Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia: The Complete 2027 Guide

Who this guide is for: high school leavers planning an undergraduate degree, university graduates applying for a Master’s by Research or PhD, and working professionals looking for government-backed study pathways into Australia. Whether your budget is zero or you simply want to avoid education debt, the programs below are grouped so you can jump straight to the section that matches your academic level.

If you’re searching for fully funded scholarships in Australia, you already know the goal: tuition covered, a living stipend in your pocket, and a visa pathway into one of the world’s top study destinations — without paying a cent out of pocket. The good news is that fully funded scholarships in Australia are more available than most students realize, ranging from Australian Government awards to university-funded PhD stipends worth over AU$135,000.

This guide brings together every major Australian scholarship program currently open — government-funded, university-specific, and research-based — along with eligibility criteria, real deadlines, and a step-by-step application system so you don’t miss your window.

Why Study in Australia on a Fully Funded Scholarship?

Australia hosts eight of the world’s top 100 universities and welcomes over 700,000 international students every year. Combine that academic reputation with a post-study work visa pathway, and it’s easy to see why fully funded scholarships in Australia are among the most searched-for awards globally.

Beyond prestige, the financial case is compelling. A single one of these awards — like the Melbourne Research Scholarship — can be worth more than AU$135,000 across a PhD, covering tuition, a tax-free stipend, relocation costs, and health insurance. That is life-changing funding most students would otherwise never access.

A few additional reasons students choose Australia over other study destinations:

Post-Study Work Visa (Subclass 485): Graduates can typically stay and work in Australia for 2–6 years after finishing their degree, depending on qualification level and location.
Safety and quality of life: Australian cities consistently rank among the world’s most livable, according to global livability indexes.
Research output: Australia produces a disproportionately high share of world-class research relative to its population, particularly in medicine, agriculture, and environmental science — meaning research scholars work alongside globally cited academics.
Multicultural campuses: With international students making up 25–40% of enrollment at major universities, you’re joining an established, well-supported international community from day one.

The Real Cost of Studying in Australia (With vs. Without a Scholarship)

Before comparing individual awards, it helps to see exactly what a scholarship saves you. International tuition in Australia is not cheap, and living costs in cities like Sydney and Melbourne add up fast.

Expense	Without a Scholarship (per year)	With a Fully Funded Scholarship
Tuition (undergraduate)	AU$25,000 – $45,000	$0
Tuition (PhD/Research)	AU$35,000 – $50,000	$0
Living costs	AU$24,000 – $30,000	Covered by stipend (AU$35,000–$39,500)
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)	AU$700 – $1,200	$0
Relocation	AU$1,500 – $3,000	Often reimbursed ($2,000–$3,000 grant)

This is exactly why competition for these Australian awards is intense — a single award can be worth AU$60,000–$135,000+ over the life of a degree, easily eclipsing what most students could self-fund.

Types of Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia

Not every scholarship labeled “fully funded” covers the same things. Before you apply, understand which bucket your target award falls into:

Government-Funded Scholarships — Funded by the Australian Government or state governments (e.g., Australia Awards, Destination Australia).
University-Funded Scholarships — Offered directly by institutions like Melbourne, Sydney, Monash, and UWA to attract top talent.
Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarships — For Master’s by Research and PhD candidates, usually including a stipend.
State & Territory Scholarships — Regional programs like the Premier’s WACE Scholarship in Western Australia.

Most fully funded scholarships in Australia in categories 1–3 include the same core package: 100% tuition remission, a living stipend, Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), and sometimes a relocation grant.

Government-Funded Scholarships in Australia

1. Australia Awards Scholarships (Flagship Program)

The Australia Awards Scholarships are the Australian Government’s flagship international scholarship program, funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). They are long-term development awards for students from eligible Indo-Pacific, African, and Latin American countries.

