Curtin University Scholarships for International Students 2026

Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia, has rebuilt its international scholarship offer around a simple, generous idea: if your grades are strong, Curtin will take a percentage off your tuition for the whole degree — not just the first year. The headline award, the John Curtin Global Excellence Scholarship, reduces tuition by 40% for the duration of the course. Below it, the Curtin Global Merit Scholarship takes 20% off for the duration, and two one-off credits of AUD $10,000 — the Global Future Leaders Scholarship and the Curtin Global Talent Scholarship — help students who fall outside the percentage awards or who are transferring from a Curtin global campus. Add a 25% first-year award for students with an Australian Year 12 qualification and a competitive higher-degree-by-research stipend that sits above the national base rate, and Curtin becomes one of the most financially attractive large universities in Australia for international students in 2026.

Just as importantly, Curtin assesses its Global Curtin scholarships automatically alongside your course application. There is no separate scholarship form for the main awards — if you qualify, a supplementary letter confirming the scholarship arrives with or alongside your Letter of Offer. That simplicity is a genuine advantage, but it also means your course application itself is your scholarship application: the grades, course and campus you apply with determine what you get. This guide explains each Curtin award with the values Curtin currently publishes, who is eligible, which courses qualify, how the automatic assessment works, and how to keep your scholarship once you have it. Start with the full Curtin University profile on StudyGraduate for rankings, fees and admissions context, and compare Curtin’s percentage discounts against other universities in the StudyGraduate scholarships directory.

Curtin University Scholarships at a Glance

A note on names: Curtin has refreshed its global scholarship branding, and older pages, agent materials and third-party sites may still describe earlier “Global Curtin” awards with different percentages or first-year-only values. The values in the table above are the ones Curtin publishes on its current international scholarships pages at the time of writing. Where a detailed scholarship page we reviewed carried conditions from the most recent confirmed intake window, we say so in the text, so you can see exactly what is current and what is last-confirmed.

Why a Percentage Scholarship Changes the Maths

A percentage discount that lasts for the whole course is worth far more than a similar-looking one-off grant. A 20% Merit Scholarship on a two-year master’s degree saves you 20% of two full years of fees; the 40% Excellence Scholarship on a three-year bachelor’s degree saves close to half of an entire year’s tuition across the degree. Because Curtin’s awards are calculated on the tuition fee of the course you are undertaking and credited against the units you enrol in each study period, the saving grows with higher-fee programs such as engineering, health sciences and the Western Australian School of Mines (WASM) courses. When you compare universities, do not compare headline percentages alone — compare the net fee after the scholarship over the full degree, using the fee for your specific course. Our guide to scholarships in Australia walks through that comparison method step by step.

What Curtin’s coursework scholarships do not do is pay living costs. They cover tuition only: they cannot be withdrawn or refunded in cash, and they do not cover OSHC health cover, visa charges, airfares or accommodation. Perth is generally more affordable than Sydney or Melbourne, and Western Australia actively courts international graduates, but you must still budget for living costs and satisfy the Australian Government’s financial requirements for your student visa without counting on part-time work.

John Curtin Global Excellence Scholarship: 40% Off

The John Curtin Global Excellence Scholarship is Curtin’s premier coursework award for international students. Curtin’s official international scholarships page states that eligible students receive 40% off the tuition fee for the duration of the course. It is aimed at the strongest applicants — students whose prior results place them well above standard entry requirements — and, like the other Global Curtin awards, it is assessed automatically when you apply for your course. You do not submit a separate application, an essay or references for this award; your academic record is the application.

Because Curtin publishes the detailed grade thresholds for the Excellence tier within its scholarship eligibility tools and offer assessment, the practical advice is this: apply with the strongest, best-documented academic record you have, make sure your transcripts are complete and certified, and do not assume that meeting the minimum entry requirement for your course is enough for a 40% award. If your results fall short of the Excellence tier, the same automatic assessment can still place you into the Merit tier or a one-off credit, which is why there is no downside to applying — one course application considers you for the whole Global Curtin suite.

