Doctor of Philosophy

Note

Research degrees are offered on a sponsored or full-fee-paying basis. Contact the UTS Graduate Research School for further details.

Targeted at aspiring leaders in various sectors, this PhD programme is your gateway to a future in high-level research and innovation. Choose this course to make a significant, original contribution to your field and prepare for leadership roles across academia, business, government, and community organisations.

Distinguished by its AACSB International accreditation, UTS Business School stands among the world's elite. Our faculty are industry-savvy thought leaders, ensuring your education is grounded in both academic excellence and real-world relevance.

You will master core skills essential for top-tier research, with training in advanced methods that underpin robust research capabilities. Benefit from a personalised supervision team of three experts, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and expanding your research horizons.

Experience a blend of structured learning and independent study, with guidance from leading academics and industry professionals. This approach ensures you develop both the knowledge and practical skills necessary for impactful research and a successful career.

Graduates master core skills essential for top-tier research, with training in advanced methods that underpin robust research capabilities. Benefit from a personalised supervision team of three experts, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and expanding their research horizons.

Experience a blend of structured learning and independent study, with guidance from leading academics and industry professionals. This approach ensures they develop both the knowledge and practical skills necessary for impactful research and a successful career.

Make an enquiry

Course aims

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program aims to develop independent researchers who make original contributions to knowledge through extensive research, analysis, and the completion of a doctoral thesis.

Course fees

For relevant fee information, please choose from the following:

Local student

Research Training Program

The majority of domestic students who are offered entry to a graduate research degree will have the cost of their tuition fees covered by the Australian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) Fees Offset Scholarship. If you are granted an RTP Fee Offset Scholarship you are not required to pay tuition fees for up to the maximum period of time allowable to complete your study.

Recipients of an RTP Fee Offset Scholarship should however still expect to pay the ongoing costs of being part of an academic environment and conducting research. In addition to ongoing costs, you may also be required to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).

Scholarships

In addition, research scholarships up to the value of $40,000 are available to support living expenses for domestic students to study master's by research and doctoral programs at UTS.

Tuition fee calculations

Tuition fees and RTP Fee Offset Scholarship amounts are incurred pro-rata based on the number of days a student is enrolled in each research degree session and whether the student is enrolled after the research census date.

UTS Alumni save 10%: alumni.uts.edu.au/advantage

International student

Tuition fees for international students vary between courses and range from A$19,840 to A$34,080 per year. Tuition fees for postgraduate research degrees are charged pro-rata based on the number of days a student is enrolled in each research degree session and whether the student is enrolled after the research census date.

Tuition fees for international postgraduate research students can be found using fees search.

Tuition fees must be paid in advance each session and are subject to annual increase. Fees for future year(s) published in fees search, whilst unlikely to change, are estimates only. UTS makes every effort to provide up to date future year(s) fee estimates and to limit any changes, however, UTS reserves the right to vary fees for future year(s) at any time.

For this course, the cost per session for 2025 is $21555. The expected number of sessions are 8.

All international students should familiarise themselves with the following documents:

Protocol on refund of fees for international students - contains the refund of fees information for international students.
Tuition Protection Service - designed to ensure that students receive the tuition they have paid for

In addition to tuition fees, students may be required to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). Textbooks and other course materials will also result in additional costs.

UTS Alumni save 10%: alumni.uts.edu.au/advantage

For further information on costs related to your study at UTS, visit the international students' tuition fees information page.

Careers

This research degree is especially valuable for students to gain deeper understanding of a subject area and develop analytical, problem solving, communication and project management skills. These are highly valued and enable graduates to pursue an academic career or careers in industry, research, government non-government organisations.

Course structure

To view the course structure please visit the UTS Handbook.

Additional information

Course duration

The maximum course duration is four years of full-time or eight years of part-time study. Students can complete the course in less than the maximum time. Some courses have a strong preference for research undertaken at a full time pace.

The work may be carried out either on university premises or at a site external to the university, or some combination of both. Candidates are recommended to make contact with their supervisor(s) at least once a month to discuss the progress of their research. In some fields of specialisation, students may be expected to complete campus-based or other research activities on a prescribed basis.

Distance

Admission requirements

Admission requirements

Selection criteria also include: research potential, research experience, quality of the research proposal, alignment with the UTS Research Strategy and the strategic goals of the field of specialisation, and the Faculty's ability to offer appropriate supervision in the applicant's chosen field.

The English proficiency requirement for international students or local applicants with international qualifications is: IELTS Academic: 7.0 overall with a writing score of 7.0; or TOEFL iBT: 94-101 overall with a writing score of 27; or PTE: 65-72 overall with a writing score of 65; or C1A/C2P: 185-190 overall with a writing score of 185.

Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.

International students

Visa requirement: To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.

Applicants must have completed a UTS recognised master's by research or bachelor honours degree with first class or second class / division 1 honours, or an equivalent or higher qualification, or submitted other evidence of general and professional qualifications that demonstrates potential to pursue graduate research studies.
Selection criteria also include: research potential, research experience, quality of the research proposal, alignment with the UTS Research Strategy and the strategic goals of the field of specialisation, and the Faculty's ability to offer appropriate supervision in the applicant's chosen field.
Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.

Inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential for successfully completing a course at UTS. You can find the inherent requirements for your course via the inherent requirements directory.