Coverage: Full tuition, return airfares, living allowance, Introductory Academic Program, and Overseas Student Health Cover.
Level: Undergraduate and postgraduate (coursework).
Eligibility: Citizens of a participating country, meeting age and academic requirements.

Applications typically open through the Australia Awards online portal in early in the calendar year, with selection running through interviews conducted in the applicant’s home country. Because this program is tied to Australia’s development partnerships, participating countries change periodically — always check the current list on the official page before you start preparing documents, since eligibility by nationality is the single biggest filter for this award.

Selection panels weigh both academic merit and development impact — meaning your personal statement should articulate not just why you want to study, but how your qualification will benefit your home community or sector upon return. This is a distinct expectation compared to purely merit-based university scholarships, and it’s one of the most overlooked parts of a competitive Australia Awards application.

Visit the Official Australia Awards Scholarships Page →

2. Destination Australia Program

Funded by the Australian Government, the Destination Australia Program encourages both domestic and international students to study in regional Australia.

Value: Up to AU$15,000 per year.
Eligibility: Enrollment at a participating regional campus, any field of study.

Unlike the metro-focused Go8 awards above, Destination Australia specifically rewards students willing to study outside Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane — think regional New South Wales, Tasmania, or northern Queensland. Universities apply for an allocation of places each year and then run their own selection process, so eligibility and exact value can differ slightly by campus. If your target field is offered at a regional campus, this program is often significantly less competitive than metro equivalents while offering comparable per-year funding.

Visit the Official Destination Australia Program Page →

3. Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships

If you’re aiming for a career in education, LicensureHub already has a full breakdown of this program, including value and eligibility, inside our 2026 Aus Scholarship Guide.

For a full walkthrough of every government-funded pathway — including the Indigenous Health Scholarship Program and Premier’s WACE Scholarship — read our complete Aus Scholarship Guide on LicensureHub.

4. Research Training Program (RTP) — The Backbone of PhD Funding

The Research Training Program, funded by the Australian Government, underpins almost every fully funded PhD and Master’s by Research place in the country. It doesn’t operate as a single scholarship you apply for directly — instead, universities distribute RTP places to eligible domestic and international candidates as part of their own scholarship offers (which is why you’ll see “RTP” mentioned throughout the university-specific awards below).

Coverage: Full tuition offset, and for stipend-linked places, a living allowance indexed annually.
Eligibility: Enrollment in an eligible research degree at a participating Australian university.

Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia by Field of Study

Some fully funded scholarships in Australia are open to any discipline, while others target specific fields where Australia has workforce or research priorities:

STEM & Engineering: Most Go8 university RTP scholarships (Melbourne, Sydney, UQ, ANU) prioritize STEM research candidates, often with the highest number of available places.
Health & Medicine: The Indigenous Health Scholarship Program and many university nursing/medical research scholarships fall here.
Education: The Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships target future teachers specifically.
Business & Law: Coursework scholarships like Sydney’s VCIS and UWA’s Global Excellence Scholarship are open to business, law, and commerce students.
Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences: Increasingly funded through university-specific RTP allocations, though typically with fewer places than STEM.

University-Specific Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia

This is where most of the money is. Each of Australia’s Group of Eight (Go8) universities runs its own version of this funding for high-achieving domestic and international students.

1. University of Melbourne — Graduate Research Scholarships (MRS/RTP)

Widely considered the best-funded postgraduate research package in the country.

Value: 100% tuition remission + AU$39,500/year tax-free stipend + AU$3,000 relocation grant + OSHC (total value up to AU$135,000+ for a PhD).
Level: Master’s by Research and PhD.
Application: Automatic upon submitting your graduate research course application.

Read our full breakdown: University of Melbourne Fully Funded Research Scholarships 2026

2. University of Sydney — International Scholarships

The University of Sydney runs several fully funded scholarships in Australia for international students, including the RTP International Stipend and USydIS.

Value: Full tuition + living stipend for research students; up to AU$60,000 for coursework via the VCIS scheme.
Application: Assessed quarterly, no separate form for most awards.