Curtin Global Merit Scholarship: 20% Off for the Duration

The Curtin Global Merit Scholarship rewards academic performance with 20% off the tuition fee for the duration of the course. Curtin’s detailed scholarship page for the Merit award sets out the core conditions from the most recent confirmed intake window, and they are worth understanding precisely:

• You must be an international, full fee-paying, non-sponsored student of any nationality except Australian.
• You must be commencing an undergraduate degree of a standard duration of four years or less, or a Master by coursework of two years or less, at a Curtin Western Australian campus.
• You must have achieved the required Course Weighted Average (CWA) in your most recent and eligible course of study — Curtin assesses your prior results against its published threshold for your qualification.
• The 20% is applied as a tuition fee credit against all units enrolled within the course, credited to your fee account after the census date of your first study period.
• The scholarship covers tuition only, cannot be withdrawn or refunded in cash, and is conditional on you remaining in your initial course and meeting the conditions in your scholarship offer document.

The detailed page we reviewed applied to students commencing in a study period between July 2025 and March 2026; Curtin’s current international scholarships page continues to list the Global Merit Scholarship at 20% for the duration of the course. Treat the percentage and structure as current, but confirm the intake window and CWA threshold for your specific commencement on the official page when you apply, because Curtin updates these windows by intake.

Global Future Leaders and Global Talent: AUD $10,000 Credits

Not every good student fits the percentage tiers, so Curtin backs them up with two one-off credits. The Global Future Leaders Scholarship gives eligible international students a one-off tuition fee credit of AUD $10,000 to support their studies. The Curtin Global Talent Scholarship is a dedicated award for students who commenced their studies at a Curtin global campus — Curtin has campuses and partners in places such as Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai, Mauritius and Colombo — or a recognised offshore joint program, and who transfer to study in Perth; it provides a one-off credit of AUD $10,000 towards tuition fees. If you are planning a pathway that starts offshore and finishes in Perth, the Talent Scholarship is specifically designed for your route, and it is one of the few transfer-specific awards offered by an Australian university. Confirm on the official page whether the credit can be held alongside any award from your offshore campus, and note the standard rule across Curtin awards: if you already hold a scholarship or sponsorship, a Global Curtin award can be revoked or may not be granted, so disclose existing funding honestly in your application.

Australian Year 12 Scholarship: 25% Off Your First Year

A growing number of international students complete an Australian senior secondary certificate — in Australia or at an offshore school delivering the Australian curriculum — before starting university. Curtin’s Australian Year 12 Scholarship supports exactly that cohort with 25% off first-year tuition fees, up to a maximum of 200 credit points. Based on Curtin’s published conditions for this award, eligibility requires you to be an international, full fee-paying, non-sponsored student commencing a full undergraduate program at Curtin’s Western Australian campuses, having met Curtin’s entry requirements through an Australian Year 12 certificate (such as the WACE, HSC, VCE, QCE, SACE or equivalent, completed in Australia or overseas) or the Western Australian Universities’ Foundation Program. The Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery is excluded. There is no separate application: qualifying course applications are automatically assessed, and successful students receive a supplementary letter with their Letter of Offer confirming the award.

Note the limits, because students routinely over-budget this award: it covers the first year only, capped at 200 credit points; it is credited by census date and cannot be taken as cash; it is not available if you receive credit for recognised learning that changes your standing in the way the conditions describe; and it cannot be retained if you defer beyond the eligible start. If you also qualify for a duration-long award such as Merit, ask Curtin which award applies to you — you should plan on the basis of the award actually confirmed in your supplementary letter, not the best theoretical combination.

Research Scholarships at Curtin

For research students, Curtin offers competitive scholarships for Higher Degree by Research (HDR) courses, including awards funded through the Australian Government Research Training Program and Curtin-funded stipends. Curtin’s published 2026 PhD base stipend is $38,440 per year, tax-free, for a maximum duration of up to three years and six months full-time equivalent — a rate Curtin notes is normally higher than the Australian Government RTP base rate, which is AUD $34,315 in 2026 and AUD $35,550 in 2027. Curtin HDR scholarships are awarded through competitive selection, and applicants strengthen their case with a degree containing a substantial research component (Curtin cites at least 25%, such as an honours degree or equivalent), a strong research proposal, evidence of research potential and, where possible, publications or other outputs.

