On 31 December 2016, the International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS) ceased and was replaced by the Research Training Program (RTP) from 1 January 2017.  The RTP provides block grants, on a calendar year basis, to higher education providers (HEPs) to support both domestic and overseas students undertaking Research Doctorate and Research Masters degrees, known as higher degrees by research (HDRs).

Under RTP, a University provides one or more of the following types of support to an RTP Scholarship recipient:

• • An RTP Fees Offset pays for the tuition fees of a higher degree by research (HDR) student that would otherwise have been paid by the student. This requires that a university to fully offset tuition fee applicable for a student. This is not a stipend.
• • An RTP Stipend to assist students with their living costs while undertaking a higher degree by research.
• • RTP Allowances to assist students with ancillary costs of a higher degree by research (HDR). This includes relocation costs to undertake a HDR, HDR thesis printing and academic publication costs and health cover costs for recipients and their dependents.

RTP scholarships are available for a maximum period of two years for a research masters ORa minimum of three years, up to a maximum of four years (at the discretion of the HEP) for a research doctorate degree.

To be eligible for a RTP Stipend, RTP Fees Offset or RTP Allowance, a student must be a domestic student or an overseas student enrolled in an accredited HDR course of study at an Australian HEP. The basic eligibility criteria for an RTP are listed in Section 1.5 of the Commonwealth Scholarships Guidelines (Research) 2017.