HDR Programs and How to Apply/Enrol

The first step is to explore the study options available at UNE and decide on your preferred field of research. We encourage prospective research candidates to check out the academic school websites to learn more about our supervisors and their research interests.

Find a Supervisor

Ready to explore potential supervisors? Please search on the University of New England Research Portal below

University of New England Research Portal

Alternatively, visit the staff pages of each Faculty/School to see who aligns with your research interests. It’s important that you receive written confirmation from a Principal Supervisor confirming that they are willing to be your Principal Supervisor. You will need to upload your proof of supervision to AskUNE, and once received by the Graduate Research School you will receive an invitation to apply.

Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education

• School of Education
• School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law

• School of Environmental and Rural Science
• School of Law
• School of Science and Technology
• UNE Business School

Faculty of Medicine and Health

• School of Health
• School of Psychology
• School of Rural Medicine

Research Proposal Template

Research Proposal (Creative Practice) Template

Once you receive a formal invitation to apply for HDR admission, you can start developing your research proposal. For guidance, feel free to reach out to the Principal Supervisor listed in your invitation email.

Your proposal must be completed using the template provided and should clearly outline your study’s objectives and how you plan to achieve them. UNE looks for proposals that show you can translate your ideas into a structured research thesis, with potential outcomes suited to either a Master’s Research or Doctoral level.

Structuring Your Research Proposal

Your proposal should be clear and well-organized, covering the following:

• Aims – What is your research aiming to achieve?
• Background – Context and existing research related to your topic.
• Research Question & Rationale – The key question(s) driving your study and why they matter.
• Methodology & Theoretical Grounding – How you plan to conduct your research and the frameworks guiding it.
• Significance & Expected Outcomes – Why your research is important and what impact it may have.
• Resources & Timeline – What you need to complete your project and your proposed schedule.
• Reference List – A list of sources that inform your research.

If you're applying for an HDR in Creative Practice, you’ll also need to complete the Creative Practice form.

Applying for Candidature

Once you have received an invitation to apply, you can proceed with the candidature application. The application is completely online, and you'll receive a link via email as part of your invitation.  You will need to create an account and can save your application progress as many times as needed prior to submitting.

For the application to be assessed, you will need to provide the following documents:

• Proof of citizenship
• Resume or CV
• Certified academic transcripts and certificates
• Research proposal
• Proof of English language requirements (international students only)
• Two (2) Referee Reports - at least one referee should not be a member of your proposed supervision team
• Candidature history statement (only if transferring from or previously enrolled in a HDR degree from another institution that was not complete)

Applying for a Scholarship

If you would like to apply for a scholarship, simply indicate which one(s) you're applying for in Step 9 of the application form 9. You may select more than one scholarship.

Keep in mind that the scholarship assessments are separate from the candidature process and will normally take approximately 8 weeks from the round's closing date.

For details on available scholarships, you can visit the Scholarships webpage

Whether your candidature or scholarship application is successful or unsuccessful, you’ll be notified via email.

• Candidature applications take approximately 6 weeks to process.
• Scholarship applications take around 8 weeks from the round closing date.

If you haven’t heard back within these timeframes, feel free to reach out to the Graduate Research School via AskUNE to check on your application status.

UNE Account, Internet & Email

You will receive a UNE student email account, which is the official channel for all university correspondence. To set up your account:

• Complete the online registration form (check your Offer of Admission for your student number).
• Once registered, your access will be granted within 24 hours.
• If you need assistance, visit the ITD Service Desk.

Online Enrolment

Once your UNE username and password are set up, you can enrol in your course:

1. Log in to myUNE with your UNE credentials.
2. Click myEnrol, then Open Your Enrolment Portal.
3. Select Self Enrolment and follow the steps.

Please note: Your course will commence on the date specified in your welcome email.

Postgraduate research involves completing a research thesis to fulfill your program requirements. At the University of New England (UNE), you can pursue postgraduate research through a Doctoral or Master by Research degree.

For more details on our research degrees and admission requirements, visit our Course and Unit Catalogue.

Candidature Application

Once you submit your candidature application, you'll receive an email receipt from the Graduate Research School (GRS), and the assessment process will begin.

• International students or domestic students with international qualifications: Your application will first go to the UNE International Office for review.
• It will then be forwarded to the relevant School for academic assessment.
• After the assessment is complete, the GRS will email you the outcome.

If additional information is needed, the GRS will reach out to you. However, if everything is in order, you won’t hear from us again until the School has finished their assessment, and the GRS sends you the final decision.

Candidature applications usually take about 6 weeks to process.

Scholarship Application

Once you submit your scholarship application, you’ll get an email receipt from the GRS to confirm we’ve received it.

• After the scholarship round closes, we’ll collate all applications and send them to the relevant School for academic review.
• Once the assessments are complete, the Graduate Research Committee will make the final decision, and the GRS will notify you via email.

Scholarship applications generally take about 8 weeks to process from the closing date. If you're applying for a Strategic Scholarship, the timeframe may be shorter.

If you need to add more documents after submitting your application, simply log back into the application portal. Once you're logged in, use the link on the left-hand side of the page to upload your additional documents.

You can find all available HDR scholarships on the HDR Scholarships webpage. If the scholarship you're interested in isn't listed in the application form, simply select 'other' and add the scholarship name in the notes section.

Confirmation of Enrolments (CoEs) are typically processed within 14 business days after you accept your Offer of Admission. However, due to recent government system issues, there may be delays in processing CoEs for candidates.

The University is actively working with the government to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

You should receive confirmation of your Student Number and a receipt of your application submission within 3 weeks from when you submit your application.