Applications for scholarships are processed within the Research Students' Office where they are assessed for completion and eligibility for entry into an Australian higher degree by research.

Applications that have passed this initial assessment are then forwarded to the appropriate faculties or research centres for academic staff to assess and rank applicants in an order of merit based on the following considerations:

• First Class Honours or First Class Honours Equivalence
• The research experience of an applicant: employment in an institution such as a university, research institute, government research organisation (e.g. CSIRO) where employment was for the purpose of conducting original research. 
• The professional experience of an applicant: sustained/relevant work experience in the area of the proposed research which directly bears on and enhances the applicant’s research capacity. 
• An applicant's publications and creative works as relevant to the higher degree by research program for which the applicant is applying
• Evidence of previous academic or professional awards, scholarships or prizes as they relate to the higher degree by research program for which the applicant is applying
• An applicant's understanding of and approach to their reseach topic as demonstrated in the application proposal
• Referee reports.

The Research Scholarship Allocation: Principals, Guidelines, Roles and Responsibilities provide detailed information and timelines of the process and procedures as set out by the University Research Commitee.

The Higher Degree Scholarship Ranking Committee meets to establish a university-wide Order of Merit list, based on the faculties/centres rankings.

Through this process, scholarships are awarded to the highest ranking applicants in this university-wide Order of Merit.