Australia Awards Scholarship

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Australia Awards Scholarship offer students from developing countries to undertake full-time undergraduate or postgraduate study at the participating Australian universities and TAFE institutions. The scholarships are available in the majority of top-ranking universities like Australian National University, Macquarie University, University of Sydney, etc. Administered by the Department of Foreign afffairs and trade, the main motive of Australia Awards Scholarships is to fulfill the developing need of Australia’s partner countries.

Features of Australia Awards Scholarship:

100% tuition fee award.
Includes payment of single economy class airfare to and from Australia (via direct route).
Establishment allowance which involves one time payment of accomodation in Australia, books and other study materials.
Also covers living expenses as per the rate set by department
Overseas Student Health Cover for basic medical expenses of the scholar.

Subject to requirements and eligibility, the Australia Awards scholarship may also cover: pre-course English language training fees, supplementary academic support, fieldwork, and reunion airfare.

Things to keep in mind:

Submission of scholarship application along with supporting documents is a must.
- Application deadline may vary for every participating country.
Demonstration of proficiency in the English language is mandatory for all.
Australia Award Scholarship decisions are notified by August 1.
Scholars must leave Australia for at least two years post completion of their program.

Highlights

Scholarship Type	Merit-Based
Offered by	Government bodies
Organization	Department of Home Affairs
Application Deadline	N/A
Number of Scholarships	1985
Amount	Variable Amount
Renewability	Yes
International Student Eligible	Yes
Scholarship Website Link	https://www.dfat.gov.au/people-to-people/australia-awards/Pages/australia-awards
Online Application Link	https://oasis.dfat.gov.au/

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for Australia Awards Scholarship, applicants must fulfill the following eligibility requirements:

Citizens and residents of a participating country like India, Bangladesh.
- Not a permanent resident of Australia or New Zealand.
Overs 18 years of age on February 1 of the scholarship’s commencement.
Proficiency in the English language, with a recent score of IELTS or TOEFL exam.
- IELTS: 6.5
- TOEFL-iBT: 78
- PTE: 58
Satisfying the entry requirements of the chosen Australian university.
Fulfilling the Australia visa requirements of the Department of Home Affairs.

Candidates must not have previously been a recipient of Australia Awards unless they have lived outside Australia for double the time period of staying in Australia.

Application Process

To apply for the Australian Awards Scholarship, students must complete the following steps:

Step 1: Choose home country and award type to check whether you are eligible for the award.
Step 2: Once eligibility is established, review the course eligibility criteria.
Step 3: Register and complete the online application form for Australian Awards.

Documents Required

Certified copies of following original documents along with their English translations (if required)
- graduation degree certificate
- Formal academic transcripts
- Birth certificate
Citizenship document’s certified copy (such as national identity card or passport).
Resume concisely detailing work history, responsibilities and research experience.
At least one academic referee report and one other referee report is required.
- Ph.D. or research-based master’s degree applicants must provide two academic referee reports.
Copy of English language test (TOEFL, PTE or IELTS) result.
- The certificate must be valid till January 1 of the scholarship’s commencement year.
For PhD candidates: Evidence (e-mail or letter communication) that a potential supervisor has granted in-principle support for the research topic.

Selection Process

All applications submitted for the Australia Awards Scholarship are considered on merit where every applicant is given equal opportunities. The scholarship selection process will be administered by Program Areas in various countries or regions. Therefore, the process varies according to the region/country.

Factors affecting Australia Awards Scholarships

Academic competence
personal and professional qualities
capability to influence the home country’s development challenges

Based on these factors and many others, each participating country produces a list of shortlisted candidates. The number of students depends on the Australia Awards Scholarships available to the region. Shortlisted students are interviewed and the selection process may include other activities like group participation sessions to measure the suitability of applicants.

After that, each participating country produces a list of candidates, with their first preference course and institution. Placement requests are reviewed by the Australian universities and based on the merit, they process a placement offer to applicants fulfilling the admission eligibility criteria. This includes obtaining an Australian student visa as well.

Australia Awards Scholarship decisions are announced/informed by August 1.

Grant Details

Australia Awards scholarship recipients will be required to sign a contract with the Commonwealth of Australia agreeing to comply with the scholarship’s conditions. By signing the contract, the applicant will be agreeing to the following conditions:

Scholars will have to leave Australia for at least two years after completing the term of their scholarship.
- Failing to do so, will result in the repayment of the scholarship’s total accrued cost.
Recipients will have to start the formal study in the year for which it is awarded unless the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has agreed to delay the beginning of the scholarship until it is satisfied that the recipient is ready to start.
Awardees will have to take part in the pre-departure briefing organized by the Program Area and attend the compulsory Introductory Academic Program arranged by the institution when they reach Australia.
Scholars must undertake only the course for which the scholarship is awarded, adhere to the institution’s rules, sit examinations, submit all the required assessment items for the course and finish their course by the end date of the scholarship.
Awardees must follow Australian laws and act in a way that will not harm the reputation of DFAT.

Overall, the Australia Awards Scholarship is an excellent opportunity for students belonging to countries like India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc. They get to study in Australia at a minimal cost.

For any further queries, students and awardees are advised to contact the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.