Australia Awards Scholarships for Developing Country Students

Australia Awards Scholarships pay for full time undergraduate or postgraduate study in Australia. The Australian Government runs the programme for people from developing countries, with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Awards are held at participating Australian universities and Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions. The scheme was previously called Australian Development Scholarships (ADS).

• Host: Australian Government
• Level: Bachelors, Masters and PhD degrees
• Study destination: Australia
• Deadline: 30 April 2026, 14:00 AEST (annual)
• Awards: number not specified
• Covered: tuition fees, return air travel, establishment allowance, living expenses contribution, health cover and more
• Who: citizens of participating countries in Asia, the Pacific, Africa and the Middle East

Any of the Participating Australian Institutions

You can study an undergraduate or postgraduate programme, as long as it links to your country's priority areas for development. Those priority areas appear on the participating country profiles.

Training in flying aircraft, nuclear technology or military training is not covered by Australia Awards.

Not specified.

Citizens of one of the participating countries in Asia, Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. See the complete list of participating countries.

Benefits generally cover full tuition fees, return air travel, an establishment allowance, a contribution to living expenses (CLE), Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), the Introductory Academic Program (IAP) and Pre-course English (PCE) fees. The official website holds the complete list of benefits.

An award runs for the minimum period the individual needs to finish the academic programme set by the Australian higher education institution, plus any preparatory training.

To be eligible to receive a Scholarship, applicants must:

1. be a minimum of 18 years of age on 1 February of the year of commencing the scholarship;
2. be a citizen of a participating country (as listed on the Australia Awards website) and be residing in and applying for the scholarship from their country of citizenship;
3. not be a citizen of Australia, hold permanent residency in Australia or be applying for a visa to live in Australia permanently;
4. not be married to, engaged to, or a de facto of a person who holds, or is eligible to hold, Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency, at any time during the application, selection or mobilisation phases (note: residents of Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau with New Zealand citizenship are eligible but must apply for a Student visa [subclass 500]);
5. not be current serving military personnel;
6. not have previously received a long-term Australia Award unless they have resided outside of Australia for twice the length of the total time that they were in Australia (for example, a previous awardee who has been on an Australia Awards Scholarship in Australia for four years will not be eligible to apply for another Australia Awards Scholarship until they have resided outside Australia for eight years);
7. not hold convictions of criminal activities (including in their home country) including those relating to Child Protection and PSEAH;
8. recipients under the Pacific Secondary School Scholarship Program (PSSSP) who have completed their secondary school education in Australia in the year prior are eligible to apply for a long-term Australia Award;
9. have satisfied any specific criteria established by the Program Area or the government of the applicant's country of citizenship (e.g. having worked a certain number of years in an appropriate sector);
10. be able to satisfy the admission requirements of the institution at which the award is to be undertaken (this may mean that Program Areas will need to withdraw an award offer if the recipient cannot satisfy the institution's admission requirements. This may not be known until Program Areas request a placement at selected institutions);
11. be able to satisfy all requirements of the Department of Home Affairs to hold a Student Visa. This may mean that the Program Area will need to withdraw an award offer if the recipient cannot satisfy the visa requirements;
12. not be applying for a scholarship for a course of study at an academic level lower than already achieved (e.g. be applying for a Master's scholarship when they already hold a PhD); and
13. applicants must inform the Program Area of any connection or relationship to staff employed at Program Areas (including locally engaged staff at post) or with managing contractors so that the application may be properly and transparently managed.

Read the complete eligibility criteria in the Australia Awards Policy Handbook (PDF)

This award suits a citizen of a participating country who wants a full degree in Australia and can show that the subject fits their country's development priorities. You need to apply from your home country, meet the admission rules of the Australian institution and qualify for a Student Visa.

It is a poor fit if you already hold a qualification at the same or a higher level than the course you want, if you serve in the military, or if you have a close family tie to Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency. Previous long-term Australia Award holders can apply again only after living outside Australia for twice the time they spent there on the award.

Applications are currently closed.

Check the open and 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. Applications can be done online or by mail (if unable to apply online). The deadline is 30 April 2026 14:00 AEST.

It is important to read the how to apply page and visit the country specific pages, and the official website (link found below) for detailed and updated information on how to apply for this scholarship.

• Who can apply for Australia Awards Scholarships? Citizens of participating countries in Asia, the Pacific, Africa and the Middle East who live in and apply from their country of citizenship, are at least 18 years of age on 1 February of the year the scholarship starts, and meet the other eligibility rules.
• What does the scholarship cover? Full tuition fees, return air travel, an establishment allowance, a contribution to living expenses, Overseas Student Health Cover, the Introductory Academic Program and Pre-course English fees, among other benefits listed on the official website.
• When is the deadline? The deadline is 30 April 2026 at 14:00 AEST, and applications are currently closed. Open and close dates can differ by country, so check the dates for your own country.
• How do I apply? Apply online, or by mail if you cannot apply online, after selecting your country of citizenship or residency from the list of participating countries to see the local eligibility rules, priority areas and application steps.
• Can I study any subject? No. Your programme must relate to your country's priority areas for development, and flying aircraft, nuclear technology and military training are excluded.
• How many awards are given? The number of scholarships is not specified.

• Read the Australia Awards Policy Handbook and your country's page before you start, because local eligibility rules and priority areas differ.
• Gather your academic transcripts, proof of citizenship and any English language test results early, so nothing is missing when the window opens.
• Check the admission requirements of the Australian institutions on your list and confirm your proposed course fits your country's priority areas.
• Use the official online application where you can, and keep a copy of everything you submit in case you need to send it by mail.
• Submit well before the deadline, since the cut-off is fixed at a stated time and late applications are not accepted.