Masters Scholarships in Australia/Great universities, year-round sun and excellent quality of life it’s not too hard to understand why so many international students choose to study a Masters in Australia.
If you have your own dream of heading ‘Down Under’, you’ll probably want to know what kind of postgraduate funding is available in Australia. The good news is that there is plenty of it on offer, from Australia Awards Scholarships to Research Training Program funding. This page will give you an introduction to eligibility, applications and benefits.
Looking for more general information on Masters degrees in Australia? Check out our study guide or start searching for Australian Masters degrees.
Masters scholarships for international students in Australia
Australia’s popularity as a study abroad destination is helped by the fact that there are several kinds of fully-funded scholarships on offer for international students. These range from government programs and charity schemes to scholarships offered by the universities themselves.
We’ve summed up some of the most popular funding options for foreign master students at Australian universities, with key information on entry criteria, how to apply for a scholarship in Australia and what kinds of benefits they provide.
Australia Awards
The Australia Awards are a flagship international scholarship scheme funded by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). They offers a fully-funded scholarship package to international students from developing countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific region.
Australia Awards Scholarships fund international Masters students to study in Australia. Recipients are expected to return to their home country and work for at least two years following the completion of their degree.
You can study a Masters at any Australian university, but your course must be related to one of the priority areas decided on by your home country.
Applications to the Australia Awards Scholarships scheme can be made via the Online Australia Scholarships Information System (OASIS), via post or via the Australia Awards Africa website. The application period is usually between February and April, but for African countries it’s October and December (you can see the full list of deadlines on the DFAT website).
As you’d expect, applying for an Australia Awards Scholarship is a competitive process. The precise requirements differ from country to country, but you’ll normally need to supply copies of the following documents during the application:
- Passport
- Birth certificate
- Bachelors degree certificate
- Academic transcripts
- CV
- Personal statement of 500 words describing why you should receive the award
- Academic and professional references
- Passport size photo
- Proof of English language proficiency
You’ll also need to provide a reintegration plan detailing how you intend to use the experiences and knowledge you gain in Australia upon your return to your home country.
Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to an interview, where you’ll be expected to speak to a panel about your country’s priority areas, your proposed Masters programme and your reintegration plan.
Successful scholars will receive:
- A full tuition fee waiver
- Travel expenses in the form of a return flight to Australia
- An initial establishment grant of AUD $5,000 (USD $3,360)
- A fortnightly maintenance stipend (approximately AUD $30,000 per year – USD $21,145)
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
- Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
- Visa fees
- Other sundry expenses
After you’ve completed the Masters scholarship in Australia, you’ll need to return to your home country for a minimum of two years – and put your new qualification into practice!
Destination Australia
Funded by the Australian Department of Education, the Destination Australia scholarship program gives Masters students (both international and domestic) the chance to study in regional Australia (outside of the country’s major cities).
The Department of Education maintains a list of the regional Australian universities and campuses where these scholarships are available.
The scholarships are worth AUD $15,000 (USD $10,060) per year for the duration of your course.
The application process varies according to your prospective university. Some institutions will automatically consider you for a Destination Australia scholarship, while others will require you to submit a short personal statement explaining why you have chosen to study in regional Australia. The deadline is usually mid-January for a Masters programme that starts in February.
Research Training Program (RTP) scholarships
Each year the Australian Government funds talented postgraduate research students – both domestic and international – through Research Training Program (RTP) scholarships.
This funding is allocated to Australian universities, who then use it to support students enrolling on research Masters courses and PhDs (known as higher degrees by research – HDR).
These are the kinds of RTP scholarship that are offered by universities:
- RTP Fees Offset – this covers your tuition fees
- RTP Stipend – this is a tax-free, fortnightly sum to cover your living costs
- RTP Allowance – this is intended to cover sundry expenses associated with your degree, such as health cover and thesis printing
Depending on the university and the course, you may receive one or a combination of the above funding elements. International students usually receive the tuition fee waiver in addition to the stipend.
The exact amount of the RTP Stipend varies from institution to institution, but you should expect it to be somewhere in the region of AUD $30,000 per year (USD $21,145).
The application process also differs according to the university (you should always apply directly to your prospective university, rather than the Australian Government). When applying for an eligible research Masters, you’ll usually need to indicate that you’d like to be considered for a scholarship.
The university will then assess your RTP scholarship application based on a series of criteria (academic background, research proposal, professional experience, publications and more) before making a decision.
Australian-American Fulbright Commission scholarships
The Australian-American Fulbright Commission offers postgraduate scholarships to help American students study a Masters at an Australian universities. This support includes:
- A monthly stipend for up to 10 months
- Travel expenses
- Healthcare insurance
- Networking opportunities through Fulbright Alumni
American students are also eligible for Fulbright Future Scholarships to study a Masters in Australia.
University scholarships
Australian universities are keen to recruit promising international postgraduates (like you!) and many will offer their own funding for overseas Masters students.
A good way to see what’s available is find a Masters at an Australian university that interests you, then get in touch with the institution to see what funding is available.
You could also go directly to the international postgraduate scholarship section on a university website. We’ve done a little bit of the legwork for you on that front – below you can find a list of links to scholarships at a selection of Australia’s top universities:
- University of Melbourne
- Australian National University
- University of Sydney
- University of Queensland
- UNSW Sydney
- Monash University
- University of Adelaide
- University of Western Australia
- Queensland University of Technology
- University of Canberra
You’ll find that the nature of the scholarships varies greatly. Some will grant you a partial tuition fee waiver, while others will cover your fees and provide a regular stipend during your Masters.
FindAMasters scholarships in Australia
Don’t forget that you can also apply for one of our own FindAMasters scholarships to help cover the cost of postgraduate study in Australia. There’s no catch, you just have to be beginning a Masters degree this year at a university with courses listed at FindAMasters.com.
We’ve got one £5,000 scholarship up for grabs, plus four £500 scholarships. So, if you’ve found a Masters degree in Australia, why not register for scholarship news? We’ll be in touch about the application process soon!
Masters fees for international students in Australia
One of the reasons for the number of scholarships on offer for international postgraduates is that tuition fees in Australia are usually higher for non-domestic students.
If you are not an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident of Australia, you will usually be classed as an international student.
International fee estimates
The Australian Government currently estimates the cost of fees for international Masters students at between AUD $22,000 and AUD $50,000 per year (USD $15,100-34,305).
Some programmes may be more expensive than this, particularly in subjects such as Medicine and related disciplines. MBA courses are also likely to incur higher fees than other taught Masters degrees.
Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF) for international students
International postgraduates can also be charged SSAF, up to the current maximum of AUD $303 (USD $208) per year. This covers additional costs associated with your Masters degree, but not directly related to its tuition.
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
You will need to have adequate health insurance during your time studying a Masters in Australia. International students usually receive this by purchasing Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) from a suitable insurer.
Different OSHC products provide different levels of cover. You can take out a cheap basic policy that satisfies your legal obligations as an international student, or purchase more extensive cover according to your needs. The average cost for a minimum coverage policy is around AUD $600 (USD $410).
Some scholarships – including Australia Awards and Research Training Programs – include OSHC in their benefits for international students.
The Australian Department of Health provides more information about OSHC cover.
