Destination Australia Scholarship 2026/27: Study at a Regional Australian Campus

The honest answer first: you cannot apply for the Destination Australia Scholarship for 2026/27, because the programme is closed. The Australian Government announced that there would be no further funding rounds for the Destination Australia Program from 1 July 2024. That decision ended new scholarships under the national programme. Students who already held a Destination Australia Scholarship when the funding ceased continued to be supported for the remainder of their studies, up to the programme’s maximum duration, provided they kept meeting the conditions of their award — but no new national intake has opened since, and none is scheduled for 2026/27.

We are publishing this guide because thousands of students still search for “Destination Australia Scholarship 2026” and “Destination Australia Scholarship 2027” every month, and many third-party websites still describe it as if it were open, complete with invented deadlines. It is not open. If a website, agent or social media post tells you that you can apply for Destination Australia in 2026/27, asks you for an application fee for it, or promises you a place under it, treat that as a warning sign. This article explains exactly what the programme was, what it paid while it ran, when and why it closed, and — most importantly — what has realistically replaced the opportunity it created: regional university scholarships funded by the universities themselves, the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) for research students, Australia Awards for eligible countries, state and territory incentives, and the genuine post-study-work advantages that still come with studying at a regional campus. Regional Australia remains one of the smartest value-for-money study choices in the country. The scholarship that used to carry its name is gone; the reasons to study regionally are not.

Destination Australia at a Glance

Everything in the rest of this article flows from the row in bold. Sections describing eligibility, benefits and application steps describe how the programme worked — useful history if you are verifying an old offer letter or comparing a university’s own regional scholarship against the old benchmark — while the later sections focus on the alternatives you can actually apply for in the 2026/27 cycle. For live, open opportunities, start from our scholarships directory and our university directory rather than from any page still advertising Destination Australia as open.

What the Destination Australia Program Was

Destination Australia was an Australian Government initiative delivered through the Department of Education. Its logic was simple and, while it lasted, widely praised. Australia’s international education sector was heavily concentrated in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, while regional universities and vocational providers — often with smaller classes, lower living costs and strong local employer links — struggled to attract students. The programme therefore funded approved tertiary education providers in regional Australia so they could offer scholarships that pulled students, both domestic and international, toward regional campuses.

The official grant guidelines described three objectives: to enhance regional and rural Australian education institutions by promoting activities that contribute to their growth and sustainability; to offer students from Australia and overseas the opportunity to undertake high-quality education, training and research in regional and rural Australia; and to ensure that regional communities shared in the benefits of Australia’s international education sector. Notice who applied for the money in the first instance: providers, not students. The government ran competitive grant rounds for institutions — the final round, Round 5 for the 2024 intake, was a targeted competitive process delivered on behalf of the Department of Education — and successful providers then ran their own scholarship selection for their own students. That is why there was never a single national application form, a single deadline, or a single selection standard for Destination Australia, and why any site today claiming to host “the official Destination Australia application portal” is misrepresenting how the programme worked even when it existed.

While it ran, the scholarship itself was worth up to AUD 15,000 per student per year. Providers presented it slightly differently — for example, CQUniversity listed its Destination Australia Scholarship (International) at AUD 15,000 per year, for up to four years, at its regional Queensland campuses, and showed its status as closed once the programme ended — but the AUD 15,000 figure was the consistent national benchmark. The money was intended to help with the costs of living and studying in a regional area; it was a contribution toward costs, not a full ride, and it sat alongside whatever tuition arrangements the student had with the provider.

When and Why It Closed

The closure was a budget and policy decision, announced as part of the Australian Government’s 2024–25 Budget settings: there would be no further funding rounds for the Destination Australia Program from 1 July 2024. In practical terms that meant three things. First, providers received no new grant round to fund new scholarship cohorts after that date. Second, students commencing study in 2025, 2026 or 2027 could not receive a new Destination Australia Scholarship under the national programme. Third, existing recipients were protected — the government confirmed that current scholarship holders would continue to be supported for the remainder of their studies, up to four years, provided they continued to meet eligibility requirements such as studying at the regional campus and living in the regional area.

One source of confusion deserves a direct explanation. You may occasionally find a university page that still uses the name “Destination Australia Scholarship” — sometimes because the page was never updated, and sometimes because a university has chosen to keep offering a similarly named award from its own remaining or institutional funds, with its own conditions and a note that the award depends on funding availability. A university’s own scholarship that borrows the name is not the reopened national programme: it will have that university’s own value, eligibility rules and closing date, it will only apply at that university’s campuses, and you should verify its current status directly with that university before relying on it. Do not assume that one live university page means the national scheme has restarted; as of writing, the Australian Government has announced no new Destination Australia funding round.

