Poverty-line wages punish PhD students, researchers warn

PhD students are living on the poverty line, despite their contribution to the research economy.

Australia prides itself on innovation and education, yet the nation’s PhD students – the lifeblood of our research future – are scraping by on stipends that hover perilously close to the poverty line.

What a way to treat some of our brightest minds, who are conducting research that saves lives, drives innovation and informs evidence-based decision-making across all facets of society.

They are a diverse group: the average PhD student enrols at 34 years old, often balancing their studies with significant financial responsibilities, work experience, and family commitments. Many are pursuing their studies part-time, especially women, who constitute 56 per cent of domestic PhD candidates.

Why are we asking them to do so while living in financial precarity?

As a new report from Universities Australia and the Australian Council of Graduate Research points out, the base government-funded annual stipend for a PhD student in 2024 was a mere $32,192.

At a time when inflation and living costs are skyrocketing, this leaves many PhD candidates struggling to meet basic needs.

No wonder it’s becoming harder than ever to attract these future research stars, despite the boom in honours students providing a strong pipeline of worthy candidates.

Poverty line funding means we rely more heavily on international PhD students to support our research workforce – but problems exist here too.

Many international students are at particular risk of financial hardship, because unlike their Australian counterparts, they can’t move back home with mum and dad.

Reports show some engage in “hot bedding” – sharing beds in shifts – to save on housing costs. This is not an academic issue; it’s a moral one.

Our PhD students are conducting groundbreaking research with far-reaching implications for health, education and the environment.

At the University of Sydney, two PhD students founded “ResusRight”, a training monitor that improves manual resuscitation techniques for premature babies.

Another PhD candidate created an AI tool to analyse melanoma and non-melanoma skin conditions with greater accuracy, to improve early cancer detection.

These are breakthrough projects that directly benefit society, yet the systemic underfunding of these future leaders risks stalling Australia’s research engine.

Poverty-level funding isn’t just an issue of underappreciation; it’s also about access and equity.

The current model disproportionately favours students from privileged backgrounds, because those who can rely on family financial support are more likely to pursue a PhD. PhD students are not a cost to be minimised but an investment in Australia’s future.

Ensuring they thrive during their studies isn’t just about fairness; it’s about securing the intellectual and economic prosperity of the nation.

It’s time for the government to step up and increase stipends to liveable levels.

Professor Louise Sharpe is president of the Australian Council of Graduate Research.