3. Monash University Fully Funded Scholarship

Monash combines Research Training Program (RTP) funding with its own Monash Graduate Scholarship (MGS) to create one of the most generous research-funding packages in the country.

Value: Tuition + stipend + relocation allowance + research allowance up to AU$1,500/year.
Eligibility: Bachelor’s with Honours 1 or 2A, or equivalent.

Read our full guide: Monash University Fully Funded Scholarship

4. University of Western Australia (UWA) — Global Excellence Scholarship

Value: Undergraduate up to AU$48,000 over 4 years; postgraduate up to AU$24,000 over 2 years.
Application: Automatically awarded based on ATAR/WAM — no separate application.

5. Australian Catholic University (ACU) Research Scholarship

Read our dedicated guide: ACU Research Scholarship: 5 Fully Funded Pathways to a PhD

6. Australian National University (ANU) — Chancellor’s International Scholarship

ANU, ranked among the top universities in the Southern Hemisphere, offers one of the most competitive undergraduate awards for international students in the country.

Value: Full tuition fee waiver for the duration of your degree.
Eligibility: Exceptional academic achievement; automatic consideration upon admission.

Visit the Official ANU Scholarships Page →

7. University of Queensland (UQ) — International Scholarships

Value: Up to 100% tuition remission plus a living stipend for research degrees under the UQ Research Training Scholarship.
Level: Undergraduate merit awards through to PhD stipends.

Visit the Official UQ Scholarships Page →

8. Griffith University International Scholarships

Griffith, based across Queensland’s Gold Coast and Brisbane campuses, is known for strong industry-linked research in health, environment, and criminology.

Value: Tuition fee reductions of 25–50% for coursework students; RTP-funded stipends covering full tuition plus a living allowance for PhD researchers.
Eligibility: Varies by scholarship — merit-based awards typically require a strong GPA, while RTP places require a competitive research proposal.

Visit the Official Griffith University Scholarships Page →

9. Deakin University International Scholarships

Deakin offers a mix of merit-based tuition discounts and fully funded research pathways across its Melbourne and Geelong campuses.

Value: Postgraduate research scholarships include full tuition and a living stipend of roughly AU$32,000–$35,000/year; undergraduate merit awards offer partial funding (typically 25–100% of tuition).
Eligibility: Research places require an approved supervisor and project outline before you can be considered.

Visit the Official Deakin University Scholarships Page →

10. RMIT University International Scholarships

RMIT, based in Melbourne, is particularly strong for design, technology, and business-focused research degrees.

Value: RTP-funded PhD scholarships cover tuition and a living allowance of around AU$35,000+/year; merit scholarships (partial funding) are available for coursework students at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Eligibility: Competitive selection based on academic transcripts and, for research candidates, alignment with an RMIT research strength area.

Visit the Official RMIT Scholarships Page →

11. Curtin University International Scholarships

Based in Perth, Curtin is a strong option for students targeting Western Australia’s resources, engineering, and health sectors.

Value: Curtin’s fully funded research scholarships include tuition, a living stipend, and relocation support for PhD candidates; smaller merit-based tuition scholarships exist for coursework students.
Eligibility: PhD applicants generally need a Master’s degree or Honours equivalent with strong research potential.

Visit the Official Curtin Scholarships Page →

12. Adelaide Scholarships International (ASI)

The University of Adelaide’s flagship international research award, ASI, is one of South Australia’s most generous funding packages.

Value: Full tuition fee offset plus a living stipend of over AU$35,000/year for research degrees, with additional relocation and thesis allowances in some cases.
Eligibility: International students applying for a PhD or Master’s by Research; selection is competitive and based on academic merit and research quality.