Eligibility: How It Worked While the Programme Ran

Understanding the old eligibility rules is still useful, because most university-funded regional scholarships that replaced Destination Australia copy them closely. While the programme ran, a typical applicant had to meet conditions along these lines:

• Be a commencing student at an approved provider, enrolled (or intending to enrol) in a full-time eligible course at a regional campus. Awards were aimed at new students starting a course, not at students transferring mid-course in most provider rounds.
• Study at a regional campus for the whole course. The campus — not just the institution’s headquarters — had to be in a regional area. A student enrolled at a provider’s Sydney campus was not eligible, even if the same provider had regional campuses elsewhere.
• Live in a regional area for the duration of the scholarship. Studying regionally while living in a capital city defeated the programme’s purpose and breached its conditions.
• Hold the right visa status. International students had to maintain a valid student visa for the duration of the scholarship; domestic students were assessed under the provider’s domestic criteria.
• Meet the provider’s own academic and course requirements. Because providers ran selection, grade thresholds, eligible course lists and application deadlines differed by institution — CQUniversity, to take one documented example, restricted its award to specified commencing courses at named campuses such as Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton North and Bundaberg, with full-time load requirements at census date.
• Be studying an eligible level. Nationally, the programme spanned Certificate IV, diploma, bachelor’s, master’s and PhD study, although any individual provider only offered the award for the courses and levels covered by its own grant.

If you are reading an old Destination Australia offer letter, or helping a sibling who received one in 2023 or 2024, those are the conditions that will be printed on it — and the ongoing conditions (regional campus, regional residence, full-time load, valid visa) are the ones a continuing recipient must still satisfy to keep the payments.

Benefits and Coverage: What AUD 15,000 a Year Did and Did Not Do

While it ran, the scholarship paid up to AUD 15,000 per year, typically in instalments across the study year, for a maximum of up to four years depending on course length and the provider’s grant. Some providers paid it as lump sums each six months; others aligned payments with census dates and enrolment confirmation. The funds were a contribution toward the costs of living and studying regionally — rent, food, transport, books, placement travel and similar expenses — and students could combine the award with other support the provider offered. CQUniversity’s published example is instructive: its Destination Australia recipients could also receive the university’s separate 25 per cent International Student Scholarship on tuition, because the two awards did different jobs — one defrayed living costs, the other discounted fees.

Equally important is what Destination Australia never did. It did not pay full tuition fees. It did not include airfares, visa fees or Overseas Student Health Cover as standard entitlements. And it was never a migration guarantee: it was an education scholarship whose only immigration-adjacent benefit was indirect — the fact that studying regionally can, separately, make a graduate eligible for additional post-study work time under migration law, which we explain below. Any retrospective description that inflates Destination Australia into a “fully funded scholarship covering everything” is wrong, and you should be equally sceptical of any current scholarship described that way without official documentation.

What Replaced It: Real Alternatives for Regional Study in 2026/27

The closure of one programme did not close regional Australia. Five genuine opportunity channels now occupy the space Destination Australia used to fill, and a serious applicant in 2026/27 should work through all five.

1. University-funded regional scholarships

Regional universities compete hard for international students, and most fund their own international scholarships from institutional budgets. The common pattern is an automatic or application-based tuition discount — frequently in the range advertised on each university’s own scholarships page — for students enrolling at regional campuses, sometimes stacked with bursaries for specific courses or intakes. Unlike Destination Australia, these awards are created, valued and closed by each university, so there is no national list and no national deadline. The methodical approach is to shortlist regional universities that teach your course, then read each one’s international scholarships page in full. Start your shortlist from our directory of Australian and global universities, and compare institutions using our rankings explorer — remembering that for regional study, course accreditation, placement links and total cost usually matter more than a global rank position. The CQUniversity Destination Australia page is a useful worked example of how one provider published its award, its AUD 15,000 value and its closed status transparently.

2. The Research Training Program (RTP) — for research degrees

If you are heading to a regional campus for a master’s by research or a PhD, the single most important Australian Government scholarship still open to you is the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP). The RTP is very much alive: the Department of Education provides funding to eligible universities through annual block grants, and each university runs its own RTP scholarship rounds for domestic and international higher degree by research students. An RTP scholarship can include a tuition fee offset, a living stipend (base rate AUD 34,315 in 2026 and AUD 35,550 in 2027, with universities free to pay above the base rate) and allowances. Several strong research universities operate major regional campuses, so an RTP application and a regional study plan combine naturally. Read our full RTP guide linked above before you approach supervisors.

