Funding, Prizes and Awards

The Faculty of Arts is committed to helping you make the most of interesting opportunities and celebrate your success as you complete your research. The funding schemes are available to support all graduate researchers in the Faculty.

Travel is co-funded by the Monash Graduate Research Office (MGRO). For more information about the MGRO contributions, please refer to the Travel grants section below.

Travel grants

To support your research, you may need to travel to engage in fieldwork (e.g. access equipment, laboratories or historical sites), present your work at conferences or complete other research related activities during your candidature.

Students must comply with the requirements under the Staff & Student Travel Policy, Student Travel Procedure, and the Enrolment Procedure in seeking approval for study away and throughout the approved study away period.

Before submitting an application for study away, please carefully review the information on this page and discuss your study away plans with your supervisor and Academic unit and Faculty to confirm they will support your application.

For detailed information, please visit the Managing your travel website.

Please note: Eligible students will receive the travel grant as a one-off payment for either an international study away or domestic study away.

Eligibility and selection criteria

In order to be eligible for a travel grant, you must:

• be currently enrolled in a graduate research degree in the Faculty of Arts at Monash University
• not be on a leave of absence from candidature for the period of the proposed travel
• not be under examination
• have successfully completed your Confirmation of Candidature
• obtain an approved study away to carry out integral part of the research program submit study away with travel grants request 6 weeks prior to the proposed departure date for Monash Graduate Research Office (MGRO) approval

Additional Information

• Common funding approvals include, but are not limited to, airfares, conference registrations, accommodation expenses while on approved study away, hire of special equipment for research, access to archives and visa costs.
• Common funding exclusions include, but are not limited to, passport renewals, and expenses incurred not concurrent with the MGRO travel grant scheme.
• Once your study away with travel grant application is approved, the Arts Finance Team will contact you directly to provide instructions on the claim process.

Graduate Research Bursary

The Faculty of Arts provides funding to Australian-based graduate research students to offset the reasonable costs that may be incurred in implementing the research design or disseminating the findings of a student’s research. This is intended to support research-related expenditure where it is otherwise not available through the Monash Graduate Research Office.

Master students - $2,000 for the duration of candidature (i.e. up to 2 years full-time equivalent). Students will receive:

• $2,000 after successful Confirmation of candidature

PhD students - $4,000 for the duration of candidature (i.e. up to 4 years full-time equivalent). Students will receive:

• $2,500 after successful Confirmation of candidature
• $1,500 after successful completion of the Progress Review

Note: No payment will be made for an unsatisfactory milestone.

Mollie Holman Award and VC's Commendation for Thesis Excellence

The Mollie Holman Award was established in 1998 and is named after the late pioneering physiologist, Emeritus Professor Mollie Holman AO, in honour of her significant contributions to science and education. A pioneer in her field, Professor Holman's memory is preserved in these medals struck in her honour. They are among the highest academic honours we bestow, and mark the recipients as researchers of the highest order.

The Vice-Chancellor’s Commendation for Thesis Excellence was established to recognise and reward outstanding doctoral and research master’s thesis excellence. Each year, a maximum of five commendations are awarded to doctoral and/or research masters students, who have fulfilled their degree requirements and presented as outstanding contributors to research by their faculty.

Richard John Bryant Estate Award for PhD research in Geography

Students undertaking a PhD or Masters by Research in Geography can apply for the Richard John Bryant Estate Award. Examples of what has been funded in the past include: specific fieldwork proposals, conference travel for students wishing to present papers at domestic or international conferences, and specific data or transcription services, not funded from elsewhere.

Find out more and how to apply