements? Contact your research school or the Graduate Research Office before you send your application.

Learn more about ANU English language requirements

3. Research proposal

Your draft research proposal only needs to be short. Check in with your potential supervisor to clarify their expectations for this proposal before you send it in with your application.

Your proposal should present your idea or question in your discipline area clearly. Consider it a statement about the basis of the research you’d like to do.

Your research proposal should:

• establish the relevance of your idea
• show gaps in your field – and how your research would address these
• include how you would go about your research project – your approach, methodologies and resources.

You will be able to change the proposal once you have enrolled in your program.

Learn about research proposals

4. Referees

Referee reports are mandatory when applying for admission to a HDR Program. At least 2 referees reports are required to commence assessment of the application. Academic referees, who are able to comment on the applicant’s ability to undertake the program, are preferred, however, professional references can also be used. The University may request additional referee reports during the assessment of the application.

Ensure their contact details are correct; we will email them a report to complete from within the application portal as soon as we have received your application.

If your referee is unable to access our system-generated referee report, they can contact the Admissions team and ask for another version of the form.

Your referees must send their completed reports confidentially and directly to the University rather than to you.

Reference documents:

• Research Application Referee Report (DOCX, 85.97 KB)

5. Supporting documentation

Upload clear, colour copies of your academic transcripts and graduation certificates with your application. You do not need to certify these documents, but they must be original copies. We will verify their authenticity.

If your academic documents were originally given to you in a language other than English, we will need official copies of the document in that language and original translations for verification purposes.

6. Incomplete qualifications

You can apply to ANU before you complete your current degree if you are in your final year. Advise the Graduate Research office your expected completion date via your application and supply a copy of the qualification when we make you an offer.

For more information, refer to ‘Supporting documentation’.

If you have the approval of a college and a potential supervisor, you can apply for admission to ANU. Without this endorsement, though, we might not be able to assess your application.

Choose the program you want to study from the Program & Courses catalogue

On the program’s page, click 'apply’ to open the application portal

Complete your application

Receiving an offer from ANU

After we assess your application, we will contact you via email about the outcome within 6–8 weeks (about 2 months). This could take longer if we're also considering you for a scholarship.

If you do not hear from ANU within two months, contact your research school or email the Graduate Research Office.

• Contact Graduate Research Office

Related links

Policy Library

• Search ANU web, staff & maps
• Search current site content

Search Policy Library

• Accommodation
• Access & Use
• Art Collection
• Capital Projects
• Drill Hall Gallery
• Environment & Heritage
• Gardens & Grounds
• Maintenance & Small Alterations
• Names , Numbers & Signage
• Specifications
• Alumni Relations
• Work & Life Balance
• Chart of Accounts
• Investments
• Delegations
• Fire & Emergencies
• Occupational Health & Safety
• Infrastructure
• Records & Archives
• Information Security
• Company Directorships
• Advertising
• University Branding
• Grants & Consultancies
• Integrity & Ethics
• Intellectual Property
• Employment of Staff
• Grievances & Appeals
• Health & Working Safely
• Leave & Absences
• Performance Expectation
• Performance Expectations
• Remuneration & Benefits
• Staff & Career Development
• Assesment, Academic Progress & Appeals
• Assessment, Academic Progress & Appeals
• Finance & Fees
• Higher Research Degrees
• Student and University Experience
• Bookings & Expenses
• Parking & Traffic
• Prospective Staff
• Prospective Students
• Staff-Academic
• Staff-Academic-Research
• Staff-Professional
• Students-Distance
• Students-Graduate
• Students-Graduate-Coursework
• Students-Graduate-Research
• Students-NonAward
• Students-Undergraduate
• ANU Advancement
• ANU International Office
• Chief Information Security Officer
• Communications and Engagement
• Corporate Governance & Risk Office
• Division of Student Administration and Academic Services
• Facilities & Services
• Finance & Business Services
• Higher Degree Research
• Human Resources Division
• Information Technology Services
• International Strategy and Future Students
• Planning & Service Performance
• Research Services
• Scholarly Information Services
• Advanced Search
• Policy Governance Framework
• Legislation
• University Glossary

Related sites

• Office of VC
• Governance Office

MOST POPULAR ITEMS

• Policy: Privacy
• Policy: English language admission requirements and post-admission support
• Procedure: Student assessment (coursework)
• Policy: Student assessment (coursework)
• Policy: Glossary: Student policies and procedures - under review
• Procedure: Research Training Program scholarships
• Policy: Code of conduct
• Policy: Student Code of Conduct
• Procedure: Higher degree by research - submission and examination of theses
• Policy: ANU Travel

Guideline : Higher Degree by Research: Editing of Theses

To provide guidelines for e ditors, whether they are formal supervisors, informal mentors, family or friends or professionals, regarding the extent and nature of help they offer in the editing of research candidates' theses and dissertations.