3. Australia Awards Scholarships — for eligible countries

Students from participating partner countries — including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and many Pacific and African nations, with eligibility varying by country round — should check Australia Awards Scholarships, the Australian Government’s flagship development scholarship programme administered through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Australia Awards typically cover full tuition, return air travel, an establishment allowance, a contribution to living expenses, an introductory academic programme and Overseas Student Health Cover for the duration of the award. They are competitive, country-specific and come with the expectation that scholars return home after study to contribute to development — so they suit a different applicant profile from Destination Australia, but for eligible candidates they are considerably more generous. The official programme information is published by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia Awards).

4. State and territory incentives

State and territory governments periodically run their own study incentives — welcome programmes, bursaries and industry-linked scholarships delivered through their study agencies (such as the various “Study” brands run by each state). These change frequently, are often small in value, and are always announced on the relevant state government study website first. Treat any state incentive as a bonus, never as the foundation of your budget, and verify it on the state agency’s official site in the intake year you are applying for.

5. The regional post-study-work advantage (not a scholarship, but real money in time)

The most valuable surviving “regional benefit” is not cash during study — it is time after study. Under Australia’s Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) settings, graduates who studied and lived in a designated regional area may be eligible for a Second Post-Higher Education Work visa: broadly, an additional one year if you studied and lived in a Category 2 regional centre (cities and major regional centres such as Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong and Hobart), and an additional two years for Category 3 — other regional areas. Broadly, everywhere except Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane counts as regional for these settings, but eligibility turns on where you studied, where you lived while holding your first 485, and the exact legislative criteria in force when you apply. Standard first-visa durations after the 1 July 2024 changes are up to two years for bachelor’s and master’s by coursework graduates and up to three years for master’s by research and PhD graduates. Because migration settings change, confirm your position on the Department of Home Affairs website before making decisions — and note that no scholarship, including the old Destination Australia, ever guaranteed a visa outcome.

Programs and Fields That Suited Regional Campuses

While Destination Australia ran, it supported study from Certificate IV to PhD level, and providers naturally steered awards toward courses their regional campuses taught well. The same course logic applies to today’s university-funded regional scholarships. Regional campuses are particularly strong in nursing and allied health (with placements in regional hospitals), education (with practicum in regional schools), agriculture and environmental science (with field stations on the doorstep), engineering and information technology in some centres, and social work and community services. Research strengths vary: some regional universities host nationally recognised institutes in fields such as tropical health, marine science, agriculture and regional development, which is why combining a regional campus with an RTP application can be a genuinely strategic move rather than a compromise. Use our study abroad guides to compare course structures before you commit to a campus, and check professional accreditation for regulated fields such as nursing, teaching and engineering in the state where you intend to work.

How to Apply — Then and Now

Then (for the historical record): there was no central Destination Australia application. A student applied for admission to an approved provider’s regional campus, then applied for the scholarship directly with that provider, following the provider’s own form, deadline and selection process. The Community Grants Hub pages for the grant rounds state this explicitly: the grant process was for eligible tertiary education providers, and students could not apply to the Hub or the Department for a scholarship.

Now (your actual 2026/27 action plan):

1. Decide your course and level first; then identify three to five regional universities or providers that teach it at a regional campus.
2. On each institution’s official site, open its international scholarships page and note every award you are eligible for, its value, whether it is automatic or competitive, and its closing date. Use our student tools, including the deadline tracker and cost-of-living calculator, to keep the comparison honest.
3. If you are a research applicant, identify potential supervisors at those universities and prepare RTP applications to each university’s own scholarship round — there is no central RTP portal either.
4. If your country is an Australia Awards partner country, check your country programme’s opening dates separately; its calendar does not follow university intakes.
5. Apply for admission early enough that scholarship consideration (which often requires an offer first) is still possible for your intake.
6. Accept an offer only after the scholarship outcome is confirmed in writing by the university; never pay a third party who claims they can “arrange” a Destination Australia Scholarship — there is nothing to arrange.

Required Documents (for the Replacement Scholarships)

Document lists belong to each university, but regional scholarship applications in 2026/27 typically draw from the same core set Destination Australia providers used: passport and visa status evidence; academic transcripts and certificates (with certified English translations where required); English language test results meeting the course requirement; the university’s scholarship application form or personal statement where the award is competitive; evidence supporting any equity, regional-commitment or course-specific criteria the award names; and, after an offer, evidence of enrolment at the regional campus and of your regional residential address. Research applicants add a research proposal, CV and referee reports for RTP consideration. Keep certified copies of everything — you will reuse the same pack for admission, scholarship and visa purposes.

Deadlines and Timeline

The official record of the programme’s grant rounds, including their closed status, is held on the Community Grants Hub — Destination Australia Program pages and the Round 5 grant page, both delivered on behalf of the Department of Education.

