There are many scholarships and awards on offer to international students in Australia which can help support you financially with your studies. They are offered by the Australian Government, education institutions, and a number of other public and private organisations.
This article will explain some of the different Awards and Scholarships that are available to international student in Australia and what you need to qualify
Australia Awards–Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships
Australia Awards aim to contribute to the long term development needs of Australia’s partner countries, in line with international agreements.
The Awards are fund entirely by the Australian Government and aim to promote knowledge, education links, and ties between Australia and our neighbours through education.
This year over 1300 Australia Awards scholars were awarded at 41 different education institutions across Australia.
The Australia Awards–Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships offer support to internationals to undertake study, research or professional development in Australia. To apply, you must be from an eligible country.
All recipients receive:
- travel allowance of $3,000.
- establishment allowance of $2,000 for fellowships and $4,000 for scholarships.
- monthly stipend of $3,000 (paid up to the maximum category duration on a pro-rata basis).
- health insurance.
- travel insurance.
Depending on the category of the scholarship, recipients will also receive tuition fees paid – these are capped and paid pro rata. Category’s of Endeavour Scholarships include:
- Endeavour Vocational Education and Training (VET) Scholarship – this includes a tuition grant of up to $131,000 for non-Australians to undertake vocational education at a Diploma, Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree level in any field in Australia for up to two and a half years. Tuition is paid pro rata ($6,500 per semester). The courses are directly related to a trade, occupation or ‘vocation’ in which the applicant participates. These courses exclude degree and higher level programmes normally delivered by universities.
- Endeavour Postgraduate Scholarship – this includes a tuition grant of up to $140,500 for international student to undertake an Australian Masters Degree, or $272,500 for the PhD in any field. This is paid pro rata ($15,000 per semester) for a duration of up to 2 years for a Masters, and 4 years for a PhD.
- Endeavour Research Fellowship – for non-Australian postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows to undertake short-term research towards an overseas Masters, PhD or postdoctoral research in any field, tuition grant of up to $24,500, for a duration of four to six months. Applicants must be nominated by their host organisation. The professional development activity must be vocationally useful while not being geared toward an immediate commercial outcome as its purpose. Professional development activities could include management training, peer-to-peer learning, mentoring or attending a conference or short course.
- Endeavour Executive Fellowships – provides financial support towards professional development opportunities of up to $18,500 for professional development for a duration of one to four months. This program is aimed at high achievers in business, industry, education or government for non-Australians and Australians. The Endeavour Executive Fellowship focuses on learning and building skills and knowledge through a host work environment in the applicant’s field or area of expertise rather than through formal enrolment in a study programme and are not suitable for academic research proposals.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible to receive an Australian Award, applicants must:
- Be aged 18 years when their programme
- Be a citizen and/or permanent resident of a participating country (see below).
- Commence the proposed programme during the designated dates.
- Provide all relevant supporting documentation.
- Not currently hold or have recently completed a scholarship and/or fellowship sponsored by the Australian Government.
- There are also eligibility requirements for each of the sub-categories.
What are the participating countries
Americas:
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela.
Asia:
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar, Cambodia, China (People’s Republic), Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea (Republic of Korea – South), Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam.
The Caribbean:
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago.
Europe:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France (including Reunion), Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland).
Middle East:
Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
Pacific:
Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated states), Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand* (including Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau), Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna.
International Postgraduate Research Scholarships
The International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (IPRS) program focuses on improving the quality of Australian research. If you already have a graduate qualification, an IPRS scholarship lets you study a postgraduate research qualification in Australia with some of the best researchers in your field.
IPRS scholarships are open to international students of all countries (except New Zealand) and are available for a period of two years for a research masters degree or three years for a research doctorate degree. The scholarship covers tuition fees and health cover costs for scholarship holders, and health cover costs for their dependants.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible to apply for an IPRS you must:-
- Be an international student (from any country except New Zealand);
- Be starting for the first time, full-time enrolment in a higher degree by research at an eligible university.
- Meet international student visa requirements.
- Be commencing full-time enrolment for the first time in a HDR at a HEP in Australia that is an eligible scholarship provider
- Be undertaking study in a subject area identified by the HEP as one of its areas of research concentration
- Not hold a research qualification regarded by the HEP to be equivalent to an Australian Research Doctorate or, if undertaking a Research Masters, not hold a research qualification regarded by the HEP to be equivalent to or higher than an Australian Research Masters.
