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.

Special Admissions Requirements

All applicants for research degrees must submit a research proposal summarising the project they would like to pursue. The proposal should be 3-4 pages in length and include an introduction, literature review, research design/methodology, expected outcomes, and references.

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 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0
  • TOEFL (Internet-based) | 86 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17
• UOW College: English for Tertiary Studies: Credit (weighted average mark of 65 overall and minimum 50 in Academic Reading and Writing)

More Detail

Fees

International Course fees table:

• Campus | Delivery method | Session fee | Course fee
  • Wollongong | On Campus | $22776 (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.

Key Dates

• Autumn Session, 2026 at UOW:
  • Application Deadline: International - 9 December, 2025, Domestic (direct) - 31 December, 2025
  • Session Details:
    • 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: International - 5 May, 2026, Domestic (direct) - 31 May, 2026
  • Session Details:
    • 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 Areas

• 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

Workload

• Full-Time Study Load: As a full-time student, you can expect to commit around 48 hours of study per week. This includes class time and independent study.

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. Credit for prior learning evaluates your previous study or work experience related to your chosen subjects.