Australian Scholarships for International Students 2027: Updated List

Australian Scholarships for International Students span government-funded, university-funded, and partner-organisation awards, and this post brings every one ScholarWaka has covered into a single list. Some are fully funded — covering tuition, living costs, and travel — while others cover tuition only or provide a fixed contribution toward fees. Not knowing which category an award falls into before applying is the most common reason students waste time on scholarships they were never going to qualify for financially.

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This list of Australian Scholarships for International Students covers awards open to international applicants specifically, spanning undergraduate, Master’s, and PhD study across Australian universities and government-backed programmes. Each entry below states exactly what it covers, who administers it, and where to find the full application details — so you can filter by your study level and funding need before committing time to any single application.

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Why Study in Australia?

Australia currently hosts over 800,000 international students, and the numbers hold up under real scrutiny: nine Australian universities rank in the QS World University Rankings 2026 global top 100, with two — the University of Melbourne and UNSW — sitting in the top 20 worldwide. That’s not spread thin across a handful of strong programmes; Australia ranks in the top 100 globally across 54 different subject areas, and 11 of its universities place in the world’s top 10 for specific fields including pharmacy, engineering, and sports science.

Two things separate Australia from other study destinations on this list for a working student. First, the visa itself allows real income: international students on a Subclass 500 Student Visa can legally work up to 48 hours per fortnight during teaching periods, with no cap during official breaks — enough to meaningfully offset living costs without derailing coursework. Second, six Australian cities — Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Canberra — rank among the QS Top 50 Best Student Cities in the world for 2026, a concentration few countries can match.

Also, Check Out: Top Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships in Europe

The Australian Government has tightened the pathway rather than closed it. A National Planning Level now caps new international student commencements at 295,000 for 2026, up from 270,000 the year before — a deliberate, managed increase aimed at balancing growth against housing pressure, not a retreat from international education. For a student weighing where limited scholarship funding will go furthest, that combination — genuine academic ranking, legal work rights, and cities built around student life — is the case for Australia specifically, not just “study abroad” in the abstract.

Australian Scholarships for International Students Summary

SCHOLARSHIP	LEVEL	REWARD
Australian Government RTP Scholarship	Postgraduate, Master’s, PhD	Tuition Fees + Stipend + Allowances
La Trobe University Scholarships	Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Master’s, PhD	Tuition Fee Reduction + Grants (Varies)
University of Sydney Scholars India Scholarship Program	Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Master’s	Full Tuition, or $20,000 / $10,000 (tiered)
University of Sydney Australian Government Scholarships	Postgraduate, Master’s, PhD	Full Tuition + Annual Stipend + Overseas Student Health Cover
Co-Funded Monash Graduate Scholarship (CF-MGS)	Postgraduate, Master’s, PhD	Full Tuition + $37,145 Annual Stipend + Relocation Allowance
Monash University Maxwell King Scholarship	Postgraduate, PhD	$53,608/year Stipend + Research + Relocation Allowance (2 awards/year)
University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships	Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Master’s	Up to $60,000
Griffith University Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship	Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Master’s	50% Tuition Fee Reduction (Full Degree)
Griffith University Sports Excellence Scholarships	Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Master’s	Up to $28,000 or $5,000 (tiered)
Griffith University Rachel Hunter Refugee Scholarship	Undergraduate	Up to $20,000 (domestic fee-status)

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1. Australian Government RTP Scholarship

The Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship is the Australian Government’s primary funding mechanism for international research students, covering tuition fees in full, an annual living stipend, and additional allowances for eligible costs like relocation or overseas student health cover. It funds students enrolled in Higher Degree by Research programmes — Master’s by Research and PhD — at participating Australian universities, and because funding is administered at the university level rather than centrally, both the exact stipend amount and the application deadline vary depending on which institution you apply through.

• Scholarship Name ⇒ Australian Government RTP Scholarship
• Host Country ⇒ Australia
• Study Level ⇒ Postgraduate (Masters by Research / PhD)
• Reward ⇒ Tuition Fees + Stipend + Allowances
• Click Here for Australian Government RTP Scholarship Application Process

2. La Trobe University Scholarships

La Trobe University runs a wide range of scholarships across undergraduate, postgraduate, Master’s, and PhD study, open to international students from any country except Australia and New Zealand for most awards. Benefits vary by scholarship — from tuition fee reductions to grants and partial funding — rather than a single fixed package across the board.

