Program Overview

Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is an advanced postgraduate research degree that develops research skills and provides high achieving candidates with the opportunity to conduct in-depth research in their chosen field of research.

Admissions Information

A range of admission options are available for future students. The procedures governing admission are defined in UOW's Admissions Procedures, and the UOW College Admissions Policy.

Entry Requirements

Students must have successfully completed:

• An Honours degree at Class II, Division 1 or higher; or
  • A Research Masters with at least two-thirds of the degree comprising a thesis; or
  • A UOW Masters of Research with an equivalent average mark of 70+; or
  • A Coursework Masters with a substantial thesis and an equivalent average mark of 75+ or GPA 3.2 out of 4
• Other forms of research experience may also be considered.
• Applicants wishing to apply by a combination of thesis and creative work should demonstrate that both their academic and artistic background equate to the above minimum standard.

Academic Entry Requirements

To succeed in your chosen course, you should have completed relevant subjects in senior high school or other qualifications.

English Language Requirements

The following level of English is required to gain admission to this program:

• English Test | Overall Score | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking
  • IELTS Academic | 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5
  • TOEFL (Internet-based) | 98 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 19
• UOW College: English for Tertiary Studies: Distinction (weighted average mark of 75 overall and minimum 50 in Academic Reading and Writing)

Workload

• Full-Time Study Load: As a full-time student, you can expect to commit around 48 hours of study per week.
• For more details on course workloads, please refer to the UOW Handbook.

Credit for Prior Learning

If you have completed prior studies or relevant professional experience, you can request course credit or subject exemptions to reduce the duration and cost of your program.

More Detail

Fees

• International Course fees table:
  • Campus | Delivery method | Session fee | Course fee
    • Wollongong | On Campus | $16512 (2025) | $ (2025)
• Session fees are for one session for the year shown. Total course tuition fees shown are indicative, and are based on normal course length and progression.
• Tuition fees are reviewed annually: fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and are subject to increase during the period of study

Additional Fees

• In addition to tuition, there are other fees and costs you will need to consider, including but not limited to:
  • Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
  • Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)

Key Dates

• Autumn Session, 2026 at UOW
  • Application Deadline: Applications must include all required documents to be considered complete.
  • Session Details: For more detailed information like enrolment cutoffs and exam periods, see key dates.
    • Orientation: Check your campus details
    • Session start: 2 March, 2026
    • Census date: 31 March, 2026
    • Mid-session recess: 20-24 April, 2026
    • Session end: 25 June, 2026
• Spring Session, 2026 at UOW
  • Application Deadline: Applications must include all required documents to be considered complete.
  • Session Details: For more detailed information like enrolment cutoffs and exam periods, see key dates.
    • Orientation: Check your campus details
    • Session start: 27 July, 2026
    • Census date: 31 August, 2026
    • Mid-session recess: 28 September - 2 October, 2026
    • Session end: 19 November, 2026

Research Area

• The following research areas are available:
  • Still deciding
  • Arts
  • Business
  • Creative Arts
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Geography and Sustainable Communities
  • Health Science
  • Health and Society
  • Information Science
  • Law
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine
  • Physics
  • Psychology
  • Science

Duration and Delivery

• Duration: 4 years full-time or part-time equivalent
• Delivery: On Campus
• Starts: 10 February 2025
• Codes:
  • CRICOS: G
  • UOW: 220

Program Description

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is an advanced postgraduate research degree that develops research skills and provides high achieving candidates with the opportunity to conduct in-depth research in their chosen field of research. Candidates will make a significant and original contribution to knowledge in their chosen field of research. They will also be able to communicate this contribution to their peers and the community.