Quick Answer
The Australia Awards Scholarship is the Australian Government’s flagship, fully funded scholarship program for citizens of partner countries across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific — covering full tuition, return airfare, a living allowance, and health cover.
What most guides miss is that it isn’t one program: it’s actually seven separate schemes, each with its own eligible countries, application portal, and rules. Most countries are restricted to Master’s degrees only — undergraduate access is the exception, not the rule, and a handful of countries (like Fiji and Papua New Guinea) restrict which fields you can even apply for based on your degree level.
There is no single blanket deadline either — most schemes ran from 1 February to 30 April 2026 for the 2027 intake, but individual countries can and do vary.
Australia Awards Scholarships at a Glance
- Seven distinct schemes sit under the “Australia Awards” umbrella — AAS, AASBRN, AASSGP, NODAFT, AAPS, AASMAP, and AMSS — each with its own eligible countries
- Covers full tuition, return airfare, a one-off establishment allowance, a living expenses contribution, health cover, and an introductory academic program
- Most countries are restricted to Master’s degrees only; a smaller group (including the Philippines, PNG, and several Pacific nations) also offer undergraduate or PhD access
- Nearly all recipients must return to their home country for a minimum of two years after completing their scholarship
- Most countries apply through OASIS, DFAT’s online portal — Indonesia and the Philippines are the two exceptions, with their own separate application systems
- The 2027 intake ran 1 February – 30 April 2026 for most schemes, but always confirm your country’s specific window rather than assuming a single date
What It Covers
The Seven Schemes
Eligibility by Degree Level
How to Apply
Common Mistakes
FAQs
Check Your Eligibility
Australia Awards Scholarships Eligibility Checker
Select your country and degree level to see your applicable scheme, priority study fields, and eligibility conditions -- based on official DFAT sources.
Select your country, and where relevant, your applicant category and degree level, to see your specific scheme, priority fields of study, and any special conditions that apply to you. Results are based on official DFAT documentation current as of August 2026 — application dates, quotas, and conditions can change year to year, so always confirm the details for your country directly on OASIS before applying.
What the Australia Awards Scholarship Covers
Every Australia Awards scholarship, regardless of which of the seven schemes it falls under, includes the same core benefits package. Scholarships run for the minimum time needed to complete your specific program, including any preparatory training required beforehand.
- Full tuition fees for the duration of your degree
- Return economy airfare to and from Australia
- A one-off establishment allowance on arrival, covering initial costs like accommodation and study materials
- A regular living expenses contribution for the duration of your award
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of the scholarship
- An Introductory Academic Program before your course begins
- A fieldwork allowance for research students and Master’s-by-coursework students with a compulsory fieldwork component
Good to know: Nearly every Australia Awards recipient must return to their home country for a minimum of two years after finishing their scholarship. This is a binding condition, not a formality — the program is built around applicants contributing to their own country’s development, not long-term migration to Australia. Factor this into your decision before you accept an offer, not after.
Applicants under the Africa track face additional eligibility requirements on top of the standard criteria: generally a minimum age of 25 at application, at least five years of post-graduate work experience, current employment, and not already holding or partway through a Master’s degree. These conditions don’t apply uniformly across every scheme — check the tool above for your specific situation.
It’s Not One Program — It’s Seven
This is the part almost every other guide to Australia Awards gets wrong, or leaves out entirely. “Australia Awards Scholarships” is an umbrella term covering seven distinct schemes, each running through the same OASIS system (with two exceptions) but with entirely separate eligibility rules and, in some cases, separate country lists.
| Scheme | Who It’s For | What Makes It Different |
|---|---|---|
| AAS (main scheme) | Most eligible countries across Africa and Asia | The largest scheme by country count |
| AASBRN | Brunei only | Standalone scheme for a single country |
| AASSGP | Singapore only | Newly launched — first intake opened in late 2025, one of the freshest tracks in the program |
| NODAFT | French Polynesia and New Caledonia | Restricted to French nationals; reinstated December 2023 under the Australia-France Roadmap |
| AAPS (Pacific Scholarships) | Twelve Pacific nations, Fiji to Vanuatu | Broadest degree-level range of any scheme — Certificate IV through Master’s |
| AASMAP (Mekong Partnership) | Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar | Built around Mekong sub-region priorities, with an exclusive alumni network |
| AMSS (Maritime Security) | Government employees only, in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines | Restricted to maritime security policy roles, delivered solely via the University of Wollongong |
Scheme list based on DFAT’s OASIS application system, current for the 2027 intake. Country lists within each scheme can change year to year — confirm current eligibility for your country using the tool above.