Visit the Official Adelaide Scholarships Page →

Glossary: Key Terms You’ll See on Every Application

ATAR — Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, used to assess undergraduate applicants against a percentile score.
WAM — Weighted Average Mark, the postgraduate equivalent of a GPA used by most Australian universities.
RTP — Research Training Program, the Australian Government scheme funding most PhD and Master’s by Research places.
OSHC — Overseas Student Health Cover, mandatory health insurance for international students, usually included in scholarship packages.
CoE — Confirmation of Enrolment, the document issued after you accept your offer, required for your student visa application.
Stipend — A regular, tax-free living allowance paid to research scholarship holders, separate from tuition funding.

A Few More Programs Worth Bookmarking

Beyond the flagship awards above, these smaller but still valuable programs round out the landscape of fully funded scholarships in Australia — worth a look if the major Go8 awards don’t fit your profile:

University of Newcastle International Scholarships — Merit-based tuition awards plus RTP-funded research places, particularly strong in health sciences.
University of Technology Sydney (UTS) President’s Scholarship — Full tuition and stipend for high-achieving research candidates across STEM and design fields.
La Trobe University International Excellence Scholarship — Tuition reductions for coursework students, with RTP-based full funding for research degrees.
Macquarie University Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship — Competitive tuition and stipend packages for research students in Sydney.
James Cook University International Excellence Scholarship — A strong option for students focused on tropical health, marine science, or environmental research in Queensland.

Each of these follows the same core structure covered throughout this guide: check whether the award is automatic or requires a separate application, and confirm the current round dates directly on the university’s official scholarships page before applying.

Comparison Table: Best Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia

Scholarship	Provider	Value (AUD)	Level	Application Type
Australia Awards Scholarships	Australian Government (DFAT)	Full tuition + airfare + stipend	UG / PG	Apply directly
Melbourne Research Scholarship (MRS)	University of Melbourne	Full fees + $39,500/year	Master’s (Research) / PhD	Automatic
University of Sydney International Scholarships	University of Sydney	Up to $60,000	UG / PG	Automatic (most)
Monash Fully Funded Scholarship	Monash University	Full fees + stipend + relocation	Master’s (Research) / PhD	Apply after admission
UWA Global Excellence Scholarship	UWA	Up to $48,000	UG / PG	Automatic
ANU Chancellor’s Scholarship	ANU	Full tuition waiver	Undergraduate	Automatic
UQ Research Training Scholarship	University of Queensland	Full fees + stipend	PhD / Master’s (Research)	Apply directly
Destination Australia Program	Australian Government	Up to $15,000/year	UG / PG	Apply via institution

Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia by State

Where you study affects which scholarships you qualify for. Here’s a quick regional breakdown of fully funded scholarships in Australia:

State/Territory	Key Universities	Notable Scholarship
Victoria	University of Melbourne, Monash	Melbourne Research Scholarship, Monash Fully Funded Scholarship
New South Wales	University of Sydney, UNSW	Sydney International Scholarships, VCIS
Queensland	University of Queensland, Griffith	UQ Research Training Scholarship
Western Australia	UWA, Curtin	UWA Global Excellence Scholarship, Premier’s WACE Scholarship
South Australia	University of Adelaide, Flinders	Adelaide Scholarships International (ASI)
Australian Capital Territory	ANU	ANU Chancellor’s International Scholarship

Regional campuses outside these major cities also unlock the Destination Australia Program, worth up to AU$15,000/year, on top of any university-specific award.

Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia: Deadline Calendar

Deadlines shift slightly year to year, but the pattern below repeats annually — bookmark this section rather than the exact dates:

August–October (prior year): Course + scholarship applications open for Semester 1 intake (most Go8 universities).
October–November: Deadlines for Australia Awards Scholarships and several Semester 1 research scholarship rounds.
January–February: Final Semester 1 rounds close; results begin releasing (March).
March–May: Semester 2 intake rounds open, including Sydney’s mid-year VCIS dates.
April–June: Second Semester 2 application windows close for most research scholarships.