One more award deserves a mention for undergraduate applicants from specific countries. Curtin’s scholarships database has listed a Western Australian Government-backed prestigious scholarship valued at AUD $50,000 as a fee discount, for a single high-achieving international undergraduate commencing at Curtin Perth in Semester 2, 2026, with an eligible-citizenship list that included Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam among others, and a requirement to hold an offer for a full course of at least two years without credit. That was a last-confirmed, single-award competition for a specific intake — not an ongoing entitlement — so check Curtin’s scholarships database for whether a new round has been announced for your intake before factoring it into any plan.

Eligibility: The Common Curtin Rules

Across the Global Curtin suite, the common conditions are consistent. You must be an international, full fee-paying, non-sponsored student; you must commence an eligible course at a Curtin campus in Western Australia in the eligible intake window; and your prior academic results must meet the threshold for the tier you receive. Scholarships are credited after census date, apply only to tuition for units within your initial course, and can be revoked if you breach the conditions in your scholarship offer, change your citizenship status in a way that changes your fee category (the award only covers units completed while you are an international student), defer outside the allowed window, or hold another scholarship or sponsorship that conflicts. Read the supplementary letter carefully — it, not a webpage summary, is your contract.

How to Apply, Step by Step

1. Choose an eligible course and campus. Confirm your course is a standard-duration undergraduate or coursework master’s degree offered at a Curtin Western Australian campus, and check it is not an excluded course for the award you hope for.
2. Prepare certified documents. Academic transcripts and certificates, English test results and passport. Your grades in this application are your scholarship application, so incomplete transcripts mean incomplete assessment.
3. Apply for the course directly through Curtin online or through a Curtin-registered education agent. All qualifying applications are automatically assessed for Global Curtin scholarships.
4. Watch for two letters. Successful applicants receive a Letter of Offer plus a supplementary letter confirming the scholarship. If you expected a higher tier, check the supplementary letter’s conditions before querying.
5. Accept by the deadline in your offer. Awards can be revoked if you do not accept or enrol by the specified date.
6. Enrol full time and check your fee account after census date, when the scholarship credit is applied. Raise any discrepancy with Curtin immediately, with both letters attached.
7. Research applicants: apply through Curtin’s HDR scholarship rounds instead — identify a supervisor, prepare a proposal and submit within the published round dates.

Required Documents

• Passport showing citizenship (relevant to country-specific competitions).
• Complete academic transcripts and completion certificates for your most recent study, with certified English translations where needed.
• English language test results meeting Curtin’s course requirements.
• For Year 12 Scholarship applicants: your Australian Year 12 certificate results or foundation program results.
• For HDR applicants: CV, research proposal, evidence of your research component and outputs, and supervisor correspondence.
• For your visa: Confirmation of Enrolment, OSHC and financial evidence — your scholarship supplementary letter supports this evidence but does not replace the living-cost requirement.

Deadlines and Timeline

Selection Tips: How to Maximise Your Curtin Award

Because assessment is automatic and grade-driven, your levers are preparation and course choice. Apply with your final, complete results rather than partial transcripts if the complete record is stronger. Choose the course you genuinely want — scholarships are tied to your initial course, and changing course can end the award, so do not pick a course just because you think it attracts a better tier. If you completed an Australian Year 12 qualification, make sure Curtin has those results in your application so the 25% first-year award is assessed. If you are transferring from a Curtin global campus, ask about the Global Talent credit before you accept your Perth offer. And compare the whole picture — Curtin’s 20% for the duration can beat another university’s larger one-off grant — using the StudyGraduate Australia scholarships guide and the Curtin profile to model net fees over your full degree.

Common Mistakes

• Looking for a separate scholarship form for Global Curtin awards and missing a course application deadline while you search — assessment is automatic.
• Budgeting the Year 12 Scholarship for the whole degree. It covers the first year only, up to 200 credit points.
• Assuming percentages cover living costs. They are tuition credits only, applied after census date, never cash.
• Changing course or campus after accepting without checking — awards are tied to your initial course at a Western Australian campus.
• Holding another sponsorship without disclosure; conflicting funding can see an award revoked.
• Treating the one-off AUD $50,000 government-backed award as guaranteed. It was a single competitive award for a specific intake, not an entitlement.
• Deferring and assuming the scholarship follows you. Several Curtin awards cannot be retained beyond their eligible start period.