Good to know: A handful of countries sit at the intersection of more than one scheme. Vietnam, for instance, appears on both the main AAS list and the AASMAP list simultaneously in DFAT’s own system — Vietnamese applicants should confirm directly on OASIS which scheme applies to their situation before starting an application. Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam may also separately qualify for AMSS if they’re government employees working in maritime security, on top of their country’s general scheme. Malaysia is a special case: it has no general Australia Awards track at all — AMSS is the only route in.
Eligibility by Degree Level
The single biggest misconception applicants bring to Australia Awards is assuming any degree level is available everywhere. It isn’t. Master’s-only is the most common structure — this applies to the entire Africa track, and to a majority of Asian countries including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Vietnam, Brunei, and the Maldives.
A smaller group of countries offer broader access. Undergraduate study is available in the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji (for specific fields only), Nauru, and Timor-Leste, among others. PhD-level study is available in Indonesia, Cambodia, and Solomon Islands, among others.
Good to know: In some countries, your degree level determines which fields you’re even allowed to apply for. In Fiji, undergraduate applicants are restricted to just two fields — aviation management and construction management — while postgraduate applicants can choose from education, environment, governance, health, and infrastructure. Papua New Guinea goes further: undergraduate scholarships explicitly exclude arts, pilot training, business, law, management, medicine, nursing, and public policy — except for applicants with disabilities, who can apply for any undergraduate program open to international students in Australia. If either of these applies to you, check it before investing time preparing an application in an excluded field.
Because these rules vary by country — and sometimes by degree level within the same country — the eligibility checker above is built to surface your specific combination rather than making you piece it together from a general description.
How to Apply for an Australia Awards Scholarship
1. Confirm Your Scheme, Degree Level, and Priority Fields
Use the eligibility checker above first. It tells you which of the seven schemes actually applies to you — guessing wrong here can mean applying through the wrong portal entirely.
2. Identify Your Application Portal
Most countries apply through OASIS, DFAT’s online application system. Indonesia and the Philippines are the two exceptions — they run entirely separate application systems, with the link found on their specific country profile page rather than through OASIS. Confirm this before you start; applying through the wrong system won’t be recognized.
3. Prepare Your Documents Early
Requirements vary by country, but commonly include academic transcripts, a personal statement or development impact plan, reference letters, a CV, and English language test results. A commonly seen (though not universal) threshold across the countries we researched is IELTS Academic 6.5 or higher with no individual band below 6.0, or the TOEFL/PTE equivalent — confirm the exact requirement for your country rather than assuming it applies everywhere.
4. Watch Your Specific Application Window
The main 2027 intake round ran from 1 February to 30 April 2026 across most schemes, but not every country follows this exact timeline. Check your country’s specific dates directly rather than relying on a single blanket deadline.
5. Submit Well Before the Deadline
OASIS in particular sees heavy traffic in the final days before closing. Applying early gives you a buffer against technical delays.
6. Prepare for a Possible Interview
Several country profiles indicate the selection process includes an interview stage. Always follow up through official channels if you’re unsure of your status, rather than assuming based on informal timelines.
Common Mistakes That Weaken an Australia Awards Application
- Assuming your country is eligible without checking the current list. Country eligibility does shift — DFAT’s own list changed between our research passes, with two African countries swapped out and two others added for the 2027 cycle.
- Assuming Bachelor’s degree study is available everywhere. It isn’t — most countries in the program are Master’s-only.
- Applying through OASIS when your country doesn’t use it. Indonesia and the Philippines both require their own separate application systems.
- Missing that you may qualify for more than one scheme. Government employees in maritime security roles in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, or the Philippines may have an additional AMSS pathway.
- Overlooking degree-level-specific field restrictions. In Fiji and Papua New Guinea, the fields you can apply for change depending on your degree level.
- Not planning around the two-year return-home requirement. This is binding — factor it into your decision before accepting an offer, not after.
Exploring more scholarship options? See these guides:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Australia Awards Scholarship fully funded?
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Can I study a Bachelor’s degree with an Australia Awards Scholarship?
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What happens if my country isn’t on the eligible list?
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Do I have to return to my home country after finishing my scholarship?
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How is Australia Awards different from a university scholarship?
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I’m a government employee working in maritime security — do I have extra options?
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Christian Chinonso is the founder of LearnViaHub, with 6+ years of research experience in international education, GPA systems, and study-abroad guidance for international students.Christian Chinonso is the founder of LearnViaHub, with 6+ years of research experience in international education — including GPA systems, scholarships, student financing, and study-abroad guidance — for students worldwide.