Because these awards run on rolling or quarterly rounds rather than one fixed date, always confirm the current cycle on the official university scholarship page before finalizing your documents.

After You Win: The Student Visa Pathway

Winning is only step one. To actually study in Australia, scholarship recipients typically need a Student Visa (Subclass 500).

You apply for the visa after receiving your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), not before.
Most of these scholarships include Overseas Student Health Cover, which is a mandatory visa requirement — so this is usually already sorted for you.
Processing times vary, so apply for your visa as soon as your CoE is issued to avoid delays before semester start.

Eligibility Requirements for Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia

While each program has unique criteria, most Australian scholarship programs share these common requirements:

A strong academic record (GPA, ATAR, or WAM, depending on level).
An unconditional or conditional offer of admission to an eligible course.
English language proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE), unless exempt.
For research scholarships: a research proposal and, ideally, contact with a potential supervisor.
Citizenship or residency criteria specific to the funding body (especially for government awards).

Undergraduate Eligibility

Undergraduate awards like UWA’s Global Excellence Scholarship and ANU’s Chancellor’s Scholarship are usually assessed on your ATAR-equivalent score or final secondary school results. Most are automatically considered when you apply for the course itself, so the “application” is really about maximizing your academic profile before you submit.

Postgraduate Coursework Eligibility

Coursework master’s scholarships (like Sydney’s VCIS) generally require a strong undergraduate GPA/WAM, an unconditional offer, and sometimes a short statement of purpose. Automatic consideration is common here too, provided you apply for the course by the internal scholarship cut-off — which is often earlier than the general course deadline.

Postgraduate Research (Master’s/PhD) Eligibility

This is the most document-heavy category. In addition to academic transcripts and English proficiency, you’ll typically need a 1–2 page research proposal, a CV highlighting any publications or research experience, and — ideally — informal confirmation from a potential supervisor that they’re willing to take you on. Universities weigh research potential as heavily as grades at this level.

How to Apply for a Fully Funded Scholarship in Australia (Step-by-Step)

Shortlist 5–8 programs that match your academic level and field, mixing government and university-funded options so you’re not relying on a single outcome.
Check the application type. Many university awards (UWA, Sydney, ANU) are automatic upon course admission — meaning your course application is your scholarship application. Others (Australia Awards, some RTP places) require a completely separate form.
Apply for your course early. Scholarship rounds close before course deadlines in many cases, sometimes as early as August the year before intake — applying “on time” for the course can still mean applying “late” for the funding.
Prepare a research proposal if applying for a research degree. This single document often decides RTP and MRS-type outcomes, so budget several drafts and, if possible, feedback from an academic in your field.
Reach out to a potential supervisor for research degrees before you submit. A supervisor who has agreed in principle to take you on materially strengthens a research scholarship application.
Submit English test scores well ahead of deadlines; retests can take 4–8 weeks to schedule and receive, and expired scores are an automatic disqualifier at most institutions.
Gather referee details early. Academic or professional referees often need 2–4 weeks’ notice to submit a strong, specific reference letter.
Track outcomes. Most universities release decisions in rounds (e.g., March, July, October, December) — mark these dates and follow up politely if you haven’t heard back by the stated timeline.

Mistakes That Cost Students Their Scholarship

Applying for the course after the scholarship round deadline. The two are not the same date — many students lose funding simply by submitting their course application a week too late.
Submitting a generic research proposal. Panels can tell within a paragraph whether a proposal was tailored to a specific supervisor’s work or copy-pasted from a template.
Missing English test validity windows. Most IELTS/TOEFL/PTE scores expire after two years — resubmitting an expired score is an instant rejection at some institutions.
Assuming a scholarship is automatic when it isn’t. Not every award works like UWA’s or Sydney’s automatic consideration model; some require a completely separate application form and referee letters.
Under-preparing the personal statement. Selection panels read hundreds of these; specificity (why this university, this supervisor, this field) consistently outperforms generic enthusiasm.
Ignoring citizenship-eligible country lists. Government awards like Australia Awards Scholarships are restricted to specific participating countries — always confirm your country is listed before investing time in an application.

