FACULTY OF GRADUATE RESEARCH

The PhD Application and Admission Process

On this page:

Applications for Victoria Doctoral Scholarships and for admission as a PhD student should be made on the same form, available for download below. Complete applications must be received by 5.00pm (NZ time) on the deadline of the application round you are applying for. Deadlines are: 1 March, 1 July, and 1 November. You are strongly advised to apply as early as possible.

Back to top ^

Who Should Use the Forms on this Page

Applicants to most doctoral programmes at Victoria should follow the instructions on this page. In some cases, however, there is a different application procedure.

Please follow the links below if you wish to:

Note that:

  • Victoria does not admit students to undertake PhD study by distance
  • you will need to have suitable qualifications before you can be accepted as a PhD student.

Read more on the qualifications you'll need for PhD study

Back to top ^

How to Apply

It is important to read all the information below, plus the Notes to Applicants, before you complete the application form. Incomplete or incorrect application material will not be forwarded to selection panels.

1) Download the Application Form and Other Documents Below

Document File size File type
Application for PhD Admission and Victoria Scholarships (Fillable form* -see note for Mac users below) 1.7 MB PDF
Notes to Applicants 219 KB PDF
Academic Referees - Confidential Report (editable form* -see note for Mac users below) 633 KB PDF
Victoria Doctoral Scholarship Regulations 74.9KB PDF
*Note for Mac users: Your Mac may open this form in 'Preview' by default. 'Preview' does not support all form filling features. You should open the form in the full version of Acrobat Reader.  If you don't have the full version, you can download it for free here: http://get.adobe.com/reader/otherversions       

2) Read the Notes to Applicants, Complete the Form and Assemble All Required Documentation

You may either complete the application form on your computer (remember to save it to your hard drive) or print it out and fill it in by hand.

The following form an essential part of your application:

  • an Expression of Research Interests
  • a 2000-word sample of your academic writing in English
  • two completed Academic Referees - Confidential Report forms.

If you have studied anywhere else but Victoria University, the following are also required:

  • copies of your academic transcript/s and degree certificates
  • a copy of your Diploma Supplement (applicants from EU countries only)
  • proof of identity and citizenship.

International students must provide:

Details of the documentation required are contained in the application form and in the Notes to Applicants.

Additional information required by some schools

Some schools require additional information to that specified in the application form. To find out more, please follow the links below:

3) Email or Post Your Application to the Faculty of Graduate Research

Applications must be submitted directly by the applicant (not by an agent). Send us the application and all documentation at the same time (your referees send their reports separately).

A note about sending copies of official documents

You are welcome to email scanned copies of official documents with your application. Successful applicants will then receive an offer of a place at Victoria which will be conditional on the Faculty of Graduate Research receiving certified paper copies.

International students should note that Immigration New Zealand may require an unconditional offer of place before they will issue you with a student visa. In some cases, it may be best to send certified paper copies soon after emailing your application.

If you are posting your application, please ensure that you include certified copies of your official documents (note that we cannot return originals).

What is a 'certified copy' of an official document?

Email attachments must be PDF or Word (not JPG or RAR files). When scanning, please combine all your documents into a single PDF if possible.

Postal Address

Faculty of Graduate Research
Victoria University of Wellington
PO Box 600
Wellington 6140
New Zealand

Email

address

Courier Address

Faculty of Graduate Research
Room 103
10 Kelburn Parade
Wellington 6012
New Zealand

Back to top ^

Application Closing Dates

You may submit an application at any time, but applications will only be considered three times each year.

The three application deadlines are 1 March, 1 July and 1 November.

If your application or any required documentation arrives after one of these cut-off points, your application will be considered in the following application round. We strongly advise that you apply as soon as possible.

Note that the International Institute of Modern Letters has one deadline a year.
Read more from the International Institute of Modern Letters website

Back to top ^

Certified Copies of Official Documents

Your transcript, degree certificates and other official documents must be formally certified by an appropriate authority as identical copies of the originals.

The certifying authority must have sighted the original documents and be satisfied that the copies are genuine. The certified copies must be bear the official stamp of the certifying authority.