• Scholarship Name ⇒ La Trobe University Scholarships
• Host Country ⇒ Australia
• Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Masters, PhD
• Reward ⇒ Tuition Fee Reduction + Grants (Varies by Scholarship)
• Click Here for La Trobe University Scholarships Application Process

3. University of Sydney Scholars India Scholarship Program

The Scholars India Scholarship Program supports Indian students pursuing Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees at the University of Sydney, awarding full tuition to top recipients and either $20,000 or $10,000 in tuition support to other qualifying applicants, depending on the award tier. It’s restricted to Indian nationals only, part of the university’s push to strengthen educational ties with India specifically.

• Scholarship Name ⇒ University of Sydney Scholars India Scholarship Program
• Host Country ⇒ Australia
• Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Masters
• Reward ⇒ Full Tuition, or $20,000 / $10,000 Tuition Support (tiered)
• Click Here for University of Sydney Scholars India Scholarship Application Process

4. University of Sydney Australian Government Scholarships

The University of Sydney runs its own allocation of the Australian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP). The government funds RTP as a block grant to participating universities, and each university then administers its own share directly — which is why you’ll see RTP scholarships listed separately under different university names rather than one central government portal. Sydney’s allocation supports Master’s by Research and PhD candidates with full tuition coverage, an annual living stipend, and Overseas Student Health Cover for the duration of the research degree. It’s open to applicants of any nationality, and because places are limited and awarded competitively within Sydney’s own research faculties, a strong research proposal and a confirmed supervisor matter as much as academic transcripts at the point of application.

• Scholarship Name ⇒ University of Sydney Australian Government Scholarships
• Host Country ⇒ Australia
• Study Level ⇒ Postgraduate, Masters, PhD
• Reward ⇒ Full Tuition + Annual Stipend + Overseas Student Health Cover
• Click Here for University of Sydney Australian Government Scholarships Application Process

5. Co-Funded Monash Graduate Scholarship (CF-MGS)

The Co-Funded Monash Graduate Scholarship supports domestic and international students pursuing graduate research degrees at Monash University, covering full tuition, an annual stipend of $37,145, and a relocation allowance. Unlike most awards on this list, it runs on four application rounds per year rather than a single annual deadline, which gives applicants more flexibility on timing but also means checking the current round’s specific closing date rather than assuming a fixed date applies.

• Scholarship Name ⇒ Co-Funded Monash Graduate Scholarship (CF-MGS)
• Host Country ⇒ Australia
• Study Level ⇒ Postgraduate, Masters, PhD
• Reward ⇒ Full Tuition + $37,145 Annual Stipend + Relocation Allowance
• Click Here for Co-Funded Monash Graduate Scholarship Application Process

6. Monash University Maxwell King Scholarship

The Maxwell King Scholarship supports exceptional PhD candidates undertaking doctoral research at Monash University, open to Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens, Australian permanent residents, humanitarian visa holders, and international students. Only two scholarships are awarded annually — one in Humanities and Social Sciences, one in STEM — and the package covers a living allowance (stipend) of $53,608 per annum at the 2026 rate, plus a research allowance and a relocation allowance for eligible recipients. The stipend alone sits well above Monash’s standard RTP rate of $37,145, making it one of the more generous PhD funding packages in Australia.

• Scholarship Name ⇒ Monash University Maxwell King Scholarship
• Host Country ⇒ Australia
• Study Level ⇒ Postgraduate, PhD
• Reward ⇒ $53,608/year Stipend + Research Allowance + Relocation Allowance (2 awards/year)
• Click Here for Monash University Maxwell King Scholarship Application Process

7. University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships

The Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship supports high-achieving international students who have already secured an unconditional offer for an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework programme at the University of Sydney, awarding up to $60,000 toward the cost of study. Unlike award-on-application scholarships elsewhere on this list, applicants aren’t assessed independently — Sydney awards it automatically based on the strength of the academic record already submitted with the admissions offer, and it runs across three separate rounds each year rather than a single annual deadline, giving students who missed one intake another opportunity to be considered in the next.

