Australia is one of the world’s most sought-after study destinations — and in 2027-2028, it is offering international students scholarship funding that is among the most financially generous available anywhere on earth.
Home to University of Melbourne (top 35 globally), University of Sydney (top 50 globally), UNSW Sydney (top 20 globally for engineering), ANU (top 30 globally), and Monash University (top 50 globally) — Australia combines world-class research excellence with extraordinary living environments, one of the world’s most generous post-study work visa systems, and a scholarship ecosystem covering everything from complete tuition to living stipends, relocation grants, health insurance, and dependent allowances.
This guide covers Australia’s top 10 scholarships for 2027-2028 — complete coverage details, eligibility, deadlines, and official application links.
Table of Contents
Why Study in Australia in 2027?
World-class Group of Eight universities. Australia’s “Group of Eight” leading research universities — Melbourne, Sydney, UNSW, ANU, UQ, Monash, Adelaide, and UWA — are all consistently ranked among the world’s top 100 and compete directly with UK and US institutions for research quality and graduate outcomes.
Post-study work rights. Australia offers a Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) valid for 2–4 years (increasing under current policy expansions) — allowing international graduates to live and work in Australia post-graduation without a specific job offer. This provides direct pathway to Australian Permanent Residency.
OSHC health insurance system. All international students in Australia must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) — a regulated, comprehensive health insurance that most major scholarships include as part of their package.
Research excellence and industry connections. Australia’s research outputs in medical sciences, environmental sciences, engineering, and agriculture are world-leading. Industry connections — particularly in mining, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural technology — provide exceptional applied research and career opportunities.
Quality of life. Australian cities — Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide — consistently rank among the world’s most livable. The climate, outdoor culture, and multicultural communities make Australia one of the most personally rewarding places to spend your academic years.
The Top 10 Australia Scholarships 2027-2028
🏆 1. Australia Awards Scholarships (AAS)
Degree Level: Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD Coverage: 100% tuition + Living stipend + Air travel + Health cover (OSHC) Eligibility: DFAT partner countries — Asia, Pacific, Middle East
The Australia Awards Scholarship — funded by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) — is Australia’s flagship government scholarship and one of the most financially comprehensive scholarship packages available anywhere in the world.
What it covers:
- 100% tuition fees at your Australian university
- Living stipend (approximately AUD $27,000/year — sufficient for comfortable student living outside Sydney’s CBD)
- Return economy airfare from your home country to Australia
- OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) — mandatory health insurance included
- Establishment allowance upon arrival
- Pre-course English language training (where needed)
- Fieldwork support (for research students)
Who can apply: Citizens of Australia Awards eligible partner countries across Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. Both bachelor’s and postgraduate programs at any Australian university are eligible. Must return to home country for 2 years after completing the award.
Why it is exceptional: The full package — tuition, stipend, airfare, OSHC, and establishment allowance — means AAS recipients arrive in Australia with essentially zero financial worry from day one.
Deadline: Typically 30 April annually for the following year’s intake (February 2028 intake for April 2027 deadline)
👉 Official Website: australiaawards.gov.au
🏆 2. Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP)
Degree Level: Master’s by Research, PhD Coverage: 100% tuition offset + Living stipend (AUD $34,000–$44,000/yr) + Relocation + Thesis Eligibility: Domestic and international research candidates
The Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) is the federal government’s primary research scholarship scheme — providing funding to outstanding domestic and international students pursuing Research Higher Degrees (RHD) at any Australian university.
What it covers:
- 100% tuition fee offset — complete elimination of research degree tuition
- Annual living stipend of approximately AUD $34,000–$44,000 (~$22,000–$29,000 USD) — varies by university
- Relocation allowance — contribution toward moving costs
- Thesis allowance — for printing, binding, and submission costs
- Some universities top-up the base RTP stipend significantly — University of Sydney and Melbourne commonly provide stipends at the higher end of this range
Who can apply: Both Australian citizens and international students admitted to Research Master’s or PhD programs at Australian universities. Most universities automatically consider all admitted research students for RTP.
Deadline: Varies by university — most have 31 August and 31 October deadlines for the following year’s intake
👉 Apply through your target university — search “[University name] RTP scholarship” for institution-specific portals
🏆 3. Melbourne Research Scholarships / Graduate Research Scholarship
Degree Level: Master’s by Research, PhD Coverage: Full tuition fee waiver (up to 4 years) + Living allowance (~AUD $37,000/yr) + Relocation + OSHC Eligibility: UniMelb domestic and international students
The University of Melbourne Research Scholarship tops up the base RTP funding with additional university resources — creating one of Australia’s most financially generous doctoral scholarship packages.