- Not have held an AusAID scholarship within the two years prior to commencing the IPRS.
- Not be receiving a scholarship for which course tuition is a component under any other scholarship scheme to which the Australian Government makes a substantial contribution.
How to apply:
To apply online go to the ‘Online Australia Scholarships Information System’ (OASIS). When you register online, you will be required to answer some questions to establish your eligibility. You will then be given a unique registration number, username and password. Y
Mail applications are also accepted. Completed hard copy application forms and supporting documentation must be submitted by the deadline specified by your country.
Important things to remember before you apply.
Check the open & close dates for your country, and select your country of citizenship/residency from the list of participating countries for specific information on eligibility, priority areas and how to apply. To find out your countries closing dates please follow this link – http://aid.dfat.gov.au/australia-awards/Pages/opening-closing-dates.aspx
Private Institutions
Just about every university in Australia offers scholarships to International students. The criteria can vary dramatically depending on the university.
Listed below are some examples of the scholarships offered to international students, to help you get an understanding of what is available to you as an international student studying in Australia.
It is always a good idea to talk to the university’s international student office to find out what is currently available to you and what is required to apply.
University Of Melbourne (Melbourne, VIC)
International Undergraduate Scholarships
The University of Melbourne offers 50 International Undergraduate Scholarships per year.
The International Undergraduate Scholarships were established by the University of Melbourne in recognition of the significant contribution made by international students to the diversity of the University’s student population.
The International Undergraduate scholarship provides one of the following benefits:
- a one-off $10,000 fee remission from tuition fees in the first year of an undergraduate degree; or
- a 50% remission from tuition fees for the full-time duration of an undergraduate degree; or
- a 100% remission from tuition fees for the full-time duration of an undergraduate degree.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible, you must:-
- be a citizen of a country other than Australia and New Zealand and not be a permanent resident of Australia;
- have received an unconditional offer for an undergraduate course;
- have achieved excellent final year school results, such as:not have previously undertaken any tertiary studies
- not have previously undertaken any tertiary studies (excluding extension studies completed as part of a year 12 program).
How to apply.
There is no separate application for the international undergrad scholarship program. All eligible students who have received an unconditional offer for admission to an undergraduate degree will automatically be considered. Pathway to Aus provide a free service to international students and can help with the application at no cost.
International Undergraduate Fee Remission Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and allocated on a competitive basis subject to quotas by course and region. Scholarships have been awarded to students from countries such as Mexico, Singapore, Bangladesh, China, Mauritius, Sweden, Malaysia, USA and India.
For further information about this Scholarship please contact Melbourne University
Foundation Studies Scholarship
Applications for the Foundation Studies Scholarship are accepted all year round.
If you are an international student commencing Foundation Studies at RMIT, this scholarship could pay a contribution towards your tuition fees. The scholarship pays $4,000 towards your tuition fees. Scholarships are available each year, and one will be awarded for each program intake, commencing with the February 2015 intake.
Who is eligible?
- be an international student
- be studying Foundation Studies at RMIT
- display high standards of academic merit and personal achievement.
- willing to be involved in RMIT activities beyond your academic program
- This scholarship is not available if you are studying any undergraduate or postgraduate programs.
How to apply.
You need to submit your completed enrolment & scholarship application form and sent it to RMIT International. Pathway to Aus provide a free service to international students and can help with the application at no cost.
University of Sydney
ACER International Student Scholarship – Business (AISS)
This scholarship is for undergraduate students. Those who want to study their undergraduate courses in University of Sydney to earn their degree, are eligible for this scholarship. However, not all the undergraduate student can apply for this. Only those students who are international students and those who are enrolled in Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) are eligible for this scholarship award. The benefit of this scholarship goes to students of Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA). This scholarship is awarded once a year.
Those who are interested in completing their undergraduate program in business in Australia and have already moved to Australia, with a permit to stay for more than 5 years and intended to earn their degree, facing financial difficulties, for them this scholarship is awarded.
This scholarship is valued at $50,000 – to be used towards tuition fee, payable at a maximum of $12,500 per semester over four years.
Eligibility:
To be considered as eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be an international student (from anywhere except New Zealand)
- be enrolled as an undergraduate degree program student.
- be enrolled in Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) education degree program in University of Sydney.
