3MT
3MT Winners
Why participate?
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia.
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland, and celebrates the exciting research conducted by PhD students in Australia and around the world.
Contestants have just three minutes to explain their PhD research in language appropriate for a non-specialist audience.
Beginning in 2008, the first 3MT® competition was held at UQ with 160 Higher Degree by Research (HDR) candidates competing. Now, 3MT® is held in over 900 universities across more than 80 countries worldwide.
Monash University participates each year, with our winner going on to represent us at the 3MT Asia-Pacific finals.
Prizes
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| Competition | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| Monash University Final (Live Event) | Winner | $5000 and represent Monash at the virtual Asia Pacific Final |
| Runner Up | $2000 | |
| MGA People's Choice Award | $500 | |
| Asia Pacific Final (Virtual Event) | Winner | $5000 research grant |
| Runner Up | $2000 research grant | |
| People's Choice | $1000 research grant |
Key Dates 2026
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| April - June | Department/School/Institute/Faculty/Campus Rounds |
|---|---|
| 13 July | Monash University Wild Card Event (Live) |
| 18 August | Monash University Final (Live) |
| 21 September | Asia-Pacific Semi-Final (Virtual Showcase) |
| 2 October | Asia-Pacific Final - finalists announced |
| 14 October | Asia-Pacific Final (Virtual Event) - winners announced |
Rules & Eligibility
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Note: If your department/school/faculty is hosting a virtual competition, please note that different rules apply. See virtual rules here.
To be eligible for 3MT, you must:
Ineligible for 3MT are:
Judging Criteria
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At every level of the competition each competitor will be assessed on the judging criteria listed below. Each criterion is equally weighted and has an emphasis on audience.
Comprehension and content
Engagement and communication
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia.