Australia is known as one of the best places to enjoy breathtaking sites, colorful flora/fauna, and unique cultures. As for international students, the ‘land down under’ is considered one of the greatest educational destinations in the world.
To date, there are about 870,000 students from all across the globe pursuing their higher education in Australia. And while studying costs about $22,100 to $22,700 for international learners, many are given the opportunity to study for free with the help of Australian Government Scholarships.
Australian Government Scholarship Awards
The Australia Awards Scholarships, which are overseen by the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, were developed to fund students coming from several partner countries.
The foremost benefit of this Australian Government Scholarship is full tuition coverage. The funding lasts 4 years for doctorate students and 2 years for Master’s students.
The scholarship also includes return air travel (economy class), a one-time establishment allowance, and a certain contribution to living expenses paid by the university department.
The award also covers the cost of overseas student health (basic medical) insurance and pre-course English fees as needed.
Apart from financial assistance, the Australian Awards Scholarships also lend support through various programs. One is the Introductory Academic Program, an orientation class regarding living and studying in Australia. Another is supplementary academic support, which aims to help improve the scholars’ academic experiences.
Eligibility Criteria
Students who wish to apply for an Australia Award Scholarship must be 18 years old (and above) and be a citizen of participating countries. These include 15 nations in Asia, 11 in the Pacific, and the Palestinian Territories.
Additionally, applicants must meet the English language requirements of at least 6.5 for the IELTS, 84 for the TOEFL-iBT, and 58 for the PTE academic test.
More importantly, the student must meet the admissions requirements set forth by the university – and the student visa requirements stated by the Department of Home Affairs.
Check Also: Available Programs for International Students
How to Apply to Australian Government Scholarships
Before applying, interested students should check the application opening and closing dates as these vary according to country. Please see the Australia Awards Application Page for complete details on the application procedure. Here, we will go over the outline of how to apply.
Interested students should inquire with the country offices if their areas of study are covered by the Australian Government scholarship. In some countries, awards are only limited to the fields of Public Health & Social Protection, Trade & Economics, Infrastructure & Smart Cities, Digital Economy & Cyber Security, Peace & Development, Education, Governance & Public Policy, Natural Resource Management, and Humanitarian & Disaster Risk Management.
After confirming such information, applicants may proceed with the following procedures:
1. Prepare all the needed documents.
Aspiring scholars should have several documents ready before starting with the application. These include a graduation certificate (translated to English), a certified copy of formal academic transcripts, a certified copy of a citizenship document (passport or national identity document), and a certified copy of the birth certificate (translated to English as needed).
Applicants should also prepare a certified copy of their English test results, a curriculum vitae, and 2 referee reports (one from an academic referee and another from a work referee).
Ph.D. students need to produce evidence (through email or letter) of supervisor support for his/her research topic.
2. Apply online or through mail.
Depending on your home country, you may be encouraged to apply for an Australian Government scholarship online or through snail mail. You should look at the Australia Awards Scholarships Page to see the complete application procedure.
Although submitting early is encouraged, online applicants may temporarily accomplish the form and upload the documents up until the deadline period.
Since applications may not be modified once submitted, students are cautioned to double-check their forms before submitting them online.
Mail-in applicants, on the other hand, first need to obtain the necessary documents (application form, referee forms, etc.) After doing so, they may proceed with submitting the requirements well within the deadline period.
3. Attend an interview or group assessment session.
Short-listed applicants will need to participate in an interview or a group assessment session as required by the selection committee for the Australian Government scholarship.
It is important to note that all applicants are evaluated according to merit. The selection committee will choose the scholar according to his/her personal and professional qualities, academic excellence, and the potential for exerting developmental changes in his/her country. Depending on the country, additional criteria may be set forth for selection.
Results will be published after reviewing all applications. This usually occurs during August.
4. Request for placement and submit the other requirements.
Successful applicants need to request placement through the OASIS website.
Additionally, Master’s and Ph.D. research-track applicants need to provide a research proposal to complete their university placements for Australia Award Scholarship. This document should include the proposed methodology, timeline, and a brief literature review.
Conclusion
For citizens of certain nations, the Australian Government Scholarships is one of the best ways to attain world-class education for free. And while competition is strict, its benefits such as full tuition coverage and other forms of financial support are all worth the effort.
We hope that this article on Australia scholarships for international students was helpful. If you’re interested in studying abroad, make sure to check out the Available Programs for International Students!