This scholarship is offered once a year. If the application process is closed, you have to wait for the next year scholarship offer.
This scholarship is organised by ACER. So, to apply for this business student scholarship, you have to apply through ACER. The application process is not complex. All you have to do is to go to the website of ACER, click on the ‘Apply for Scholarship’ tab and follow the instruction.
Apply For this Scholarship. To apply follow this link
Bond University (Gold Coast, QLD)
Bond University offer International Student Scholarships to students commencing in January, May or September semester.
Scholarships are available to all international students applying for any undergraduate or postgraduate degree combination (excluding Bond University’s Medical Program, Master of Psychology, and Doctor of Physiotherapy).
Eligibility:
In addition, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:-
- be an international student for undergrad or post grad studies
- have outstanding academic ability, demonstrated strong leadership skills and extensive involvement in extracurricular activities.
- meet the English entry requirements for postgraduate applicants.
- submit academic statements, a summary of achievements, and letters of reference from relevant individuals who can support their application, together with a 500-word personal statement outlining key achievements and attributes.
What is covered?:
The scholarship is for 25% to 50% of tuition fees of any undergraduate or postgraduate degree (excluding Bond University’s Medical Program, Master of Psychology, and Doctorate of Physiotherapy)
How to apply.
All international students who apply to study at Bond University will be considered for an International Student Scholarship. It is recommended that when students complete a Bond Application, they submit a personal statement (outlining why you should be awarded a Bond scholarship), references, resume and certified copies of other relevant documentation to assist in supporting your application.
Griffith University (Brisbane + Gold Coast, QLD)
Griffith University International Postgraduate Research Scholarships.
Each year, Griffith University makes available a number of tuition fee offset scholarships to international candidates of exceptional research potential to undertake a higher degree research (HDR) program.
This scholarship scheme is known as the Griffith University International Postgraduate Research Scholarship and is available during the University’s mid and end-of-year research scholarship rounds.
The Griffith University International Postgraduate Research Scholarships covers tuition fees for up to three years for doctoral students and up to two years for research masters students. In addition, the scholarship covers Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the student and any dependant/s.
Eligibility:
To be eligible, you must:
- not be a domestic student, as defined as being a student who is an Australian citizen;
- or an Australian permanent resident;
- be commencing or enrolled in a HDR program (for which GUIPRS support is
- available) at Griffith University.
- not be a receipt of an equivalent award or scholarship from the Commonwealth Government designed to offset HDR program tuition
- must have completed, or expect to complete, a Bachelors degree with honours equivalent to first class and be intending to enrol full-time in an approved doctoral or research masters program.
- Applicants who do not have First Class Honours may demonstrate equivalency to first class honours via different means.
How to apply.
New applicants must follow the process for submitting an online application for a higher degree by research program, which also includes a section for scholarship application. Please note, unless the scholarship round is officially open the online application form will only be assessed for candidature. Those students offered candidature outside of the scholarship round may apply for scholarships as current students.
To find out more about how to apply please follow this link
University Of Canberra (Canberra ACT)
University of Canberra International Undergraduate Scholarship
This scholarship is targeted towards current international student school leavers who achieve a ‘raw’ ATAR of 99+ and who have accepted an offer of a place in their first undergraduate degree at the University of Canberra. A current school leaver, in this instance, is someone who has completed an Australian Year 12, the International Baccalaureate, or the New Zealand NCEA Level 3 in the past 2 years prior to UC study. Application for admission will normally be made through the Universities Admissions Centre.
Eligibility:
To be eligible, you must:
- be a current international student school leaver (those who have completed an Australian Year 12, the International Baccalaureate, or the New Zealand NCEA Level 3 in the past 2 years prior to UC study).
- must be an International Student Visa holder.
- have achieved a ‘raw’ ATAR score of 99 and over.
- have accepted an offer of place and be intending to enrol into their first undergraduate degree at UC.
How to Apply:
No application is required for the scholarship. All eligible applicants will be considered. Applicants meeting the criteria will receive a separate letter of offer for the scholarship. Pathway to Aus offer a free service to International Students and can help with your enrolment applications.
Helpful Links
StudyAssist.gov.au – a national data base of all current scholarships for domestic & international students.
StudyInAustralia.gov.au – an official Australian Government website for international students, including detailed information about government funded scholarships for international students