Australian Government Scholarships for International Students 2026: Australia Awards & RTP

When students ask about “Australian government scholarships,” they are usually picturing a single national competition. The reality is more useful than that: the Australian Government funds two completely different flagship schemes, and knowing which one fits your nationality, study level and goals is the difference between a successful application and a wasted year. The Australia Awards Scholarships, run by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), are fully funded development scholarships for citizens of around 55 participating countries. The Research Training Program (RTP), funded by the Department of Education and administered by universities, supports research master’s and PhD students of any nationality. Around them sit smaller government initiatives — including the now-closed Destination Australia program, which we address honestly below so you do not chase funding that no longer exists for new students. This guide explains both flagships in verified detail: coverage, eligibility, exact intake dates, stipend rates, application routes, and the obligations that come with government money.

Use this guide alongside our scholarships directory and the profiles of major host universities such as the University of Melbourne, the Australian National University, the University of Sydney, Monash University, the University of Queensland and the University of Adelaide — because under both schemes, your scholarship is studied at a real university whose own rules also shape your application.

The Two Flagships at a Glance

Australia Awards Scholarships in Detail

Australia Awards are the Australian Government’s flagship international scholarships, offered to emerging leaders from Australia’s partner countries to study at Australian universities and TAFE institutions. Their purpose is development impact: scholars are selected because their proposed study aligns with their home country’s development priorities, and they are expected to return home and contribute. This development framing explains everything distinctive about the scheme — the country list, the priority fields, the selection interviews, and the return-home condition.

What Australia Awards cover

For long-term Awards (degree study), the standard entitlement package published by DFAT includes:

• Full tuition fees for the duration of the course at the host institution;
• Return air travel — economy class travel to and from Australia;
• An establishment allowance — a one-off payment on arrival to help with accommodation and study set-up costs;
• A Contribution to Living Expenses (CLE) — a fortnightly allowance towards living costs, paid at a rate determined by DFAT;
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of the scholarship (for the scholar; dependant cover rules are set out in the Policy Handbook);
• An Introductory Academic Program (IAP) before the course begins, covering academic preparation and settling-in information;
• Pre-course English (PCE) where required, in-country and/or in Australia;
• Supplementary academic support and, for research students and coursework students with a compulsory fieldwork component, a fieldwork allowance;
• Disability support and reasonable adjustments, assessed case by case.

The exact monetary amounts of the CLE and establishment allowance are set by DFAT and updated in the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook; treat any precise dollar figure quoted on unofficial websites with caution and rely on the Handbook and your award letter.

Who is eligible — and who is not

Eligibility starts with citizenship. Participating countries for recent intakes include, in South and Southeast Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste and Vietnam; across the Pacific: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Kiribati and other Pacific nations; and in Africa, a regional program covering countries including Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The list and each country’s priority areas and conditions are published in country profiles on australiaawards.gov.au and by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Just as important is who is not eligible: citizens of non-participating countries — notably India, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and most of Europe — cannot apply for long-term Australia Awards at all, regardless of academic merit. This is the single most common misconception about the scheme.

Beyond citizenship, general eligibility conditions include: being at least 18 years old at commencement; residing in and applying from your country of citizenship (with limited exceptions for people working for regional organisations or diplomatic missions); not holding Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency; not having previously received a long-term Australia Award (unless specific conditions are met); meeting the host institution’s entry requirements, including English; and meeting home-country specific conditions in your country profile — which may include minimum work experience (the Africa program, for example, has required applicants to be at least 25 years old with five years of relevant post-graduate work experience for master’s Awards), age limits, or sector restrictions. Selection is assessed on academic competence, leadership attributes, and the potential development outcome of your proposed study in your home country.

Intake dates: the annual window

Australia Awards run on one strict annual cycle per intake year. For study commencing in Australia in 2027, DFAT country information confirms: applications opened on 1 February 2026 and closed on 30 April 2026 (closing time 2:00 pm AEST for most countries, with some country profiles specifying 11:59 pm AEST — check your own profile). Applications are lodged online through the OASIS system, and late or incomplete applications are not considered. The 2028 intake is expected to follow the same pattern — opening around 1 February 2027 and closing around 30 April 2027 — but those dates were not yet published at the time of writing, so confirm them on the official site rather than relying on any third-party calendar. Shortlisted applicants attend interviews, successful candidates are notified in the second half of the year, complete pre-departure briefings (and PCE if required), and commence study at the start of the following academic year.

The Research Training Program (RTP) in Detail

The RTP is the Australian Government’s investment in research training. The Department of Education provides annual block grants to eligible universities, calculated by a formula reflecting each university’s research income and HDR completions, and universities award RTP scholarships to individual students. Since 1 January 2017 the RTP has replaced the former Australian Postgraduate Award, International Postgraduate Research Scholarship and Research Training Scheme.

What an RTP scholarship includes

Per the Department of Education, students can be offered an RTP scholarship for one or more of: a tuition fees offset (your tuition is paid/waived for the support period), a stipend for general living costs, and allowances for ancillary HDR costs such as relocation and thesis production. Universities package these components under their own scholarship names, which is why you will see “RTP Stipend Scholarship,” “University Research Scholarship” and similar labels that are partly or wholly RTP-funded.

