Australia Awards Scholarships

Full tuition, a return economy airfare, an establishment allowance, a fortnightly contribution to living costs, student health cover (OSHC), an introductory academic programme, and English training before your course if you need it.

• You must be a citizen of a participating country, living in and applying from an eligible developing country (limited exceptions apply).
• You must be at least 18 on 1 February of the year you start.
• You can't be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or married, engaged or in a de facto relationship with an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.
• You can't be serving military personnel or have held a long-term Australia Award in the previous four years.
• You must meet any criteria set by your country's programme (such as work experience), plus the university's admission and student visa requirements.
• You need IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 (or equivalent TOEFL iBT or PTE Academic) unless you're exempt.
• You must leave Australia for at least two years after the scholarship, or repay its full cost.

Open to citizens of participating developing countries, mostly in the Indo-Pacific plus some in Africa. Priority fields and other rules vary by country, so check your country's page. You must leave Australia for at least two years after your scholarship, or repay its full cost.

1. 1

   Step 1: Read your country profile

   Check your country's dates, eligibility rules, priority fields and whether you apply online or on paper.

2. 2

   Step 2: Read the Policy Handbook

   DFAT requires applicants to read the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook before applying.

3. 3

   Step 3: Choose your courses

   Research courses listed on CRICOS and choose your preferences. You don't need a university offer to apply, but you can't change your preferences after you submit.

4. 4

   Step 4: Apply online by the deadline

   Register on OASIS (Indonesia and the Philippines use their own portals), complete the form and upload your documents and reintegration plan. You can't edit it after you submit.

5. 5

   Step 5: Attend an interview if shortlisted

   Shortlisted applicants are interviewed by a panel that includes the Australian Government, and some countries add other assessments.

6. 6

   Step 6: Accept your placement

   Results usually come in August. DFAT then arranges your university placement, and you sign a contract with the Commonwealth of Australia.

• Certified degree certificate (with translation)
• Certified academic transcripts (with translation)
• Certified passport or national ID card
• Certified birth certificate (with translation)
• CV (DFAT template available)
• Referee reports (at least one academic)
• IELTS or TOEFL results, if required
• PhD only: supervisor's in-principle support

Deadline

For study starting in 2027, most countries' applications ran from 1 February 2026 (09:00 AEDT) to 30 April 2026 (14:00 AEST); Palau ran from 30 March to 30 June 2026, and DFAT hasn't yet published dates for the next intake.

Applications usually open on 1 February and close on 30 April, for study starting the following year. A few countries (such as Palau) and some Pacific schemes use different dates.