Let’s talk about one of the prestigious scholarship programs ‘’Australia Awards’’ for developing countries. The scholarship was open for applications on February 01,2025, and the deadline for the applications is 30th April, 2025. Honestly speaking, it’s among the competitive scholarship programs, but it doesn’t mean you should not give yourself a chance. It’s important to understand the whole process, documents, fields of study, motivation to apply, and much more. 

So let’s get straight into who can apply for Australia Awards 2026? Australia Awards 2026 is currently open in countries including Asia: Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Laos, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste,Vietnam, Bhutan, and Cambodia 

Pacific Ocean: The Marshall Island, the Republic of Palau, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna are all part of the federated states of Micronesia. 

The Middle East: Territories for Palestinians 

Africa: Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia. 

If you fulfill the eligible country requirement, let’s move to the level of Study Australia Awards scholarship Support. 

Level of Study 

These scholarships are for bachelor’s, Master’s and Phd levels. However, the level of study it supports through the scholarship varies from country to country. For instance, the applicants from Indonesia can apply for Masters and Phd programs, Meanwhile, Pakistani students can only apply for Masters programs. Therefore, check specific countries for the level of study Australia award support. 

Besides the level of study, the program encourages women, people with disabilities or other marginalized groups to apply for the award. The Australian degree is recognized all around the world. The award gives a chance to improve their professional career, meet professionals, teachers, and students from diverse backgrounds. It helps make connections that will be beneficial in future projects and careers. 

Goal of the Australian Award 

One of the major goals of Australian awards is to provide a friendly and helpful environment to study where the students get benefits from the Australian educational system and when they return home, they serve their own country. 

Australia Awards benefits

As it is a fully funded program, it covers all the expenses from pre-departure to completion of the degree including research allowances. Scholarship recipients will receive the following:

• Return air travel
• One-off establishment allowance on arrival
• Full tuition fees
• Contribution to living expenses
• Introductory academic program
• Overseas student health cover for the duration of the scholarship
• Supplementary academic support,
• Fieldwork allowance for research students and masters by coursework which has a compulsory  fieldwork component

Now let’s talk about eligibility Criteria for Australia Awards. 

Eligibility Criteria for Australia Awards 

We will share the General eligibility Criteria for Australia Awards 2024 for you to get an idea of the scholarship. Besides the General requirement for all the above mentioned countries, there are country-specific requirements that you must check with your country. 

For example, for some countries work experience is at least 3 years such as Australia Awards for Sri Lanka, whereas for other countries work experience requirement is upto 5 years. Therefore, it’s important that you must check with your own country requirements for the award. 

General requirements for all the countries includes:

• At least 18 years old by February 1 of the year the grant starts
• Citizen of one of the participating countries (listed above) and live in that country at the time of application 
• Not live in Australia or be Australian Citizen or even seeking a for a visa to live in Australia permanently
• During the application process, selection or mobilization phase, can not be married, engaged or in a de facto relationship with someone who has permanent residency in New Zealand or Australia or is eligible to be the citizen of these countries. However, this rule does not apply to people living in Tokelau, Cook Island, Niue, and have New Zealand Citizenship: Instead they must apply for student visa. 
• Not serving military right now 
• Applicants must satisfy the admission requirements of the institution at which the award is to be undertaken.
• Applicants must have at least two years of work experience (Vary from country to country )
• Applicants must 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).
• Applicants must meet the English language proficiency requirements of the institution at which the award is to be undertaken.
• Applicants must be able to satisfy all requirements of the Department of Home Affairs to hold a subclass 500 visa.
• Applicants must not be applying for a scholarship for a course of study at an academic level less than they have already achieved (e.g. if you already have a Master’s degree, you will not be considered for a scholarship for a Bachelor’s degree).

Once you fulfill all these requirements, the next question is how to Apply for the scholarship?

How to Apply for the Australian Awards scholarship?

Australia awards application is online through Online Australia Awards information System. However, we would recommend you to check the official country specific page for country specific requirements that you can find on the Australian Government, Department of Foreign affairs and Trade. Find the link at the end of this blog. 

Or if you want to apply directly, you can go on the Online Australia Awards information system to apply. 

Australian Awards deadline 

The opening date for the 2025 intake for applications is Thursday, 1 February 2025 and closing Tuesday, 30 April 2025 11:59pm AEST.

For more detailed information about Australian Award, check out the official Link below, 

You can also read the Australia Awards scholarship Policy Handbook for further details and complete information. 

Share with your friends and loved ones, and feel free to let us know about any scholarship or opportunity you would like others to know about. 

Students from Africa can check further details Here.