• The Institute of Professional Editors Limited (IPEd) have collaboratively developed an agreed set of guideli n es based on the Australian standards fo r editing practice that provide guidance to candidates, supervisors and professional editors in how much assistance they should provide to candidates who have requested help in writing their theses.

Proof-Reading and Editing of Research Theses and Dissertations

• Academic supervisors of higher degree by research candidates provide editorial advice to their candidates on:
• Matters of content, substance and structure;
• Interpretation of the research literature and data;
• use of illustrations and tables;
• use of language (including clarity, voice and tone, grammar, spelling and punctuation);
• use of technical and specialised terminology. (IPEd 2019).
• Supervisors may also provide copy editing and proofreading. The Australian standards for editin g practice outline the differences between editorial advice on content, substance and structure (Part C), copy editing (Part D) and proofreading (Part E).
• Candidates may use third parties (professional or otherwise) to assist in preparing their thesis for submission, provided they discuss this with their supervisor and provide the editor with a copy of this guideline and the Australian Standards for editing practice guideline before they commence work.
• Third party editorial intervention is restricted to:
• Where a third party provides advice on matters of structure (Standard C), only examples should be given, not detailed sets of changes.
• Feedback as a result of professional editing or proofreading is provided in a format that encourages consideration of the recommendations of the editor rather than simply acceptance of those recommendations.
• Where editorial advice is given, it is acknowledged as per the Higher degree by research - submission and examination of theses procedure .

Editorial Services

• Available editorial services include:
• A directory of editors fro m the Canberra Society of Editors ;
• A searchable database f r om the Institute of Professional Editors ( IPEd ) .
• Before commissioning an editor , the following checklist should be used to determine the scope of work in line with these guidelines: http://w w w.editorscanberra.org/wp-content/uploads/checklist . pdf .

Responsible Officer:   Office of the Vice-Chancellor / Page Contact:   Contact ANU

The PhD in Law is an opportunity for you to engage in high-quality independent research as part of an extended research project. 

Program description

The PhD in Law is an opportunity for you to engage in high-quality independent research as part of an extended research project. The PhD degree requires submission of a thesis of not more than 100,000 words that makes a substantial contribution to learning in the field of law. Each candidate has a supervisory panel of academics. Students are encouraged to participate in the activities of the ANU College of Law, and would most often be based on campus and study full-time.

Mode of delivery

The research outcome of a PhD degree is a thesis of not more than 100,000 words. During their study, candidates are assessed against milestones which include: annual plans (completed 3 months after commencement and then annually); annual reports; a thesis proposal review; and an oral presentation.

Research students at ANU must fulfil the minimum residency requirements specified in the Australian Government’s  Research Award Rules 2017  unless approval has been obtained for a reduced period of attendance, or the student is externally based. Applicants should make a detailed case for any reduced period of attendance, preferably at the time of application. ANU also has a  PhD Attendance Requirements Policy  which describes these requirements.

If you are approved to study externally (via distance), the minimum attendance on campus is 4 weeks each year. For further information, please refer to the Guidelines For Externally Based Students on the ANU Law  Apply online  page. Approval to study externally cannot be guaranteed.

ANU Law will provide a suitable work space and computer on the ANU campus in Canberra. All students will have access to Wattle (Web Access to Teaching & Learning Environments), the University’s online learning platform.

One of the world's top 20 law schools Times Higher Education Rankings (2024)

Five-star maximum rating for student demand, teaching quality, student–teacher ratio and staff qualifications Good Universities Guide 2022

Graduating from ANU Law will see you join a prestigious and highly recognised alumni network .

4 years full-time (note that some scholarships are for a maximum of 3.5 years at present with a possible extension). If part-time study is approved, the maximum duration is 8 years.

Make an enquiry

Call and chat to a member of our Future Student Experience team.

Apply for Doctor of Philosophy in Law as a domestic or international student.

Course guide

View the Doctor of Philosophy in Law course guide for more information.

Entry requirements

The minimum entry requirements are: English language proficiency, and at a minimum, a bachelor's degree with first or upper second class honours, usually in law. Admission into this program is highly competitive and we therefore prioritise applicants with a first class honours degree. We favour applicants who also have a masters degree with a high grade point average.

The level of English language required for Law is high, see How to Apply . If you are an international student, you must provide a current IELTS or TOEFL certificate as proof of your competency. The tests can be arranged through the British Council or the Australian Embassy in your country.

ANU has the highest level of graduate employability of any Australian university.

In addition, graduating from ANU Law will see you join a prestigious and highly recognised alumni network of over 20,000 professionals in Australia and around the globe.

