Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

A Curtin research PhD supervised jointly from Curtin Perth and Curtin Colombo, in full-time or part-time mode, ending in a thesis.

CURT

Awarded by

Curtin University

LevelDoctorate
Duration2 Years
Study modefull-time

Overview

About this course

The Doctor of Philosophy at Curtin Colombo is a research degree for original work that makes a significant contribution to a field. Candidates produce a substantial thesis and receive structured supervision and research training. Each PhD has a principal supervisor at Curtin Perth and a co-supervisor at Curtin Colombo. Full-time candidates take a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 4 years; part-time candidates take a minimum of 4 years and a maximum of 8 years. Progress is reviewed at three milestones, each with a written application and an oral presentation. The thesis may be a traditional thesis, a thesis by compilation of published papers, or a creative work with an exegesis, and it is examined under Curtin's higher degree by research process. Supervision areas listed on the page include education and technology-enhanced learning, artificial intelligence and machine learning, robotics and IoT, information systems, marketing and hospitality, and engineering fields. To apply, you prepare a two-page research proposal, discuss it with a local supervisor, approach a principal supervisor at Curtin Perth, and then submit an Expression of Interest before the formal application.

Entry requirements

Academic Entry Requirement

Applicants must hold a qualification that shows they can undertake independent research, such as:

  • A bachelor's degree with first-class or upper second-class honours.
  • A master's degree that required a publicly available thesis or research project.
  • A bachelor's degree plus postgraduate study, or a coursework master's degree.
  • In exceptional cases, candidates enrolled in a research master's for at least one semester may be considered, subject to approval by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee.

English Language Requirement

Option 1

Completion of tertiary studies taught in English at a recognised institution, as assessed by Curtin Colombo.

Option 2 (test results are generally valid for two years)
  • IELTS: 6.5 overall, with 6.0 in each of Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking.
  • TOEFL iBT taken from June 2026: 81 overall (Reading and Listening 16, Speaking 19, Writing 19). Taken before June 2026: 79 overall (Reading and Listening 13, Speaking 18, Writing 21).
  • PTE Academic: 58 overall (Listening and Reading 50, Speaking 54, Writing 51).
  • Applicants who do not meet these standards may be assessed case by case.

Fees & scholarships

Local students

AUD 9,000per year
Full-time fee. Part-time candidates pay AUD 4,500 per year. The page does not say whether the rate differs for international candidates.

Payment options

Degree fees are published in Australian dollars per semester, with two semesters a year, and apply to degrees completed in Sri Lanka.
Local and international fee rates are listed separately for bachelor's degrees.
Foundation certificates are priced in Sri Lankan rupees: Rs. 475,000 per semester (Rs. 950,000 in total) plus a Rs. 10,000 application fee, as listed for March 2026.
PhD fees are AUD 9,000 per year full-time and AUD 4,500 per year part-time.

Facilities

Gallery

Key information

Level

doctorate

Duration

2 Years ยท full-time

Location

Colombo

Fees

AUD 9,000 ยท Local

See fees & scholarships

Upcoming intakes

No upcoming intakes listed
Verified informationOct 19, 2026

Related study areas

Computer ScienceComputing

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