Scholarships for international students in Australia: your guide to funding your education in 2023

Government-funded scholarships in Australia

Government-funded scholarships are offered to international students by the Australian government for specific undergraduate or postgraduate courses.

Destination Australia

The Destination Australia Program (DAP) is an Australian government program that funds eligible tertiary education providers to offer scholarships of up to $15,000 per student, per year to domestic and international students. They can be students undertaking studies ranging from a Certificate IV through to a PhD for up to four years in regional campus locations across Australia.

Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP)

The RTP is a single flexible pool of funding to support both domestic and overseas students undertaking Research Doctorate and Research Masters degrees. It replaced Australian Postgraduate Awards, International Postgraduate Research Scholarships and the Research Training Scheme in 2017. Applications for these scholarships should be made directly to a participating university.

Australia Awards

The Australia Awards are fully funded scholarships for international students. This scholarship is available for undergraduate, masters and Phd studies and provides the recipient with full tuition fees, travel allowance, living expenses, establishment allowance and more. The program brings together scholarships offered by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT), the Department of Education and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

New Colombo Plan Scholarships

The New Colombo Plan provides opportunities for Australian undergraduate students to undertake semester-based study and internships or mentorships in 40 participating Indo-Pacific locations. This highly competitive program awards approximately 120 scholarships Australia-wide each year to strengthen Australia’s connections with the region.

Australia-ASEAN Scholarships

Australia for ASEAN scholarships are prestigious international awards offered by the Australian Government to the next generation of leaders from ASEAN member states. Each ASEAN member state will receive 10 Australia for ASEAN Scholarships. Applications are strongly encouraged from women, people with disability and marginalised groups.

University-specific scholarships in Australia

Many universities in Australia offer scholarships, as well as financial aid for international students (for both undergraduates and postgraduates). These are designed to attract international students to study at their institutions. Scholarships might cover tuition fees, living expenses, and other study-related costs. Some universities also offer scholarships for specific fields of study, such as science, engineering, or business. For example:

Monash University

Monash University offers fully funded scholarships to international students for 2023-4. It’s offered for masters and doctoral research studies and covers an annual living allowance of $35,600, with relocation allowance of $550 and a research allowance per annum of $1,500.

University of Sydney

The University of Sydney’s international scholarships are for undergrad and postgrad (both for research and coursework) studies,  with a range of options available.

University of New South Wales

UNSW’s International Student Award offers 15% of tuition fees for every year of study, for students starting in 2023 or 2024.

Queensland University of Technology

At QUT, you can receive a scholarship covering either 25% of your tuition fees for your first two semesters, or an ongoing scholarship covering 25% of your tuition fees for each semester of study in specific faculties including Business and Law, Engineering, and Science.

University of Western Australia

Many of the University of Western Australia’s scholarships for both undergraduate and postgrad students are automatically assessed and offered, so you don’t need to apply for them.

University of Adelaide

At Adelaide, international students are able to apply for various scholarships to cover tuition fees and course costs. These include a 25% tuition fee reduction for family members if your spouse or sibling has studied at the university, or an A$30,000 stipend for airfares and accommodation for an outstanding student from India.  

Griffith University

Griffith University offers full and partial funded scholarships to international undergrad and postgrad students. These include government research training programs and scholarships for exceptional students.

Private scholarships in Australia

Many private companies, organisations, and foundations offer scholarships to support international students in obtaining a higher education. These can be based on merit or financial need, or a combination of both.

American Australian Association Scholarships

The Graduate Education Fund provides support of up to US$40,000 to Australian, Indigenous Australian, American and Indigenous American individuals undertaking or planning to undertake full-time Graduate level study (Masters, Ph.D. or Postdoctoral Research) at an accredited educational institution in the Australia to USA direction or USA to Australia direction. There are two scholarships offered each year.

Tafe Queensland International Scholarships

TAFE Queensland Scholarships are available as either merit scholarships, or access and equity scholarships. Merit scholarships are awarded to students who have achieved outstanding academic merit, or demonstrate strong work performance along with the desire to secure employment within the industry to which they applied for the scholarship. Access and equity scholarships provide access to study at TAFE Queensland. They are awarded to students who can demonstrate a genuine interest in, and commitment to, their career and identify themselves with one of the access and equity categories.

How to apply for a scholarship in Australia?

There are no specific rules for how to apply for a scholarship in Australia, but for many of them, the process will look very similar. Some scholarships don’t require an application, and will be automatically assessed, so you won’t need to do anything. Otherwise, your application process may look a bit like this:

• Start researching scholarships early on. This could be one or two years in advance as there may be some deadlines for submissions.

• Check requirements and criterias

• Check deadlines to apply for the scholarships

• Put your application together: letter of references, documents needed, translated degrees, language certifications, etc

• Submit application

What are the requirements and eligibility criterias for scholarships in Australia for international students?

Typically, to obtain a scholarship in Australia, either as an undergraduate student or postgraduate student, there will be some criteria you’ll need to meet. Each scholarship will ask for different requirements, but you’ll need to check:

• Citizenship and residency requirements

• Academic requirements

• Other eligibility factors

Studying abroad with WorldRemit

So, we’ve looked at how to find a scholarship to study in Australia - but if you make the move to study, there will be other things to consider when moving. Don’t forget to check out our blog for more resources and guides to living abroad, and how you may be able to support your family, and how they can support you by sending money with WorldRemit.

Scholarships for international students in Australia: FAQs

Can I get a full scholarship in Australia?

Potentially, yes! Full scholarships for international students in Australia can be applied for as long as you meet the eligibility criteria.

How do I get a fully funded scholarship in Australia?

You’ll need to check the requirements for the university and course you want to study. And it’s worth researching this early if funding availability might affect where you choose to apply.

What GPA is required for scholarships in Australia?

Each scholarship will have different requirements, but some scholarships are offered to exceptional students on a merit-based criteria. Scholarships based on academic merit will specify the GPA, or grades necessary to apply.

Disclaimer: The contents of this blog post does not constitute legal or financial advice and is provided for general information purposes only. If you require specific legal and / or financial advice you should contact a specialist lawyer or financial advisor. Information true at time of publishing.