How to Improve Your Chances for Regional Scholarships Today

Selection for university-funded regional awards rewards the same qualities Destination Australia providers looked for. Show a genuine, specific connection to the region — name the campus, the course’s regional placements or facilities, and the community you intend to live in, rather than writing a generic “Australia is beautiful” statement. Apply for the earliest intake you can realistically start, because institutional scholarship budgets are often allocated across the year and late applicants compete for what remains. Keep your academic record and English scores as strong as you can; even “automatic” discount scholarships usually have grade tiers. Finally, present a credible budget: decision-makers and visa officers alike respond better to an applicant whose funding plan adds up without depending on a scholarship that does not exist.

Common Mistakes

• Applying to a programme that closed in 2024. The most common mistake of all — usually caused by trusting an outdated blog or an agent’s recycled brochure.
• Paying an intermediary for a Destination Australia application. There is no application and no portal; anyone charging for one is selling you nothing.
• Assuming a university page using the name means the national scheme reopened. Verify whether the award is the university’s own and what its actual conditions are.
• Budgeting as if AUD 15,000 were still guaranteed. Build your 2026/27 budget on confirmed offers only.
• Choosing a metropolitan campus and expecting regional benefits. Regional scholarships and regional post-study-work extensions both turn on the campus location and where you actually live.
• Ignoring the living-regionally condition. Continuing and replacement awards alike can be withdrawn if you move to a capital city mid-course.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Destination Australia Scholarship open for 2026/27?

No. The Australian Government ceased funding new rounds from 1 July 2024, and the programme is closed to new applicants. There is no 2026/27 application round, form or deadline. This article exists to explain the closure and point you to alternatives that are genuinely open.

How much was the Destination Australia Scholarship worth?

Up to AUD 15,000 per student per year, paid by the approved provider, typically for up to four years depending on course length. It was a contribution toward living and studying costs in a regional area — it did not cover full tuition, airfares or visa costs.

I already hold a Destination Australia Scholarship. Do I lose it?

No — existing recipients continued to be supported for the remainder of their studies, up to four years, provided they kept meeting the conditions: studying at the regional campus, living in the regional area, maintaining the required study load and, for international students, holding a valid student visa. Confirm your personal position with your provider’s scholarships office.

Why do some websites still advertise Destination Australia as open?

Mostly because pages were written before July 2024 and never updated, and occasionally because a university still uses a similar name for its own institutionally funded award. Check the date on any page and verify status against the Department of Education, the Community Grants Hub and the university itself.

What is the best replacement for Destination Australia?

There is no single replacement. Coursework students should target university-funded regional scholarships at their chosen institutions. Research students should target the RTP at their chosen university. Eligible-country students should also check Australia Awards. Many applicants will combine an institutional tuition discount with the lower living costs of a regional city — which is where much of the old programme’s practical benefit always came from.

Does studying regionally still help my post-study work rights?

It can. Graduates who studied and lived in a designated regional area may qualify for a Second Post-Higher Education Work visa — broadly one extra year for Category 2 areas and two extra years for Category 3 areas — on top of the standard Temporary Graduate visa duration. Eligibility depends on the detailed rules in force when you apply, so check the Department of Home Affairs website and never treat any extension as guaranteed.

Can an agent apply for Destination Australia on my behalf?

There is nothing to apply for. Even while the programme ran, students applied directly to approved providers, never through a central portal. Anyone offering to submit a Destination Australia application for a fee in 2026/27 should be avoided.

Which levels of study did Destination Australia cover?

Nationally it spanned Certificate IV through to PhD, although each provider only offered the award for the courses covered by its own grant. Its replacement channels are level-specific: institutional scholarships cover most coursework levels, the RTP covers master’s by research and PhD only, and Australia Awards covers levels set by each country programme.

Sources & Verification

• Australian Government Community Grants Hub — Destination Australia Program grant pages and Destination Australia Program 2024 (Round 5), delivered on behalf of the Department of Education (grant status: closed; students applied via providers, not the Hub).
• CQUniversity — Destination Australia Scholarships (International) page: AUD 15,000 per year, up to four years, regional Queensland campuses, status closed.
• Australian Government Department of Education — Research Training Program pages (block grants to universities; stipend base rates AUD 34,315 in 2026 and AUD 35,550 in 2027).
• Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade — Australia Awards programme information.
• Australian Government Department of Home Affairs — Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) and Second Post-Higher Education Work stream settings (summarised; confirm current rules on the Home Affairs website).

Disclaimer: Scholarship details change yearly, and closed programmes are sometimes confused with similarly named institutional awards. Always confirm deadlines, amounts and current status on the official website of the government department or university concerned before applying. StudyGraduate is an information portal, not an agency, and cannot promise selection, admission or visa approval for any programme.