How Selection Panels Actually Score Applications

Understanding what happens after you hit submit helps you write a stronger application in the first place. Most Australian university scholarship committees use a weighted scoring rubric rather than a simple pass/fail read. Typical weighting looks something like this:

Academic record (40–50%): Your GPA/WAM or ATAR, benchmarked against other applicants in the same round.
Research potential or career alignment (20–30%): For research degrees, this is your proposal and supervisor fit; for coursework awards, it’s often your statement of purpose.
References (10–15%): Specific, detailed references from people who know your work outperform generic praise every time.
Fit with program priorities (10–20%): Government awards especially score for alignment with development or workforce priorities (e.g., teaching shortages, health equity, regional growth).

Because academic record typically carries the most weight, the single highest-leverage thing you can do — earlier than any essay or interview prep — is to keep your grades as strong as possible in the two years before you apply.

Financial Planning: Budgeting Beyond the Scholarship

Even a genuinely fully funded scholarship rarely covers 100% of real-world costs from day one. Plan for these gaps:

The pre-stipend gap. Most stipends pay fortnightly after you commence — meaning you may need AU$2,000–$4,000 in savings to cover the first few weeks before your first payment lands.
Visa and health checks. Visa application fees, medical examinations, and biometrics are usually not reimbursed by the scholarship itself.
Setup costs. Bond/deposit for accommodation, initial groceries, and a local SIM card add up quickly in the first month.
Return flights for family emergencies. Most scholarships cover one relocation flight, not ongoing travel — factor this into your personal budget if you may need to travel home during your studies.

A Realistic Application Timeline

Here’s what a well-run application cycle looks like in practice, using a Semester 1 (February) intake as the example:

12 months before intake (Feb–Mar): Shortlist universities and scholarships; start contacting potential supervisors for research degrees.
9–10 months before (May–Jun): Sit English proficiency tests; request academic transcripts.
7–8 months before (Jul–Aug): Submit course + scholarship applications for the earliest rounds.
5–6 months before (Sep–Oct): Follow up on outstanding references; prepare visa documents in advance.
3–4 months before (Nov–Dec): Receive outcomes; accept your offer and scholarship; begin visa application once your CoE arrives.
1 month before (Jan): Finalize travel, accommodation, and OSHC confirmation; attend any pre-departure briefings.

Quick Application Checklist

Use this before you submit anything:

[ ] Confirmed the scholarship’s exact deadline (not just the course deadline)
[ ] Checked whether the scholarship is automatic or requires a separate form
[ ] Academic transcripts translated and certified (if not in English)
[ ] Valid English test score (within the 2-year window)
[ ] Research proposal tailored to a specific supervisor (research scholarships only)
[ ] Two to three academic or professional referees confirmed and briefed
[ ] Personal statement tailored to the specific university and program
[ ] Passport valid for at least the intended duration of study
[ ] Budget worked out for any gap between arrival and first stipend payment

Final Thoughts

Australia remains one of the most generous countries in the world for funded education, and the range of fully funded scholarships in Australia available in 2027 — from DFAT’s Australia Awards to Melbourne’s AU$135,000 research packages — means there is very likely a program that matches your profile. Start with the automatic-consideration awards, prepare your documents early, and apply to your course well before the scholarship round closes.

None of these awards require you to be a genius or come from a wealthy background — they require preparation, correct timing, and a strong academic record for your level of study. Use the checklist and timeline above to work backward from your intended intake date, and revisit the comparison table whenever you need to re-confirm which program fits your field and funding needs best.

For official, government-verified information on studying and funding options in Australia, visit the Australian Government’s official Study Australia portal — the most authoritative source for scholarship policy updates outside individual university websites.

Table of Contents