University home page

 

Victorian College of the Arts

Domestic (local) applicants are Australian citizens and permanent residents, New Zealand citizens, and holders of a permanent humanitarian visa and international applicants who are currently studying the VCE, another Year 12 program in Australia, or the IB at an Australian secondary school.

If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident but are studying overseas, you should refer to the entry standards for international students as a guide.

Specific Course Entry Requirements

The Selection Committee will evaluate the applicant's ability to pursue the course successfully using the following criteria.

One of:

• an honours degree with at least H2A (75%) average, including a major relevant to the stream to which entry is sought, or equivalent; or
• a relevant undergraduate degree with at least H2A (75%) average and at least two years of documented work experience relevant to the stream to which entry is sought; or
• an undergraduate degree in any discipline and at least five years of documented work experience relevant to the stream to which entry is sought; or
• at least five years of documented relevant work experience related to the stream to which entry is sought and demonstrating outstanding artistic ability, together with evidence of ability in academic writing and research or scholarship appropriate for postgraduate study;

and:

• performance in one or more of an audition, test, interview, workshop, portfolio or folio presentation, as prescribed by the Academic Board for the stream to which entry is sought.

The Selection Committee may conduct further interviews or tests and may call for referee reports and employer references to elucidate any of the matters referred to above.

Supporting Documentation Requirements

If you have completed your bachelor's degree at the University of Melbourne you do not need to submit a hard copy of your results, simply make sure you give us your student ID.

• Applicants are required to provide officially certified hard-copies of academic transcripts for all prior studies not completed at the University of Melbourne or the Victorian College of the Arts, along with proof of course completion (where claimed) for each previous qualification.
• If studying outside the University of Melbourne in the current semester, then you are required to provide, with your application, an official record/transcript of your current course results to date.
• Applicants need to provide the Faculty with an officially certified hard-copy of their final transcript, and proof of course completion, as soon as these become available.

The definition of a certified copy is a photocopy of the original document which has the signature and official stamp of one of the following people: barrister or solicitor, Police in Charge of Station, Pharmacist, Doctor, Dentist, Principal of School, Justice of Peace, Clerk of Court indicating that they have sighted the original document.

While it is possible to upload electronic copies of your transcripts during the online application process, you must also mail us directly (by post), certified copies of all academic documents before an offer can be made.

Please mail your application, before the closing date, to:
Graduate Research Degree Admissions, The John Smyth Building, Swanston Street, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Victoria, Australia

English Language Requirements

In addition to the course entry requirements, all applicants must establish they meet the University’s English language requirements.

Graduate domestic students must have fulfilled one of the following criteria to meet the English language requirements:

• Within the last two years have satisfactorily completed an undergraduate degree at an Australian institution; or
• Within the last two years have satisfactorily completed either a postgraduate degree of at least two years duration at an Australian institution; or
• Satisfactorily completed English studies in the Victorian Certificate of Education or another Australian secondary qualification at the required level; or
• By satisfying one of the other methods outlined on our English language requirements page.  

Graduate Research Scholarships

There are a range of scholarships available and applicants must indicate on their application form which ones they wish to apply for, if any.  Most scholarships require additional materials to be submitted. 

The University of Melbourne offers graduate research Scholarships for local and international applicants. There is only one scholarship application deadline annually which is the 31 October for scholarships starting in 2013.

The Faculty of VCA and MCM also offers a Creative Scholarship for disadvantaged graduate students. Applications open on 13 August, and will close on 29 September.

STEP 1 – Entry Requirements

Ensure you fulfil all the entry requirements for this course

STEP 2 – University’s Application Form

Download and complete the Application Form (pdf file, 278kb)

Submit this application form and all additional requirements, by 31 May or 30 September to:
Graduate Research Degree Admissions, The John Smyth Building, Swanston Street, The University of Melbourne, Victoria Australia 3010

STEP 3 - Proposal

The School of Performing Arts MFA Selection Panel is looking for candidates who are ‘research minded’ so it is important to articulate how your proposal (whether practice-based or not) can form the basis of a research investigation. Please provide the following:

A proposal (1000 words) for the research project including:

• A statement of the project’s central concern(s) or ‘Research Question’;
• An outline of the approaches you intend to take and what you intend to do;
• An argument for the relevance and importance of the study.

A description of the nature of the final submission as you currently envisage it; for example

• the form that the body of creative work will take and how it will be presented
• the nature of the written component and its relationship to the creative work
• state clearly if your proposal is for a dissertation/written component only
• Influences/context – identify some of the key performances, artists, literature, artworks, critical theories etc that inform your proposed work

Also include:

• Demonstration of your previous relevant creative work in portfolio and/or digital form. Please identify each segment clearly as to your role and relationship to the work.

STEP 4 - Interview

The Selection Committee will conduct interviews for short-listed applicants and will be scheduled by arrangement with VCA.

Short-listed applicants will be contacted after closing date to arrange a time. Interviews will be held in Melbourne in early December.

If invited to an interview, the applicant should be prepared to discuss their research proposal and portfolio.

If you are unable to attend an interview in person, your application and supporting material as outlined above, will provide the basis for an online/telephone interview.

STEP 5 – Check Your Emails

Check your emails regularly for interview details and application outcome.

The Faculty will communicate with applicants via email. Please check your email, including junk and quarantine folders. Applicants are strongly advised not to use a hotmail address as these often go into your junk box. By using such accounts you risk failing to receive our correspondence.

If your contact details change it is your responsibility to advise us by email - vcamcm-research@unimelb.edu.au- of these changes.