How to get a scholarship to study in Australia? Explained in 6 steps

How to get a scholarship for your study in Australia? (With free checklist)

One of the key questions that we get asked quite often by international students community is “How to get a scholarship to study in Australia?”

Did you know that your tuition fees, health cover (OSHC), airfares and living expenses can be paid as scholarships if you are eligible to apply? It’s not a dream but a reality that many students who apply for studying in Australia live.

In 2018 itself, the Australian government has given scholarships worth $320 million to students coming from over 60 developing countries.

Getting a scholarship is not only rewarding for your career but also helps in paying your expenses which may also mean that you may not have to work and you can focus more on your studies.

But getting a scholarship requires planning and preparation in advance. Here are some steps that we suggest you follow if you are interested in knowing how to get a scholarship to study in Australia.

Step 1 – Research

Research yourself about the college/ university and lookup for scholarships page of the website to find the currently available scholarships for the international students.

Scholarships are offered not only by the Australian government but also by universities, colleges, international organisations, and your home country governments as well. So make sure to research all your scholarship options before applying for study in Australia.

Also, make sure to select the criteria that meet international students only as lots of universities will have scholarships available for local students only. So filter out all the scholarships that do not meet requirements for international students

Step 2 – Check your eligibility

There are many factors that will play an important role when applying for a scholarship. There is also no rule of Thumb that these are the only factors that play a role in scoring a scholarship or not. Some of the factors that might impact your eligibility includes:

Your academic record
Your TOEFL or IELTS or PTE scores
Your country of origin
Your financial situation
Area of Study

While some of the scholarships are easy to apply, many of them that will require students to submit lots of documents before applying for a scholarships. So it is better to check your eligibility as it will save you and others lots of time.

Step 3 – Ask your student agent or councilor

Ask your study agent or Councillor about the possible scholarship in your preferred institution/s. Most of the students like to apply their visa through a registered migration agent or study councilor.

It is advisable to ask them before they apply for your offer letter for a particular university or college as most of the institutions like to offer scholarships at that particular point of your application. You can apply for multiple scholarships at the same time, so don’t miss an opportunity there.

The secret here is to apply for as many scholarships as you can as there is no limit to how many institutions or scholarships you can apply. Also, ask if there is a possibility of getting even a reduction in fee as some universities will assess all international students for some scholarships.

Step 4 – Australia Awards Website

Lookup for Australia Awards website, an Australian Government scholarship for the students in need and see if your country has eligibility for applying for an Australian Government sponsored scholarship. Also lookup for the opening and closing dates and how to apply for the scholarship.

You will need to make yourself familiar with the Scholarships Policy Handbook. After finding that information, you will need to apply for the scholarship online at https://oasis.dfat.gov.au/. If you can’t submit your application online then you can also submit the application in a hard copy via mail.

Please note: If you apply for the Apply for Australia Award, you will need to return back home after studies and students who are intending to migrate permanently can’t apply for this scholarship.

Step 5 – Ask for help

It is vital that your scholarship application is free from any spelling errors, grammar mistakes, lack of details or bad presentation. So if you are unsure, always ask someone who can have a final look at the scholarship application before applying.

If possible, ask your student agent or councillor, teachers or anyone who has a good command over the English language to check all the details like spellings, grammar, punctuation and the application details including word limits.

To help you with this, we have prepared a handy checklist for scholarship application here:

Step 6 – Don’t give up

Even if you didn’t get any scholarship at your application or offer letter, don’t be discouraged. Lots of universities and colleges in Australia also provide scholarships if you do well in the first and the second term of your studies.

So make sure to do your best in your studies and find out if your prospective university or institution has such arrangements.

We hope these tips help you in scoring an Australian scholarship for your studies. Let us know in the comments about your experience with the scholarship experience. Also, we suggest you should check the list of all scholarships available to international students in our next blog.