PhD Students

Both domestic and international students enrolled at QBI play a vital role in research efforts at the Institute.

PhD students enrolled at QBI are eligible to receive:

• $3,500 travel allowance
• Top-Up Scholarships
• Computer with appropriate software and internet access
• Photocopying and scanning facilities.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

A PhD is one of the highest degrees that can be awarded. It is an advanced academic qualification seen as a requirement for the majority of academic and research positions in a wide range of fields and industries. The aim of the PhD is to foster the development of independent research skills. These skills include the capacity to formulate a specific problem, to develop mastery of appropriate conceptual and methodological skills, and to relate the research topic to a broader framework of knowledge in a relevant disciplinary area.

Essential information about the PhD program including entry requirements, duration, and assessment is available at the UQ Graduate School website.

How to apply

To express your interest to undertake a PhD at QBI, please do the following:

1. Visit the UQ Graduate School website to review information about the PhD program including entry requirements, application procedures, and scholarship information and deadlines. 
2. If you believe that you meet the PhD entry requirements, review the Research Groups information to find the lab with the research program of greatest interest to you. Once identified, email the Group Leader directly to discuss the possibility of completing your PhD in their lab. In your email, include the following:
   1. Academic CV with hyperlinks to your published work, and the Impact Factor of the journal if relevant
   2. Academic transcripts for all tertiary level study showing a list of courses, grades achieved, and the grading system used at the institution of study
   3. Information on how you would meet UQ’s English language proficiency requirement
3. After you have received confirmation from a Group Leader agreeing to be your proposed Principal Advisor, you and/or the Group Leader should email the QBI Student Office at qbistudents@uq.edu.au to confirm that they are able to support your application. The Student Office will send you detailed information and instructions to help you apply via the UQ Graduate School website.

When the QBI Student Office receives your online application, they will request referee reports from your listed referees via the online application system. They will also check your application documents; if they require any further information or documents they will send you a request via the online application system.

Applications are considered complete when we have received both referee reports and any extra documents or information that we requested. Note: If the proposed principal supervisor would like to consider your application in more detail prior to making a decision, you may be nominated to the QBI HDR Committee for participation in QBI’s Graduate Research Internship (GRI) Program. If approved by the Committee, this will provide you with an opportunity to spend 4 to 6 weeks undertaking full-time research experience working on a project already underway in the proposed supervisor’s lab group. Financial support for candidates is available during the Program, co-funded by The Donald and Joan Wilson Foundation and QBI. If your complete application is supported by the proposed Principal Advisor, and the QBI Higher Degree by Research Committee, a School Recommendation Form will be prepared at QBI. A detailed project description will also be completed at this time; the proposed Principal Advisor will liaise with you about your project. 

When the School Recommendation is finalised, your complete application will be forwarded to the UQ Graduate School for formal assessment. The QBI Student Office will notify you when this has been done and your application will change to ‘in process’ in the online application system.

From this point forward, the UQ Graduate School admissions team will communicate with you via the online application system and your assessment outcome will be sent via this system as well. Applicants must be assessed as ‘eligible for admission and scholarship’ to be considered in the next available UQ scholarship round.