Studying in Perth on a Curtin Scholarship

Perth rewards scholarship holders in a way eastern capitals often do not. Western Australia’s economy — built on resources, engineering, health and education — creates strong demand for Curtin graduates, particularly from the Western Australian School of Mines and the Faculty of Health Sciences, and Curtin’s Perth campus is designed as a place to live as well as study, with on-campus accommodation and a major innovation precinct. Because your scholarship reduces tuition rather than paying a cash allowance, the smartest financial move is to pair the award with a realistic Perth living budget: share housing near campus or along the train line, use student public-transport concessions, and treat part-time work as a supplement for extras, never as the foundation of your visa finances. Students who plan that way find that a 20% or 40% tuition reduction, combined with Perth’s comparatively moderate rents, can make Curtin’s total cost of attendance lower than a nominally cheaper degree in a more expensive city — which is exactly the comparison the net-fee method in our Australia guide is designed to reveal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Curtin offer a 40% scholarship for international students?

Yes. The John Curtin Global Excellence Scholarship gives eligible international students 40% off tuition fees for the duration of the course, according to Curtin’s official international scholarships page. It is aimed at the strongest applicants and is assessed automatically with your course application — there is no separate form.

How does the Curtin Global Merit Scholarship work?

It provides 20% off tuition fees for the duration of an eligible course — undergraduate degrees of four years or less and coursework master’s degrees of two years or less at a Curtin Western Australian campus. You must be an international, full fee-paying, non-sponsored student and meet Curtin’s required Course Weighted Average in your previous study. The credit is applied to your fee account after census date and covers tuition only.

Do I need to apply separately for Curtin scholarships?

For the Global Curtin suite — Excellence, Merit, Future Leaders and the Year 12 Scholarship — no. Curtin assesses your eligibility along with your course application and confirms any award in a supplementary letter with your Letter of Offer. Research (HDR) scholarships are different: they are competitive and require an application through Curtin’s scholarship rounds.

What is the Curtin Australian Year 12 Scholarship?

A 25% reduction in first-year tuition fees, up to 200 credit points, for international students who completed an Australian Year 12 certificate (in Australia or overseas) or the Western Australian Universities’ Foundation Program and are commencing a full undergraduate program at a Curtin WA campus. The Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery is excluded, and assessment is automatic.

Can I combine Curtin scholarships with each other or with a sponsorship?

Plan on holding one Global Curtin award as confirmed in your supplementary letter, not a stack of awards. Curtin’s conditions state awards can be revoked if you already hold a scholarship or sponsorship, so disclose any other funding and let Curtin confirm in writing what applies to you.

How much is Curtin’s research stipend in 2026?

Curtin publishes a 2026 PhD base stipend of $38,440 per year, tax-free, for up to three years and six months full-time equivalent. Curtin notes its base rate is normally higher than the Australian Government RTP base rate (AUD $34,315 in 2026). HDR scholarships are competitive and require a degree with a substantial research component and a strong proposal.

What happens if I defer my Curtin offer?

Several Curtin awards, including the Year 12 Scholarship, cannot be retained if you defer beyond the eligible start date. Before deferring, contact Curtin and get written confirmation of whether your specific scholarship survives the deferral and to which intake.

Do Curtin scholarships cover living costs in Perth?

No. Coursework scholarships are tuition fee credits only — they cannot be withdrawn as cash and do not cover OSHC, visas, travel or accommodation. You must still meet the student visa financial requirement for living costs from other funds.

Sources & Verification

• Curtin University — International Student Scholarships (John Curtin Global Excellence 40%, Global Merit 20%, Global Future Leaders AUD $10,000, Global Talent AUD $10,000; automatic assessment).
• Curtin University Scholarships Database — Curtin Global Merit Scholarship details (eligibility, course-duration limits, census-date crediting, tuition-only conditions).
• Curtin University Scholarships Database — HDR scholarship details (2026 PhD base stipend $38,440 per year, up to 3.5 years).
• StudyGraduate — Curtin University profile and Australia scholarships guide (internal links above).

Disclaimer: Scholarship values, eligibility windows and deadlines change by intake. Always confirm the current details for your course and commencement on the official Curtin University website before applying. StudyGraduate is an information portal, not an agency, and cannot guarantee admission, a scholarship or a visa outcome.