What it covers:
- Full tuition fee waiver for up to 4 years of doctoral study
- Annual living allowance of approximately AUD $37,000 (~$24,500 USD)
- Relocation grant — AUD $1,000–$2,000 toward moving to Melbourne
- OSHC — full health insurance coverage
Why Melbourne: The University of Melbourne is Australia’s #1 ranked university and consistently in the world’s top 35. Its research environments in biomedical sciences, environmental sciences, engineering, economics, and humanities are world-class — and Melbourne itself is Australia’s most livable city.
Deadline: Typically 31 October for the following year’s February intake and 31 March for mid-year intake
👉 Official Website: study.unimelb.edu.au/how-to-apply/graduate-research/scholarships
🏆 4. University of Sydney International Stipend Scholarship (USYD IS)
Degree Level: Master’s by Research, PhD Coverage: 100% tuition offset + Living stipend (~AUD $42,000–$44,000/yr) + Relocation + OSHC Eligibility: USYD competitive research grant — international students
The University of Sydney International Stipend Scholarship (USYD IS) provides one of Australia’s highest research degree living stipends — significantly above the RTP base rate — making it one of the most financially attractive PhD scholarships at any Australian institution.
What it covers:
- 100% tuition offset — no tuition costs
- Annual living stipend of approximately AUD $42,000–$44,000 (~$27,800–$29,100 USD) — substantially higher than most comparable Australian research scholarships
- Relocation contribution
- OSHC health insurance coverage
Why USYD IS is valuable: The AUD $42,000–$44,000 stipend is among the highest offered by any Australian university — providing genuinely comfortable living in one of the world’s most expensive cities (Sydney) without financial stress.
Deadline: Typically 30 September for the following year’s February intake
👉 Official Website: sydney.edu.au/scholarships/research/postgraduate/usyd-international-stipend
🏆 5. UNSW International Graduate Research Scholarship (IGRS)
Degree Level: Master’s by Research, PhD Coverage: Full tuition coverage + Stipend (~AUD $35,000–$37,000/yr) + OSHC Eligibility: UNSW high-achieving international postgraduate researchers
The UNSW International Graduate Research Scholarship (IGRS) provides complete funding for outstanding international research students at UNSW Sydney — one of the world’s top 20 universities for engineering and technology.
What it covers:
- Full tuition fee coverage for the research degree duration
- Annual stipend of approximately AUD $35,000–$37,000 (~$23,200–$24,500 USD)
- Health insurance (OSHC) — full coverage included
UNSW’s research strengths: Engineering, computer science, law, medicine, business, and sciences. UNSW’s location in Kensington, Sydney — with the CBD accessible in 20 minutes — provides extraordinary access to Australia’s largest city and economic capital.
Deadline: Typically 31 July for the following February intake
👉 Official Website: research.unsw.edu.au/scholarships-unsw/igrs
6. UQ High Achievement International Scholarship / Graduate Research
Degree Level: Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD Coverage: AUD $10,000 tuition fee reduction OR Full PhD tuition + living stipend Eligibility: UQ high-achieving undergraduate and research streams
The University of Queensland offers two distinct scholarship tracks for international students — an undergraduate merit scholarship and a comprehensive research degree scholarship.
Undergraduate track:
- AUD $10,000 tuition fee reduction per year for high-achieving international undergraduates
Research track (Masters/PhD):
- Full tuition fee coverage for the research degree
- Annual living stipend (approximately AUD $32,500–$36,000)
- OSHC health insurance
UQ’s strengths: Biological sciences, chemistry, engineering, medicine, social sciences, and environmental sciences. UQ’s Brisbane location — Australia’s third-largest and fastest-growing city — provides excellent career opportunities at lower living costs than Sydney or Melbourne.
Deadline: Undergraduate: January–April | Research: 25 September and 31 October
👉 Official Website: uq.edu.au/research/hdr-scholarships
🏆 7. ANU University Research Scholarship
Degree Level: Master’s by Research, PhD Coverage: Full tuition fee waiver + Living allowance (~AUD $36,000/yr) + Dependent allowance + Relocation Eligibility: ANU outstanding applicants with high research potential
The Australian National University (ANU) — Australia’s national university and consistently ranked among the world’s top 30 — provides comprehensive research scholarships that include a distinctive dependent allowance — additional support for scholars with accompanying family members.