Academic experts

Each candidate has a supervisory panel of academics, usually drawn from the ANU College of Law’s experts .

With particular expertise in constitutional and administrative law , international law , environmental law , migration law, governance and national security , our academic staff are frequently called on by parliamentary committees, peak bodies, professional associations and the media for analysis, advice and guidance on the law, and what might be done to improve it.

Many of our expert research staff are also award winning teachers who are are always accessible and work closely with you to ensure you successfully complete your studies. We have created a supportive and nurturing environment in which you can thrive.

Admission to practice

A PhD in Law will not provide a basis for admission to practice.

ANU currently enrols domestic research students under the Research Training Scheme (RTS) which is funded by the Commonwealth Government. RTS funded students are not required to contribute to the cost of their tuition for the duration of their program.

International students are required to pay the cost of their tuition for the duration of their program. The annual fee for international students (2018) is $40,416.00.

Fees for the PhD program are also available on the Programs and Courses website.

Scholarships

ANU funds and administers a range of scholarships for graduate research degree programs, especially for domestic students. See our HDR scholarships page for information on these scholarships and their deadlines.

More information on ANU costs and fees , and scholarships and support is available on the central ANU website.

For more information on the Australian education system please go to the government websites MyUniversity and StudyAssist .

We have prepared detailed information on how to apply to do Higher Degree Research at ANU Law , including information on scholarships, putting your application together, applying online and commencement. Please read through these instructions thoroughly.

Programs and courses

For information on admission requirements, fees, courses, electives, suggested study patterns and more see Programs and Courses.

Useful links

• Study at ANU Law
• Contact ANU Law
• ANU Study with us
• ANU Information for you
• ANU Scholarships
• ANU Student experience

• Directories

Research proposals

If you are applying to undertake a research degree or a degree with a research component at ANU, or are in the first year of your research degree, you may be expected to produce a research proposal that demonstrates that you understand the process of scholarly inquiry. In particular, that 'good' research starts with you identifying an important problem or 'gap' in knowledge in your field and/or discipline that you can address or fill.

These pages provide strategies to help you to establish your credibility as a scholar by developing a persuasive research proposal. A persuasive research proposal sets out what you intend to conduct research on, why and how you plan to go about operationalising it, and how you make a contribution to knowledge. More specifically, these pages detail the various stages involved in designing a research project from understanding the purpose of a research proposal to what to consider in writing one. 

Purpose>>

Useful resources

• Agee, J. (2009). Developing qualitative research questions: A reflective process. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education,   22 (4), 431-447. doi:10.1080/09518390902736512
• Paltridge, B., & Starfield, S. (2007).  Thesis and dissertation writing in a second language: A handbook for supervisors . London: Routledge.
• Punch, K.F. (2006). Developing effective research proposals (2nd ed.). London: Sage.

Structuring

• ANU Library Academic Skills
• +61 2 6125 2972

• Fee Structure
• Apply Now NRI applicant Foreigner Applicant
• Ph.D Programs (Foreign Students)

Admission Procedure for Ph.D. Programmes

Admissions into Ph.D. Programmes are made during any time of the year. Interested foreign Students are required to download the application form for Research Visa from the website ums.anuisc.in/web/checkListform.aspx or www.anu.ac.in and submit the duly filled in application form along with the necessary documentary evidences in eight sets to the Director, International Students Cell, Acharya Nagarjuna University for obtaining the signature & attestation of the Registrar, Acharya Nagarjuna University on the Certificate of Affiliation. The following guidelines are to be followed for the admission of foreign Students into Ph.D. Programme.

Eligibility

• An international student seeking admission into Ph.D. programme must have passed Post-Graduate degree in the concerned area.with a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent GPA Grade.
• If the foreign student possesses a qualifying degree awarded by Indian University, he has to go back to his home country and get a fresh research visa to join the M.Phil/Ph.D. Programme.
• All the foreign students who are admitted into Ph.D. Programme under self-finance have to pay the prescribed fee in the beginning of the academic year.

Enclosures to Application - The following documents are to be enclosed

• Filled in “Provisional Admission Application Form” and also “Application Form for Research Visa” (download from www.anu.ac.in)
• Two certified copies of Certificates of the PG, UG, High School qualifying examination (certified translated version in English)
• A copy of the syllabus/curriculum of their PG/M.Phil. Degree (Certified translated version in English)
• Two copies of the passport.
• A brief research proposal with title has to be submitted.
• Brief curriculum vitae of the candidate, containing educational qualifications, research experience and work experience. As and when the applications are received at International Students Cell (ISC), they will be processed for admission and the ‘Provisional Admission Letters’ and Certificate of Affiliation will be issued to the eligible Students as soon as they pay the registration fee.
• A non-refundable registration fee in favour of the ‘Director, International Students Cell (ISC), Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjuna Nagar, Guntur for US $ 100 or its equivalent Indian Rupees or the payment can be made online to the account of

After receiving these certificates the candidates have to submit the above documents at the respective Embassy / Consulate of India and obtain ‘Research Visa’ which is mandatory for any University in order to admit the student into Ph.D. programme.