RTP stipend rates (official)

Rates are indexed annually from 1 January, with the following year’s rates announced by 1 October. Universities must pay at least the base rate for a full RTP stipend and may pay up to the maximum, sometimes adding project-funded top-ups. Support periods: for a full-time research doctorate, a minimum of three years and up to four years at the university’s discretion; for a full-time research master’s, up to two years.

RTP eligibility

You must be enrolled (or applying to enrol) in an accredited HDR course at an eligible Australian university, meet that university’s HDR entry and English requirements, and be selected in its competitive ranking. There is no nationality restriction. RTP-specific constraints include: your stipend eligibility is affected if you receive another award or salary exceeding 75% of the RTP stipend rate for the same course, and prior HDR study reduces your remaining period of support. You cannot apply to the Department of Education directly — the Department states this plainly, and applications made anywhere other than to a university will go nowhere.

Other Australian Government Programs: An Honest Status Check

Destination Australia — closed to new applicants

The Destination Australia Program provided scholarships of up to AUD 15,000 per year to encourage study at regional campuses, and older guides still list it as an opportunity. The verified current position is that Commonwealth funding for new Destination Australia scholarships ceased from 1 July 2024, and the program is closed to new applicants; existing recipients continue receiving payments while they remain eligible. If you want to study regionally — and there are good cost and lifestyle reasons to do so — ask regional universities about their own current international scholarships and check the Department of Education website for any successor arrangements, rather than applying for a program that no longer takes applications.

Australia Awards short courses, fellowships and the Australia for ASEAN initiatives

Alongside long-term degree scholarships, the Australia Awards family includes short courses and fellowships for professionals from partner countries, usually by nomination or targeted application rather than open public rounds. These are genuine but are not a route to a funded degree; treat them as professional development opportunities advertised through DFAT and in-country Australia Awards offices.

Endeavour programs

The former Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships were discontinued years ago and have not been revived as an open international degree scholarship. Any website inviting you to apply for an “Endeavour Scholarship” for 2026 should be treated as outdated or unofficial.

Which Government Scholarship Should You Pursue?

How to Apply

For Australia Awards

1. Confirm your country participates and read your country profile on australiaawards.gov.au for priority fields, level availability and country-specific conditions.
2. Choose two course/institution preferences that fit the priority areas; check their entry requirements early.
3. Prepare documents months ahead: certified degree certificates and transcripts, passport/citizenship proof, CV, referee reports (using DFAT templates where provided), English test results if available, and any country-specific documents (for example attested documents and employment evidence required in the Bangladesh profile).
4. Apply via OASIS between 1 February and 30 April in the application year, using your full name exactly as it appears on your passport.
5. Attend interview and assessments if shortlisted; outcomes are advised in the second half of the year.
6. Complete mobilisation: pre-departure briefing, visa processing arranged under the Awards framework, PCE or IAP if required, then travel to commence study.

For RTP

1. Choose universities and find a supervisor in your research area — see our universities directory to shortlist.
2. Prepare your research proposal and academic documents (transcripts, certificates, English results, CV, publications).
3. Apply directly to each university for HDR admission with RTP scholarship consideration, before its main round closes (commonly August–October for the following year, varying by university).
4. Respond to the outcome: scholarship offers specify stipend rate, tuition offset and conditions; accept by the deadline, then complete enrolment and visa steps.

For general preparation — comparing cities, costs and courses — our study abroad guides and student tools will help you plan the non-scholarship parts of the move.

Visa Notes for Government Scholarship Holders

Both schemes lead to the same visa: the Subclass 500 student visa. Australia Awards scholars have their visa process supported through the program, and OSHC is arranged under the award. RTP scholars apply themselves; the Department of Home Affairs publishes a financial-capacity requirement of AUD 29,710 per year for living costs (plus course fees and travel, with AUD 10,394 for a partner and AUD 4,449 per child where applicable), and a scholarship letter showing a full tuition offset plus stipend is the standard funding evidence for RTP holders. All applicants must satisfy the Genuine Student requirement, hold OSHC for the visa period, and meet health and character requirements. Verify current figures on the Home Affairs website before lodging, as amounts and the visa application charge are reviewed regularly.

Common Mistakes

• Applying for Australia Awards as a citizen of a non-participating country. There is no exception or appeal; check the country list first.
• Missing the 30 April OASIS deadline. The window does not reopen; a late application means waiting a full year.
• Sending an RTP application to the Department of Education. RTP applications go only to universities.
• Planning around Destination Australia or Endeavour as if they were open — both are closed to new degree applicants.
• Ignoring the Australia Awards return-home rule when your real goal is migration; the two-year home-residency obligation is a condition of the award and affects subsequent visa options.
• Choosing a field outside your country’s priority areas for Australia Awards — alignment with stated priorities is a scored selection factor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Australia Awards and RTP?

