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• If you have first class honors, you will be a strong candidate for PhD programs.
• If you have second class, division A honors, then you are likely eligible for admission, though your application will be stronger if you have good grades, additional research experience, and good letters of recommendation
• Otherwise, you will likely need to obtain a research-based master's degree "performed at a high academic standard" or "an equivalent qualification that demonstrates research experience, excellence, and capability" (as phrased by the University of Sydney).

"Some supervisors have funding they can use to pay PhD students at their discretion, but most PhD students are funded through a university program. The fact that a position has been advertised does not mean the supervisor necessarily has funding for that position...There is a fixed amount of funding available, so decisions depend on who else applies." [source].

We emphasize that the stipends, relative to the cost of living in Australia, are quite low compared to Europe or the US. Past users here have reported that "it is a struggle at the best of times," and there are strict rules about finding outside work to supplement your funding (and it's hard to find employment in Australia in any case). In particular, you will need a stipend/scholarship and a fee waiver just to get by; it will be pretty much impossible to survive with only a fee waiver.

• If you have first class honors, you will be a strong candidate for PhD programs (though there will still be competition; lots of people have first class honors).
• If you have second class, division A honors, then you are likely eligible for admission, though your application will be stronger if you have good grades, additional research experience, and good letters of recommendation
• Otherwise, you will likely need to obtain a research-based master's degree "performed at a high academic standard" or "an equivalent qualification that demonstrates research experience, excellence, and capability" (as phrased by the University of Sydney).

"Some supervisors have funding they can use to pay PhD students at their discretion, but most PhD students are funded through a university program. The fact that a position has been advertised does not mean the supervisor necessarily has funding for that position." [source]. Rather, the professor-student team will jointly apply for one of the university's funded studentships. There are a fixed number of such studentships, so this is a competitive process.

We emphasize that the stipends, relative to the cost of living in Australia, are quite low compared to Europe or the US. Past users here have reported that "it is a struggle at the best of times." Many students do take outside work to supplement their stipends, but there are strict rules about this, and it's hard to find employment in Australia. Hence, even if you are willing to work outside the university, you will probably need a stipend/scholarship and a fee waiver just to get by; it will be pretty much impossible to survive with only a fee waiver unless you are independently wealthy.

• If you have first class honors, you will be a strong candidate for PhD programs.
• If you have second class, division A honors, then you are likely eligible for admission, though your application will be stronger if you have good research experience and letters of recommendation
• Otherwise, you will likely need to obtain a research-based master's degree "performed at a high academic standard" or "an equivalent qualification that demonstrates research experience, excellence, and capability" (as phrased by the University of Sydney).

• If you have first class honors, you will be a strong candidate for PhD programs.
• If you have second class, division A honors, then you are likely eligible for admission, though your application will be stronger if you have good grades, additional research experience, and good letters of recommendation
• Otherwise, you will likely need to obtain a research-based master's degree "performed at a high academic standard" or "an equivalent qualification that demonstrates research experience, excellence, and capability" (as phrased by the University of Sydney).

Understanding honours

Requirements

Getting in

Understanding Honours in the Australian system

Note that this is different than the British system, where honors are mostly based on grades.

This is important because an honors or master's degree (or, for foreign students, an equivalent demonstration of research ability) is usually required for admission to PhD programs

Requirements for PhD admission

Admissions Process