Australian universities offer many research scholarships and merit-based scholarships to international students. The applicants need to contact individual universities to see if they do so in the applicant’s field of study.

Australia Government provides Australia Awards scholarships and fellowships to international students.  Not all are applicable to international students. The following two are applicable and are huge.

Australia Awards scholarship

Australia Awards scholarship is designed to equip citizens of developing countries with skills and knowledge so that they can contribute to the development of their country.

The scholarship is available to Nepali citizens to obtain a Master’s qualification at an Australian tertiary institution (university or TAFE) in fields of Education, Health, Livelihoods and Economic Development, Governance, Gender, Inclusion and Disability and Water Resource Management. The priority is given to eligible women, people with disabilities and people from traditionally marginalized groups and remote regions of Nepal.

Australia Awards Nepal (Chhetrabikram Marg, Panipokhari Maharajgunj, Kathmandu) provides detailed help and support in this regard.

Duration: completion of course

Coverage: full tuition fees, return air travel, establishment allowance, health insurance, living expenses and other support.

Endeavor Scholarships and Fellowships

Funded by the Australian government, they are the merit-based Scholarships and Fellowships available to international students to undertake study, research or personal development.  It involves postgraduate scholarship, research fellowship, Vocational Education and Training (VET) scholarship and executive scholarship.

Duration: Up to 2 years for a Masters, Up to 4 years for a PhD

Coverage: Tuition fee, travel allowances, establishment allowance, monthly stipend and health insurance

International Research Training Program (RTP)/ International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (IPRS)

RTP –previously known as IPRS, administered by the individual university, provides an opportunity to international students to undertake a postgraduate research qualification in Australia.

Duration: two years for a research master’s degree or three years for a research doctorate degree

Coverage: The scholarship covers tuition fees and health cover costs for scholarship holders, and health cover costs for their dependents.

International students are not eligible for any kind of government subsidies and student loans. However, some university (like UWA) does provide student loan to the international student.

Links and references

• http://australiaawards.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
• https://www.australiaawardssouthwestasia.org/how-to-apply/nepal
• https://www.education.gov.au/international-postgraduate-research-scholarships
• https://internationaleducation.gov.au/Endeavour%20program/Scholarships-and-Fellowships/Pages/default.aspx