The PhD Application and Admission Process
On this page:
- How to apply
- Official documents
- Application closing dates
- Confirmation that your application has been received
- Notification of the outcome
- Offer of Study
- When to start your PhD
- What to do when you arrive at Victoria
- The first year of your PhD
How to Apply
1) Download the Application Form and the other Documents Below
Please note that you use the same form if you also wish to apply for a Victoria PhD scholarship.You can either download the forms and complete them by hand, or you can fill in the forms online using Fill Any PDF. Fill Any PDF is not a VUW site but it is secure and your personal information cannot be viewed by anyone else. To complete the form online:
- Click on this link: VUW Phd Admission/Scholarship Application Form
- Complete the form (tip: once you have entered text, you can easily re-align it by dragging and dropping). For tickboxes, you could use an X to indicate your answer. Please ensure that each page is completed: the application form has 6 pages.
- Click on 'Save and Close'.
- A box will come up allowing you to email a copy - send it to your own email address.
- Allow a few minutes for the form to arrive by email. Save it to your computer - it can now be emailed to pg-research@vuw.ac.nz. You must email the actual PDF file to this email address.
| Document | File size | File type |
|---|---|---|
 Application for PhD Admission and Victoria Scholarships |
105 KB | |
| Notes to Applicants |
51 KB | |
| Academic Referees - Confidential Report (Fillable form) |
99 KB |
2) Complete the Form and Assemble all Required Documentation
Details of the documentation required are contained in the application form. The documents include:
- an expression of research interests (see guidelines below)
- a sample of your academic writing in English
- an academic transcript (an official document outlining your academic record)
- proof of identity and citizenship
- academic references.
The three application deadlines for PhD study and scholarships are 1 March, 1 July and 1 November.
You must submit all the documents requested, as outlined on the application form, by the closing date in order for your application to be considered in the current round. If any of your documents arrives after one of these closing dates your application will be considered during the following application round. Therefore, please get your all your documents to us as soon as possible. You may submit certified copies rather than originals at the time of application.
Note: the International Institute of Modern Letters has only one deadline a year – 1 November.
Expression of research interest guidelines
Your expression of research interest should address the following: 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.Please email your expression of research interests and sample of academic writing (as Microsoft Word or plain text files) with your full name at the top of each, to the following address: address
Some schools require additional information to that specified in the application form. To find out more, please follow the links below:
- Architecture and Design (portfolio of work)
- International Institute of Modern Letters (comprehensive writing sample)
- New Zealand School of Music
3) Email or Post Your Application to the Faculty of Graduate Research
Postal Address
Faculty of Graduate Research
Victoria University of Wellington
PO Box 600
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
Courier Address
Faculty of Graduate Research
Room 103
10 Kelburn Parade
Wellington 6012
New Zealand
Official Documents
You are asked to send certified copies of your transcript and other official documentation along with your application. Documents may be scanned if you intend to send your application by email.
Note that the Faculty of Graduate Research will need to receive original or certified copies of all documentation before you can be offered a place at Victoria. Acceptable certifying bodies include:
- the academic institution that awarded you your qualifications
- an embassy
- a New Zealand diplomatic post
- a New Zealand-based Justice of the Peace or lawyer
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.
Application Closing Dates
You may submit an application at any time, but applications will only be considered three times each year.
If your application arrives after one of these cut-off points, it will be considered four months later at the following application round. Please get your application to us 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
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
Notification of the Outcome
You'll receive notification of the outcome of your application around six weeks after the closing date for applications.
Offer of Study
If your application is successful, you will be sent an official Offer of Study.
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.
When to Start Your PhD
When you accept your Offer of Study, you will need to agree on a start date for your PhD.
You are normally expected to arrive at Victoria and begin your studies within six months of the issue of your Offer of Study. This period can be extended if necessary. Please contact the Faculty of Graduate Research to discuss.
We highly recommend that you time your start date so you are eligible to attend the Faculty of Graduate Research's orientation programme for new students. This orientation programme is run three times a year. It is open only to students who start their PhDs within a few weeks of the orientation dates.
Note that the International Institute of Modern Letters has one start date per year.
See the International Institute of Modern Letters website for more
Deferring the Start Date of Your PhD
After you have accepted your Offer of Study, it is possible to delay your start date if your circumstances change. Apply to the Dean of Graduate Research for a deferral.
What to Do When You Arrive at Victoria
On arrival at Victoria, please go to the Student and Academic Services Office in your faculty, and your enrolment will be finalised. International Students must also report to Victoria International.
Victoria International homepage
The First Year of Your PhD
For the first six to twelve months, depending on progress, you will be provisionally registered.
To become fully registered, you must:
- develop a PhD topic in consultation with your supervisors
- submit a full research proposal
- meet any other agreed performance standards set for you by your school.
If requirements are not met within a maximum period of 15 months for full-time students (24 months for half-time students), the school may discontinue your candidature.