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R.G. Menzies Scholarship to Harvard

Study at Harvard.Return to Lead.

Applications for the R.G. Menzies Scholarship to Harvard are made through the Australian National University, which administers the award on behalf of the Harvard Club of Australia.

The ANU’s scholarship information and Conditions of Award are the authoritative source, so check them before you apply.

Apply through the ANU (opens the ANU website)

Application round

The 2027 round: dates to be announced by the ANU.

The 2026 round ran from 12 December 2025 to 9 February 2026; applications usually open in November or December. Check the ANU scholarship page for the current status.

ANU scholarship page (opens the ANU website) · See the key dates

At a Glance

Award value
Up to US$60,000 a yearUp to US$120,000 for a two-year degree. The amount depends on any financial aid you receive from Harvard.
Awards
Up to two each yearOffered annually, in any field of study.
Applications close
Early FebruaryApplications usually open in November or December. The 2026 round ran from 12 December 2025 to 9 February 2026. The ANU scholarship page lists the next round’s dates.
Study
Full-time at HarvardIn-person graduate study at master’s or graduate certificate level. See where past scholars studied.

Who Can Apply

To be eligible, you must:

  • be an Australian citizen or permanent resident who normally lives in Australia
  • hold a bachelor’s degree from an Australian university or other recognised Australian tertiary institution, with Honours or equivalent academic excellence
  • have applied for and been admitted to a full-time, in-person graduate program at Harvard University
  • intend to return to Australia after your studies, or to work overseas in a role representing Australia
  • have no current or previous postgraduate enrolment at a US university
  • not have accepted, or plan to accept, another major scholarship worth more than US$30,000, such as a Fulbright, Frank Knox, Ramsay or Monash award (awards made directly by the ANU or Harvard are an exception)

Selection is based on merit. Under the Conditions of Award, the selection committee considers academic merit, qualities of leadership and breadth of vision. How selection works.

Check your eligibility

Guides for Applicants

  • Eligibility check

    Six questions that show how you match each published criterion. Indicative only: the ANU decides.

    For: Applicants

  • Planning ahead

    Applying in a later round? What has to happen, and in what order, before the Menzies round opens.

    For: Applicants

  • Application planner

    Choose your Harvard school and intake for a dated plan of its deadlines, the Menzies round and what to do when.

    For: Applicants

  • Harvard schools and degrees

    Where Menzies Scholars have studied, the degrees they took, and links to each school’s own programs.

    For: Applicants

  • Application checklist

    What to prepare and when, from before you apply, through the ANU form, referees and interview, to after an offer.

    For: Applicants

  • Selection criteria

    How the committee judges applications, and the conditions you agree to if you accept the award.

    For: Applicants

  • Other scholarships

    How the Menzies sits with Knox, Fulbright, Monash and Ramsay awards, and its rule on holding them.

    For: Applicants

  • After the offer

    For incoming scholars. The award’s conditions, Harvard visa documents, the SEVIS fee, health insurance and staying in touch.

    For: Applicants

  • A year as a Menzies Scholar

    From the offer to Harvard and back, what happens at each stage and what the award asks of you.

    For: Applicants

  • Applicant FAQ

    Short answers to the questions applicants ask most, each linked to the guide with the full answer.

    For: Applicants

  • Glossary

    The application and US study terms used on this site, from statement of purpose to I-20, SEVIS and F-1.

    For: Applicants

  • For careers and scholarships advisers

    Who is eligible, when the round runs, the key figures, and which guides to send students to.

    For: Advisers

  • For referees and supervisors

    When references are requested and due, what the panel assesses, and when students should apply.

    For: Referees, Supervisors

How Selection Works

  1. Apply to the ANU

    Submit your application through the ANU scholarship page before the closing date in February. The application checklist sets out what to prepare and when.

  2. Shortlisting

    Shortlisted candidates are usually told by early March. Only then are their referees asked for reports.

  3. Interview

    A selection committee of up to six (three appointed by the ANU’s Vice-Chancellor, three by the Harvard Club of Australia) interviews shortlisted candidates in March and April. Beforehand, you must disclose all other funding and confirm with Harvard the funding you may be eligible for. What the selection committee looks for explains the criteria.

  4. Award

    The scholars are announced once they have accepted the terms of the award, ahead of starting at Harvard.

Key Dates

Dates for the 2027 round aren’t published yet. The Harvard Club of Australia says applications open in November each year and close by the following February, with interviews in March and April. The dates below are from the 2026 round.

2026 round (past round)

  1. Applications open, 2026 round
  2. Applications close, 2026 round
  3. Shortlisted candidates told, 2026 roundOnly shortlisted candidates ask their referees for a reference.
  4. Referee reports due, 2026 round
  5. to Interviews, 2026 round
  6. No date publishedScholars announced, 2026 roundOnce the winners have accepted the terms of the scholarship.

Dates from the ANU scholarship page and the Harvard Club of Australia. The ANU’s page has the latest dates.

Common Questions

Do I need an offer from Harvard before I apply?

The ANU’s eligibility criteria require that you have applied for and been admitted to a full-time, in-person Harvard graduate program. If you are still waiting on an admission decision when applications close, check with the ANU Coursework Scholarships Office before you apply. If you are a year or two away, Planning ahead sets out the order things happen in.

Can I apply for a PhD?

The ANU currently lists postgraduate (master’s) study and graduate certificates as eligible levels of study. Past scholars include doctoral students, so if you are considering a PhD, ask the ANU before applying.

How much is the award, and does it cover two-year programs?

The award is worth up to US$60,000 a year. The Harvard Club of Australia notes that awards for two-year degrees can reach US$120,000. The exact amount is set in your letter of offer and depends on any financial aid you receive from Harvard.

Can I hold other scholarships at the same time?

Yes, with one limit: you must not have accepted, or plan to accept, another major scholarship of more than US$30,000, such as a Fulbright, Frank Knox, Ramsay or Monash award, unless it comes directly from the ANU or Harvard (clause 3(h) of the Conditions of Award). Smaller scholarships, and awards made directly by the ANU or Harvard, can be held alongside the Menzies, and scholars tell the Harvard Club of Australia about them through its administrator (clause 6). Shortlisted candidates must disclose all other funding before interview. See how the Menzies sits with other awards.

Do I have to come back to Australia?

You must intend to return to Australia after your studies, or to work overseas in a role representing Australia. Scholars are also encouraged to stay involved with the scholarship throughout their careers.

When do references and interviews happen?

Shortlisted candidates are usually told by early March. Their referees are then asked for reports, and interviews take place in March and April (what referees are asked for). Two of your referees must be able to speak to your academic or professional merit and capacity for higher degree study, and one must be able to write a personal reference about your personal qualities and role in the wider community.

Can I defer the award?

No. Clause 7 of the Conditions of Award says the award cannot be deferred. What the committee looks for explains the one exception, in clause 12.

Can I talk to a past scholar?

Yes. Many Menzies Scholars are happy to share their experience of applying and of studying at Harvard. Ask for an introduction and we’ll put you in touch where we can.

Can I check whether I’m eligible before I apply?

Yes. The eligibility check takes you through each published criterion, including the edge cases, and tells you which ones to raise with the ANU. It is a guide only: the ANU’s Conditions of Award decide.

Ready to Apply?

Read the ANU’s full scholarship information and Conditions of Award, then apply through the ANU. Send questions about eligibility or your application to the ANU Coursework Scholarships Office, using the contact details on the ANU scholarship page.

Want to hear what it’s like? Ask to talk with a past scholar.

Apply through the ANU (opens the ANU website)Application checklist