Copies of your official documents are best certified by the institution of issue. Other acceptable certifying bodies include:

  • an embassy
  • a New Zealand diplomatic post
  • a New Zealand-based Justice of the Peace or lawyer.

Back to top ^

Expression of Research Interests

An essential part of your application is your Expression of Research Interests. This should be no longer than 1500 words (max 3 pages) and should address the following questions:

  • Why do you want to do PhD research?
  • What are you interested in?
  • Why are you interested in it?

In answering, tell us what you already know about your area of interest, referring to the literature if you think it appropriate.

Note that we do not require a research proposal. If you send us a research proposal instead of an Expression of Research Interests, your application will be considered incomplete.

Back to top ^

Referees' Reports

You must ask two referees to evaluate your academic ability and research potential. Note that:

  • referees must use the Academic Referees - Confidential Report form (downloadable above)
  • your referees must email the report form directly to us using a verifiable institutional email address (you must not send referees' reports yourself)
  • your application will be considered incomplete if your referees do not get the form to us before the application deadline.

Back to top ^

Incomplete Applications

Your application will not be processed until we receive your completed application form and all required documentation.

Victoria will dispose of any applications that remain incomplete through two successive application deadlines.

Back to top ^

Privacy of Personal Information

Personal information provided by you during the application and enrolment process will be held and used in accordance with the Privacy Act 1993.

Read more on privacy

Back to top ^

Confirmation that Your Application has been Received

Once your application has been received by the Faculty of Graduate Research, you will receive an email confirming this.

If you do not receive notification from us within two weeks of sending your application, please contact us: address

Back to top ^

Assessing Your Application

Your application will be forwarded to the appropriate University school and assessed by the School Research Committee. For your application to be successful, the committee will need to be satisfied that you have an adequate academic background and that the school can provide you with the supervision and resources you will need for your research.

If it approves your application, the committee may recommend that you do some coursework.

Successful applications will be ranked for Victoria scholarships.

Back to top ^

Notification of the Outcome

You'll receive notification of the outcome of your application around six weeks after the closing date for applications.

Back to top ^

Offer of Place

If your application is successful, you will be sent an email with an attached letter offering you a place at Victoria. This offer will also indicate whether your application for PhD funding was successful.

In order to confirm your place at Victoria, you must:

  • accept this offer within one month
  • supply the Faculty of Graduate Research with original or certified copies of all required documents if you have not already done so
  • meet any other conditions placed on your offer.

Back to top ^

When to Start Your PhD

Expectations

You are normally expected to arrive at Victoria and begin your studies:

  • within six months of accepting your offer of a place if you are a New Zealand student
  • within nine months of accepting your offer of a place if you are an international student.

Note that the International Institute of Modern Letters has one start date per year.
See the International Institute of Modern Letters website for more

Discussing a Start Date with Your Supervisor

Your offer of place will name your supervisor. Once you have signed and returned the offer letter, please get in touch with your supervisor to discuss a start date for your PhD. You will have to agree on a start date that suits both you and your school, and inform the Faculty of Graduate Research of any change to the date indicated on your offer of place. You will then be issued with a formal offer of study (which can be used for Student Visa purposes).

We highly recommend that you time your start date so you can attend one of the Faculty of Graduate Research's orientation programmes for new PhD students.

Find out more about PhD student orientation

Deferring Your Start Date

If your circumstances change and you wish to delay your agreed-upon start date, please contact your supervisor and the Head of School. Both the Faculty of Graduate Research and your school will need to agree to defer your start date. Note that any deferral may have scholarship implications.

Back to top ^

What to Do When You Arrive at Victoria

All PhD students must initially report to the Faculty of Graduate Research Office at 10 Kelburn Parade, Kelburn Campus.

New Zealand Students

Please go to your home Faculty Office. The office will finalise your enrolment. Please then report to your school.

International Students

Please go to the Faculty of Graduate Research to finalise your enrolment. Please also report to Victoria International for assistance with accommodation and insurance, and to your school.

Faculties at Victoria

Victoria International homepage

Back to top ^

The First Year of Your PhD

Read about the early stages of your PhD from our pages for current students