How to Apply - Research Programs @ Sydney Law School

There are two steps involved in making an application to a research program:

• Expression of interest
• Formal application for admission
• Application closing dates

Expression of interest

Prior to making a formal application, prospective students are required to provide information about their area of intended research, academic qualifications, professional or other qualifications, details about their original research activities and publications, and any other information relevant to the application on the following form:

• Expression of Interest form ( .doc)

The Associate Dean (Research) will consider the Expression of Interest on the basis of the prospective student’s eligibility to enter the postgraduate research program as well as research supervision capacity within the relevant research area. If the Expression of Interest is accepted, the prospective student will be referred to the relevant academic staff member to discuss the suitability/viability of the research proposal for a thesis and supervision and to determine whether to proceed to make a formal application (Stage 2).

Expression of Interest should be submitted approximately 2 months prior to the formal application closing date. This will allow the minimum time to assess the Expression of Interest and to make a formal application. Late Expressions of Interest may not be considered in time for a formal application.

Formal application for admission

A formal application should only be submitted if your research proposal has been discussed with an academic staff member.

Application form

Once the prospective student is advised to make a formal application, they should complete the application form, please download the relevant application form:

• Local applicants
• International applicants
• Referee Report

Supporting documentation

The completed application form must be submitted together with the following supporting documentation.

• Research proposal (see proposal outline)
• Proof of Australian / New Zealand citizenship or Australian permanent resident status i.e. original or certified Australian birth/citizenship certificate or photo page of valid passport (and permanent resident visa if applicable).
• Evidence of name change (if applicable) e.g. original or certified marriage certificate.
• Original academic transcripts of all academic qualifications held. The transcript should contain the name of qualification, award conferral date, name of awarding institution, class of honours, course duration, overall course average or grade point average attained. For overseas qualifications, please provide academic transcripts including explanation of grades and the level of passing grade at the awarding institution. Applicants whose transcripts are not in English should provide original transcripts together with original translations of the transcripts. Original transcripts will be returned to applicants
• Explanation of ‘fail’ grades
• Evidence of English proficiency
• At least one referee report from an academic and/or relevant professional outlining your academic performance, research potentials and demonstrated ability to undertake a research degree.
• List of original publication and research details (research undertaken in English only). The details should include the publication/research project:
  - submission date
  - type (e.g. book, journal, conference paper)
  - title
  - word length
  - whether you are the sole author, main author (main contributor of publication) or co-author
• Statement indicating your relevant professional experience at a responsible level or direct research since graduation (please list position title, duration of position held and responsibilities undertaken).
• Statement detailing your availability for study. If your proposed candidature will be part-time, you should attach a statement to indicate that you will be substantially free to pursue your candidature. Your statement should show that you will have sufficient time available to complete the course within the maximum period. It should also show that you will plan and carry out the intended research; and for the purposes of this research, that you will be under the supervision and control of the University. If you are employed, your statement should include a declaration from your employer confirming that you will be permitted the time required to effectively pursue your studies.
• Thesis completion timetable including attendance and completion of the compulsory units Legal Research 1, 2 and 3. Masters research candidates are required to complete Legal Research 1 only.
• SJD applicants –indicate the coursework units you are planning to undertake in conjunction with the thesis and the units Legal Research 1, 2 and 3

Research proposal

A formal application should only be submitted if your research proposal has been discussed with an academic staff member.

Prospective research students should include a detailed research proposal (approximately 10 pages). This should provide the following information:

• Proposed research title
• Aims of the research
• Background to the research, including a survey of the relevant literature and law (including case law, where appropriate) and a clear statement of the area to be researched
• Rationale for the research and a statement of why it is significant
• Working hypotheses or research questions
• Research methodology including theoretical and empirical considerations for the research
• Consideration of ethical requirements and obligations of the research, including all research projects and teaching practicals involving human participants as subjects require ethical approval. See www.usyd.edu.au/ethics/human/

Transfer of research candidature

In addition to formal documentation required for application (as above), applicants who have already commenced a research degree and are seeking to transfer to another research degree, are required to provide the following additional information:

• Reasons for applying to transfer
• Statement (no more than 1,000 words) indicating the progress of your thesis to date. This should include an outline of the thesis plus a brief summary of each chapter, including information about what stage draft the material has reached.
• Supervisor’s report detailing the rate and standard of your thesis progress made to date.
• Non-University of Sydney applicants: provision of an official enrolment notice issued by the home institution confirming the number of full-time equivalent semesters of enrolment consumed under the DEST Research Training Scheme.

Up to one full-time year of credit may be granted for research candidature completed at another university subject to Section 8 of the University of Sydney (Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)) Rule 2004.

Application closing dates

* International applicants who wish to be considered for a scholarship must submit their formal application for admission to the International Office at least 3 months prior to the closing date. Scholarships are extremely competitive. Only applicants with an Honours 1 or equivalent degree and who have satisfied the Faculty’s English language requirements at the time of receiving an offer of admission are eligible to apply for a scholarship.

The formal admission application will be assessed by faculty members in the relevant Research Cluster Group and the Postgraduate Research Committee. Applications will be assessed on the basis of a range of criteria, including the academic credentials, research/publication and relevant professional experience of the applicant, the strength of the research proposal, and research supervision capacity in the relevant legal area.

Please note that entry into the postgraduate research program is highly competitive. Due to the volume of applications and limited supervisory capacity in certain fields, applicants must comply with the prescribed closing date in order to have their application assessed by the Postgraduate Research Committee.

Late applications may be considered on a case-by-case basis.