When the foreign student reports at ISC with a valid ‘Research Visa’, admission process will be initiated and the office of ISC would help in admission procedure and other formalities. Joining Report of the foreign scholar shall be intimated by Director, International Students Cell to the concerned Head of the Department, the Principal of the College and the Supervisor. The foreign scholar shall finalize the topic of research in consultation with the research supervisor and communicate the synopsis of the project to be undertaken to the Head of the Department of the faculty.

The date of reporting of the foreign students to the Director, International Students Cell shall be the date of joining into the Programme for all purposes. The annual tuition fee payable is accounted from the date of joining.

The foreign students are required to obtain Bonafide Certificate from the Director, International Students Cell’s office of the concerned colleges and apply for Residential Permit in the office of the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) located in the office of the Superintendent of Police, Guntur.

The foreign students are also instructed to submit a copy of the Residential permit in the office of ISC, ANU immediately after obtaining the same from the office of FRRO, Guntur, failing which their admission process will not be complete.

The candidates are requested to note that the duration of the course, the Pre-Ph.D. Examination, the syllabus, seminars, thesis submission procedure and evaluation are same as specified in the Ph.D. Regulations’ of Acharya Nagarjuna University. However, some of the salient features are briefly outlined below for the benefit of foreign students:

• They are exempted from appearing at entrance test and admissions for them are made round the year.
• Their admissions are based on their scores in the qualifying examination/GPA Grade.
• Their admissions will be processed by the International student cell and the admitting authority will be the Principal of the concerned College.
• Their date of reporting shall be the date of joining and annual tuition fee payable is accounted from the date of joining.
• The duration of the course, Pre-Ph.D.examination, the syllabus, seminars, thesis submission procedure, evaluation etc. are as per ANU Research Regulations / guidelines in Vogue from time to time.
• They are allowed to appear for the next immediate Pre-Ph.D. examination after the date of joining, basing on their eligibility.

Tenure of the Programme

The period of research Programme for full-time foreign scholars is minimum three years from the date of their joining the Programme and maximum period allowed is five years. For the benefit of the international students provision has been given by the authorities to submit the thesis after competition of two years with the approval of their respective Department Research committee. If a candidate could not complete his Ph.D. course even after the stipulated maximum time, his/her case for extension of time can be considered only for a valid reason. Such cases shall be recommended by the Supervisor and forwarded by the Head of Department if it is a valid reason. The Vice-Chancellor may consider his / her request based on the recommendations of the Principal concerned. With the approval of the Vice-Chancellor, the candidate may be permitted to submit his dissertation / thesis within one year by paying prescribed fee. If he/she fails to submit the thesis within the extended period of one year, he/she shall not be permitted any further extension and shall have to go for re-registration through Head of the Department and Principal concerned. The Vice - Chancellor is the only authority to permit a candidate for re-registration or not. The request for the same may be forwarded through the Director, International Students Cell (ISC). The registration of foreign scholars shall stand cancelled after the expiry of the extension period.

Part-Time Research

There is no provision for part-time research in the University for foreign students. All candidates applying for research programmes will be admitted for full-time research.

Pre-Ph.D. Examination

The foreign students are allowed to appear for the next immediate pre- Ph.D. Examination after the date of joining in the Department, basing on their eligibility. The medium of Examination is English only.

The syllabus for the Pre-Ph.D. Examination is same as for the local students and the details of which can be had from the respective Departments.

Mode of Examination

The candidate will have to appear for the following two papers and qualify as per the rules of University:

Paper I : Research Methodology. Paper II: Broad Field of Research.

Seminar Presentation

The nature of the seminar to be presented is same as applicable to the local students

Final Submission of Thesis

As soon as the work is completed, the entire work has to be presented in the form of a write-up only in English, called the thesis, and submitted to the Coordinator, Research Cell along with the prescribed application form. The guidelines laid down in the ‘Ph.D. Regulations’, shall be adhered to while preparing the thesis. Also, at the time of submitting the thesis, the tuition fee and any other payments have to be cleared and a ‘No Dues’ certificate from the Director, International Students Cell (ISC) has to be submitted to the Coordinator, Research Cell.

Adjudication of the Thesis and Viva-Voce Examination

The procedures are same as applicable to the local students..