Overview

Doctoral entry requirements

To be considered for a PhD with us, you will need to meet the requirements. A grade of B+ or above (GPA>6) is required. Typically you need to have completed a significant research project (dissertation or thesis) as part of either a bachelor's degree with honours, e.g. BE(Hons) or BSc(Hons), or a Master's degree. If you haven’t done significant research as part of your prior study, we now offer a Postgraduate Certificate in Bioengineering to provide students with the relevant disciplinary training and experience to advance to a PhD. Find out more details about entry requirements here.

PhD application process

Head here to start your application. The best way to start is to find a supervisor at the ABI you would like to work with, and research a project that suits your skills and interests. You can find a list of projects that have funding or are prioritised for funding on this section of the website. Once you’ve submitted your application, the Admissions team will notify your supervisor of your application and keep you updated on the progress.
 

Steps to appling for a PhD in Bioengineering 

• After filling in your initial details and academic history, you’ll be asked What programme are you applying for?
• Select a PhD, then a Doctorate in Philosophy with a major in Bioengineering, then your preferred start time and location. ABI is located in the city campus.
• In the next section, Supplementary Programme Information, it will ask you for a proposed thesis title and supervisor.
• If you don’t have a supervisor in mind already, you can put Dr Kenneth Tran, our Associate Director of Postgraduate.
• In the proposed thesis title section, if you don’t already have a thesis or project in mind, you can just put the fields you are interested in studying.
• If you get stuck, or have any questions, you can always reach out to us on abi-pgcommittee@auckland.ac.nz
   

Start dates

PhD projects funded by supervisor grants can start on the 1st of any month. PhD projects funded by UoA Doctoral Scholarships have fixed start dates throughout the year. See below for Round 1 2025 start dates.
 

UoA Doctoral Scholarships (UoADS)

UoADS are guaranteed for eligible students with a GPA of 8 or above. UoADS are available for eligible students with GPAs between 6 and 8 who apply to a priority project. There are four UoADS funding rounds per year. Applications must be created in Admissions by 1 November 2024 to be considered for the first round of UoADS in 2025. This round's PhD start dates are 1 March 2025 or 1 June 2025.

See the UoA scholarships page for information on all postgraduate scholarships, including those for Māori and Pacific students.
 

Funding

PhD projects funded by UoADS or supervisor grant funding will cover all tuition fees and provide a stipend of at least $33,000 pa.

ME entry requirements

The ABI offers two ME degree options:

• 120 pt ME (one year of research) 
• 180 pt ME (1 semester of courses worth 60 pts followed by one year of research)

Admission to a 120 pt ME requires completion of a bachelor's degree with honours with a significant research project, e.g. BE(Hons) or BSc(Hons). Admissions to a 180 pt ME is available for students who have not completed an honours as part of their bachelors degree.

Application process

1. Find a supervisor and research project. The ABI recruitment event is a great way to talk to supervisors and learn about the research projects available. If you cannot attend the recruitment event, you can find a list of projects that have funding or are prioritised for funding on our webpage. 
2. When you have found a supervisor and project, apply now to create an application in the Admissions system. The Admissions team will notify your supervisor of your application and keep you updated on the progress of the application.

Start dates

ME projects start at the beginning of each semester. There are 3 start dates each year:

• Semester 1 (3 March 2025)
• Semester 2 (21 July 2025)
• Late Year Term (1 December 2025)
  

ME Scholarships

UoA Research Masters Scholarships are guaranteed for eligible students with a GPA of 8 or above. The scholarship covers compulsory fees and provides a stipend of $13,655 (2025). See the UoA scholarships page for information on all postgraduate scholarships, including those for Māori and Pacific students.

The ABI also offers scholarships for ME students, which are awarded by a selection committee. The scholarships cover compulsory fees and/or provide a stipend of $13,500, depending on the student's GPA. Work with your project supervisor to ensure scholarship applications are submitted one month prior to the project start date.

Funding

ME projects funded by supervisor grants will cover all tuition fees and provide a stipend of at least $13,500. Stipend values vary between grants. ME projects funded by UoA and ABI scholarships are described above.