Police have identified a man and woman they want to speak to over the hit-run death of an "independent" and free-spirited Monash University student in Melbourne's south-east on Thursday night.

Nisali Perera, 20, the only child to her Sri Lankan parents, was thrown 20 metres and left for dead after she was hit by a dark-coloured Mazda on Wellington Road in Clayton about 9.45pm.

Police wish to speak Shane Cochrane, a 37-year-old man from Bayswater and Lauren Hindes, a 33-year-old from the Clayton area. Credit:Victoria Police

Detective Inspector Stuart McGregor said the station wagon appeared to run a red light at "significant speed" and hit Nisali as she was crossing the road on a green signal outside the university's Clayton campus.

He said "exhaustive" inquiries over the weekend had identified two people they want to speak to – Shane Cochrane, 37, from Bayswater and Lauren Hindes, 33, from the Clayton area.