Documentation needed to apply for a research degree

A research proposal outlines the topic you want to explore in your PhD or Masters by Research degree. It should be written in consultation with your prospective supervisor.

Each faculty and institute require different formats and lengths for proposals. Learn how to write a research proposal for your application.

Collaborative degree students should provide research proposals that contain:

• a timeline that includes a minimum 12-month stay at UTS, and
• a clear indication of milestones to be achieved at each institution, from start to completion.

A CV outlines your previous professional and academic experience, along with past education.

You must follow the UTS CV template (docx, 55KB) to ensure all key details are included and supporting evidence is attached where applicable.

In your application, you need to provide a copy of either:

• the bio page (with your photo) in your passport
• your certificate of Australian or New Zealand citizenship
• Australian or New Zealand birth certificate

International students who are already living in Australia should provide a copy of their current visa.

All research students must be able to provide evidence of their English language proficiency.

If you have previously studied in English, you must provide:

• official academic transcripts & testamur - certification required
• an official document from your institution on the institution letterhead certifying that the medium of instruction for your qualification was English *- certification required

If you haven’t studied in English, you are required to complete an English language test or program.

Check that your documents meet our English language requirements before submitting them. 

This document needs to be certified.

*Please note that the Medium of Instruction (MoI) option is not accepted for qualifications from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. Applicants with qualifications from these countries will need to provide a valid IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, or UTS College Academic English score.

An academic transcript is an official statement from your educational institution that shows your full enrolment history, including subjects and results. It may also be called an academic record.

Academic transcripts must include:

• a list of units or subjects for each session, and
• grades for each course, and
• grading scale explanation

A testamur is the legal document you receive after the completion of your course. It may also be called a degree certificate. If your testamur is not yet available, you can submit an official Statement of Completion.

You must provide all transcripts and testamurs for all tertiary degrees attempted, current or completed.

These documents need to be certified.

Depending on your faculty or research program, you may need to show evidence of pre-approval before submitting your formal application.

If pre-approval is not required, you must provide written confirmation from your nominated supervisor agreeing to supervise your research proposal.

This may be an email from your faculty, a signed agreement for the Industry or Impact PhD, or approval from the Graduate Research School for Distance mode.

If your current proof of identity documents differ from the names used in your academic documentation (such as your testamur or academic transcripts), please provide official evidence of your name change and the effective date.

Documents may include a:

• change of name certificate, or
• marriage certificate.

These documents need to be certified.

If you have confirmed funding through an external scholarship or Industry Doctorate Program you’ll need to provide evidence.

This might include:

• a letter from your sponsor
• confirmation of your external scholarship, or
• a signed Industry Doctorate Program agreement (this is the same document you will provide to prove pre-approval).

If you are an international candidate who is self-funding, you will need to provide your means of supporting yourself to the Australian Government during your visa application process. We do not need proof.

Find out ways to fund your research degree.

If you’re applying for the Jumbunna Postgraduate Research Scholarship or Sir Gerard Brennan Scholarship (Law) you need to provide a Confirmation of Identity document provided by an incorporated Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisation containing their seal.

Find out more about confirmation of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent via the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies website.

For questions, or alternative ways to confirm your identity, please contact the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research.

You may be asked to provide academic reference(s) if required by your potential supervisor to support your research experience and capability. This can be in the form of an email or a formal reference letter from your referee(s).

When submitting an academic reference, please ensure it includes the following details:

• UTS Student ID: [if applicable]
• Applicant First Name: [your name]
• Applicant Family Name: [your name]
• Applicant Email Address: [your email]
• Research Degree Applying For: [course name]
• Faculty or Institute: [your faculty/institute]

If you are an international applicant seeking UTS competitive scholarships, you will be required to upload referee reports to your application. 

If you are applying as an international visiting or Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree candidate, you will be asked to tick a box on the online application form confirming that you have received permission to study at UTS. Upload your home university’s approval for you to pursue the collaborative degree with UTS.

Additional documents for collaborative degree students

If you’re taking part in the Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree program, you also need to provide:

• An enrolment letter from your home university indicating your doctoral program start date and expected completion date.
• Approval from your home university for you to pursue the Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree program with UTS.
• Evidence that you have established a supervision arrangement with a UTS academic
• The name of your current supervisor, their faculty and contact email address.

Authorised officers include the employees of:

• The Universities Admissions Centre (UAC)
• The Student Enquiries Office or Admissions Office at any UAC participating university
• The Administration Office at any TAFE college
• Interstate tertiary admissions centres
• The official records department of the institution that originally issued the document

Alternatively, documents may be certified by someone who is currently employed as one of the following:

• accountant
• bank or credit union manager
• barrister, solicitor or patent attorney
• police officer or defence force officer
• post office manager
• principal of an Australian school
• commissioner for declarations
• a health professional registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (e.g. doctor, pharmacist, optometrist, nurse)
• currently registered Justice of the Peace

We accept copies certified by employees of the following:

• Australian Overseas Diplomatic Mission and Australian Educational Centres
• UTS Authorised Representative or Agent
• Public Notary Office
• the administration of the institution that originally issued the document(s) (Only accepted if sent directly by the university or institution’s Registrar’s Office), or
• an Australian university.

The copy of your document must include the following from the authorised officer:

• an official stamp of their organisation (if available)
• their full name, profession, organisation name and professional registration number
• their business address and contact number (optional for a Justice of the Peace)
• signature
• date the document was certified, and
• the statement ‘This is true copy of the original document sighted by me’ on all copies.

In addition, a Justice of the Peace (JP) is required to provide:

• their registration number, and
• the state in which they are registered as a JP.

Your previous university or school that issued your original academic documents can send them directly to to grs@uts.edu.au.

Digital copies will only be accepted if they are received directly from your university or institution’s Registrar’s Office, and must include an electronic signature and confirmation of the sender’s position.

Your previous university or school may have partnered with an online platform to offer digital qualifications. Platforms may include CHESICC or My eQuals.

To share your qualification with us issue your digital documents to grs@uts.edu.au through the platform.

You can upload certified scans of your documents during the online application process. Read more about how to submit an application.