Scholarships to study in Australia as an international student: what’s realistic

In Australia, the big universities run funded research scholarships that international students can apply for, while help with a bachelor's or master's is mostly a discount on tuition. So the honest answer depends on what you want to study. This guide covers the three kinds of funding, what each really pays, the visa costs to plan for and the timeline.

The three kinds of funding

1. Australia Awards (government)

• For people from developing countries, especially in the Indo-Pacific, to study a bachelor's or master's degree (or at a TAFE college).
• Covers full tuition, a return economy airfare, an establishment allowance, a fortnightly Contribution to Living Expenses and Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
• You must leave Australia for at least two years after you finish.
• Each country runs its own round. For courses starting in 2027, most closed on 30 April 2026.

Australia Awards has the details and the country pages.

2. Research scholarships (PhD and research master's)

The Australian Government funds the Research Training Program (RTP), and each university runs its own scholarship rounds, often with extra university money on top. International students can apply. Some examples from our catalogue:

• Sydney RTP International: a stipend of $44,293 a year (2027 rate), 100% of tuition for up to 14 research periods, OSHC, and relocation and thesis allowances.
• Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships: a full fee offset and a living allowance of $41,100 a year (2027 rate). New applicants are considered automatically when they apply for their research degree by its deadline.
• UQ Graduate Research School Scholarships: a living stipend of $39,220 a year (2026 rate), tuition and OSHC. Your school or institute nominates you, and the first step is to find a supervisor.
• Monash Graduate Research Scholarships: stipend and tuition scholarships in set international rounds.

What these have in common: the supervisor comes first. Universities expect you to find an academic in your field who is willing to supervise your project, and your research proposal and fit with that supervisor weigh heavily. Write to two or three potential supervisors with a short, specific email: your background, the question you want to work on, why their research fits, and your CV. Make each email about that person's work, not a copy sent to everyone.

See our fully funded scholarships in Australia for the research awards that pay both tuition and a stipend.

3. University scholarships for bachelor's and master's degrees

For coursework degrees, most awards reduce your tuition rather than pay living costs, and many are automatic once you hold an offer:

• Monash International Merit Scholarship: $15,000 a year, up to $75,000, for 20 students a year. It's automatic with an unconditional undergraduate offer.
• Monash International Leadership Scholarship: 100% of tuition for the degree, also considered automatically with an unconditional offer.
• Sydney International Undergraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship: 100% of tuition and the student services fee. The university is blunt that no other amount is paid, so rent, flights and health cover are yours.
• UNSW International Scientia Coursework Scholarship: full tuition, or $20,000 a year towards tuition.
• ANU Chancellor's International Scholarship: a percentage off tuition that depends on your applicant category.

Notice the word unconditional. If your offer still depends on an English test result or a final transcript, you may not be considered until those conditions are met, so clear them early. Browse all scholarships in Australia to compare.

The costs to plan for

• Work: you can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session.
• Rent is usually the biggest bill, and a fixed tuition award does nothing for it. Budget it before you accept.

After you graduate

• The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Post-Higher Education Work stream, usually lasts 2 to 3 years depending on your qualification. You must be 35 or under when you apply, and it costs from AUD 5,750.
• Australia Awards scholars have to leave Australia for at least two years after their award, so this route isn't open to them straight away.

A realistic timeline

• Research degree starting in early 2027: contact supervisors in the first half of 2026. The scholarship rounds closed between August and December 2026: UQ on 31 August, Sydney on 11 September and again on 18 December.
• Bachelor's or master's: apply for admission as early as you can, because many awards follow the offer. The UNSW International Scientia round for Term 1, 2027 closed on 30 October 2026.
• Australia Awards: around April, the year before your course starts.

Every date is in our scholarship deadline calendar.

Common mistakes

• Applying for a research scholarship without a supervisor. Universities expect one to agree to your project, so a strong record alone isn't enough.
• Treating 100% tuition as fully funded. In Australia, rent and living costs are a large share of the total.
• Waiting on an offer condition. Automatic awards need an unconditional offer, so sit your English test early.
• Leaving the visa money to the end. Gather the evidence for travel, tuition and a year of living costs before you apply.

How we write guides: we read scholars' and applicants' own accounts, the programmes' official rules and the award records in our catalogue, which we check against each official page (how we verify). Rules and amounts change every year, so confirm the details on the provider's website before you apply.