• Scholarship Name ⇒ University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships
• Host Country ⇒ Australia
• Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Masters
• Reward ⇒ Up to $60,000
• Click Here for University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships Application Process

8. Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship at Griffith University

The Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship is Griffith University’s top award for high-achieving new undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students, covering 50% of tuition fees for the entire degree — not a one-off payment or a single-year contribution. It’s open to applicants from any country except Australia and New Zealand, and deadlines run by trimester rather than a single annual date, so the specific closing date depends on which intake a student is targeting.

• Scholarship Name ⇒ Griffith University Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship
• Host Country ⇒ Australia
• Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Master’s
• Reward ⇒ 50% Tuition Fee Reduction (Full Degree Duration)
• Click Here for Griffith University Vice Chancellor’s International Application Process

9. Griffith University Sports Excellence Scholarships

The Sports Excellence Scholarship is built for students who compete seriously in sport while pursuing an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, and it comes in two tiers — up to $28,000 for the top level and $5,000 for a second tier — depending on the applicant’s level of competition and sporting achievement. It’s open to applicants of any nationality.

• Scholarship Name ⇒ Griffith University Sports Excellence Scholarships
• Host Country ⇒ Australia
• Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Master’s
• Reward ⇒ Up to $28,000 or $5,000 (tiered)
• Click Here for Griffith University Sports Excellence Scholarships Application Process

10. Griffith University Rachel Hunter Refugee Scholarship

The Rachel Hunter Refugee Scholarship supports undergraduate students at Griffith University who hold an Australian humanitarian visa, facing financial hardship or educational disadvantage as a result of their refugee or humanitarian background. It awards up to $20,000 toward the cost of study. Note that humanitarian visa holders are generally classified as domestic fee-status students in Australia, so this scholarship serves a different applicant profile than the standard international student pathway covered elsewhere in this list — it’s not accessible to someone applying from abroad on a regular student visa.

• Scholarship Name ⇒ Griffith University Rachel Hunter Refugee Scholarship
• Host Country ⇒ Australia
• Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate
• Reward ⇒ Up to $20,000
• Click Here for Griffith University Rachel Hunter Refugee Scholarship Application Process

Frequently Asked Questions

Can international students apply to more than one Australian scholarship on this list at the same time?

Yes, in most cases. These are separately administered awards from different universities and funding bodies, so applying to one doesn’t disqualify you from another. Confirm on each scholarship’s page whether it restricts combination with other awards, since a small number carry their own conditions.

Do I need a university offer before applying for these scholarships?

For most entries, yes — scholarships like the RTP allocations, Vice-Chancellor’s awards, and Maxwell King Scholarship require you to apply for or hold an offer for your course, since the scholarship application is processed alongside or after your admissions application. A few, like the EU-style automatic awards elsewhere in ScholarWaka’s compilations, don’t apply here since every entry on this list requires a separate application.

Which of these scholarships are open to Nigerian and other international students specifically?

Most of them. The Australian Government RTP Scholarship, La Trobe University Scholarships, University of Sydney Australian Government Scholarships, Co-Funded Monash Graduate Scholarship, Monash Maxwell King Scholarship, University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships, Griffith Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship, and Griffith Sports Excellence Scholarships are all open to applicants of any nationality. The Scholars India Scholarship Program is restricted to Indian nationals, and the Rachel Hunter Refugee Scholarship requires an existing Australian humanitarian visa rather than an international student visa.

What’s the difference between the Australian Government RTP Scholarship and the University of Sydney Australian Government Scholarships?

They’re the same national funding programme. The Australian Government allocates RTP as a block grant to participating universities, and each university then administers its own share directly — Sydney’s entry is simply that university’s specific allocation, not a separate scholarship.

Are these scholarships still open for the 2026 intake?

Deadlines vary significantly by award — some run fixed annual dates, others run multiple rounds per year, and some vary by trimester or by participating university. Check the specific deadline on each linked scholarship page directly before applying, since this compilation does not track live deadline status for every entry.

Disclaimer: All scholarship details, award values, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official sources as of July 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official website of the relevant Australian university or government scholarship programme before submitting any application. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the Australian Government, University of Sydney, Monash University, La Trobe University, or Griffith University.