Australia Awards are DFAT development scholarships for citizens of participating countries, covering full tuition, living allowance, airfare, establishment allowance and OSHC, with a two-year return-home obligation. The RTP is Department of Education research funding, open to all nationalities, for research master’s and PhD study only, providing a tuition offset and living stipend, administered by universities.

When do Australia Awards applications open and close?

For study commencing in 2027, applications opened on 1 February 2026 and closed on 30 April 2026 via OASIS. The cycle repeats annually; the next window is expected in February–April 2027 for 2028 commencement, subject to official confirmation on australiaawards.gov.au.

How much is the RTP stipend in 2026?

The official full-time base RTP stipend rate is AUD 34,315 per year in 2026, rising to AUD 35,550 in 2027. Universities may pay above the base, up to the published maximum of AUD 53,608 in 2026 (AUD 55,537 in 2027), and set the actual rate in your offer.

Can Indian students apply for Australian government scholarships?

Not for Australia Awards — India is not a participating country for long-term Awards. Indian students can and do win RTP scholarships for PhD and research master’s study, because the RTP has no nationality restriction, as well as university-funded scholarships at all levels.

Does Australia Awards cover my family’s costs?

The core award covers the scholar’s tuition, living contribution, airfare and OSHC. Support for dependants is limited and defined by the Policy Handbook and country program rules — in general, scholars should not assume family living costs or dependant airfares are covered, and many scholars travel unaccompanied. Read your country profile and the Handbook carefully.

Can I stay in Australia after an Australia Awards scholarship?

The award conditions require you to return to your home country for at least two years after completing the scholarship, and this obligation affects eligibility for other Australian visas during that period. It is a core condition of accepting the award, not an optional guideline.

Is Destination Australia still available in 2026?

No. New Commonwealth funding ceased from 1 July 2024 and the program is closed to new applicants; only existing recipients continue to be paid. Look for current regional scholarships offered directly by regional universities instead.

Do I apply for the RTP once, centrally?

No. There is no central RTP application. You apply to each university separately, indicating you wish to be considered for a scholarship, and you may apply to more than one university. Each university ranks applicants in its own rounds.

Selection: How the Two Schemes Judge You Differently

Understanding the selection lens of each scheme helps you write the right application. Australia Awards panels score three things above all: academic competence (can you succeed in the proposed course?), leadership and professional attributes (your record and potential to influence your sector), and development outcome (will this specific study, in this specific field, produce a clear benefit for your home country, and do you have a credible plan to apply it on return?). Your application, your two course preferences and your interview answers must tell one consistent development story, tied to the priority areas in your country profile. RTP and university research selections use an entirely different lens: research capability and project quality. Committees rank your academic record, your outputs, your proposal’s feasibility and originality, and your supervisor’s assessment of fit. There is no development narrative and no nationality weighting — a purely academic competition, which is why the same candidate can be uncompetitive for one scheme and highly competitive for the other.

Application Year Timeline: Putting Both Cycles Together

The practical lesson of the combined timeline is that the two schemes peak six months apart: a candidate who prepares documents once, in the September–January window, can run an Australia Awards application in February–April and, in parallel, build the supervisor relationships that feed RTP rounds later in the year. If you are eligible for both, there is no rule against pursuing both — but you can only accept one award, and you must decline the other promptly and politely if you receive two offers.

Protect Yourself: Official Channels Only

Government scholarships attract scams. Applications for Australia Awards are made only through OASIS, and RTP applications only through universities — neither scheme charges an application fee for the scholarship itself, and no agent can improve your chances, guarantee selection, or access a “quota” on your behalf. Anyone asking for payment to secure an Australia Awards or RTP scholarship is misrepresenting the process. Verify every program on its official government domain (.gov.au) — australiaawards.gov.au, dfat.gov.au, education.gov.au and studyinaustralia.gov.au — and be especially wary of pages promoting programs that have closed, such as Destination Australia for new students or the long-discontinued Endeavour Scholarships.

Finally, keep copies of every document, deadline and official confirmation connected to your application in one folder; government schemes run on fixed annual cycles, and organised applicants recover fastest whenever any detail needs checking.

Sources & Verification

• Department of Education — Research Training Program official page (program structure, application route via universities, support periods, and stipend rates: 2026 base AUD 34,315 / max AUD 53,608; 2027 base AUD 35,550 / max AUD 55,537): education.gov.au
• Australia Awards — official program website for participating countries, benefits, country profiles and OASIS applications: australiaawards.gov.au
• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade — Australia Awards country information for the 2027 intake (opening 1 February 2026, closing 30 April 2026) and the Scholarships Policy Handbook: dfat.gov.au
• Study Australia — the Australian Government’s official portal for international students: studyinaustralia.gov.au
• Department of Home Affairs — Subclass 500 student visa requirements and financial capacity figures
• Department of Education — Destination Australia program information (new funding ceased 1 July 2024; program closed to new applicants)

Disclaimer: Scholarship details, stipend rates, country eligibility and deadlines change every year. Always confirm the current information on the official government or university website before applying. StudyGraduate is an independent information portal, not an agency and not affiliated with the Australian Government or any university; we never promise selection, admission or visa approval.