What it covers:
- Full tuition fee waiver for the research degree
- Annual living allowance of approximately AUD $36,000 (~$23,800 USD)
- Dependent allowance — additional support for accompanying spouse and/or children (rare among Australian research scholarships)
- Relocation allowance — toward moving to Canberra
ANU’s strengths: Political science and international relations, law, economics, sciences, engineering, and Asia-Pacific studies. ANU’s Canberra location — Australia’s purpose-built capital — provides extraordinary access to Australian government institutions, think tanks, and policy organizations.
Deadline: Typically 31 August for the following February intake
👉 Official Website: anu.edu.au/students/scholarships
8. Monash International Leadership Scholarship
Degree Level: Bachelor’s, Master’s (coursework) Coverage: 100% course tuition fee coverage Eligibility: Monash exceptional students — full-time coursework
The Monash International Leadership Scholarship provides complete tuition coverage for exceptional international students pursuing undergraduate or coursework postgraduate programs at Monash University — one of Australia’s largest and most internationally diverse universities.
What it covers:
- 100% course tuition fee coverage — complete elimination of Monash’s international tuition (approximately AUD $35,000–$48,000/year depending on program)
- Available for full-time coursework undergraduate and Master’s programs
Who can apply: Outstanding international students with exceptional academic records applying to eligible Monash undergraduate or coursework Master’s programs. Selection based on academic merit.
Monash’s strengths: Medicine, pharmacy, engineering, business (Monash Business School), education, and law. Monash’s Melbourne and Clayton campuses provide access to Australia’s most vibrant academic city.
Deadline: Typically September–November for the following February intake — check Monash scholarship portal
👉 Official Website: monash.edu/study/fees-scholarships/scholarships/find-a-scholarship/monash-international-leadership-scholarship
🏆 9. Adelaide Scholarships International (ASI)
Degree Level: Master’s by Research, PhD Coverage: Full tuition fee waiver + Living allowance (~AUD $34,000–$37,000/yr) + OSHC Eligibility: University of Adelaide top-performing research postgraduates
The Adelaide Scholarships International (ASI) provides comprehensive funding for outstanding international researchers at the University of Adelaide — one of Australia’s oldest and most research-intensive universities, particularly renowned for agricultural sciences, wine science, engineering, and health sciences.
What it covers:
- Full tuition fee waiver for the research degree duration
- Annual living allowance of approximately AUD $34,000–$37,000 (~$22,500–$24,500 USD)
- OSHC — full health insurance coverage
Adelaide’s advantage: Adelaide is Australia’s most affordable major city for student living — monthly costs approximately 25–35% lower than Sydney or Melbourne. This makes the ASI stipend go significantly further in Adelaide than comparable stipends in other cities.
Deadline: Typically 30 September for the following February intake
👉 Official Website: adelaide.edu.au/scholarships/ug-research
🏆 10. Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship
Degree Level: Master’s, PhD Coverage: Up to AUD $120,000 total + Tuition + Living expenses + Global travel Eligibility: Participating partner universities — ambitious graduate leaders
The Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship — funded by the Westpac Bicentennial Foundation — is one of Australia’s most distinctive and holistic scholarships, combining exceptional financial support with a comprehensive leadership development program designed to develop Australia’s next generation of influential leaders.
What it covers:
- Total award value of up to AUD $120,000 over the scholarship period
- Tuition fees at participating Australian universities
- Living expenses — monthly support for the full program
- Global travel — funded overseas experiences for global perspective development
- Access to Westpac’s extraordinary alumni network and mentorship program
Who can apply: Outstanding Australian citizens and permanent residents (plus eligible categories of visa holders) pursuing postgraduate study at Westpac Foundation partner universities. Must demonstrate exceptional leadership potential and commitment to creating positive change in Australia.
Note: While primarily targeting Australian citizens, this scholarship is included for international permanent residents and as a model of the extraordinary value of Australian foundation scholarships.
Deadline: Typically March–April annually
👉 Official Website: westpacgroup.com.au/about-westpac/westpac-bicentennial-foundation
Quick Reference — All 10 Australia Scholarships
| # | Scholarship | Level | Annual Stipend | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia Awards (AAS) | All levels | AUD $27,000 + full pkg | 30 April |
| 2 | RTP | Masters/PhD | AUD $34,000–$44,000 | Aug/Oct |
| 3 | Melbourne Research | Masters/PhD | AUD $37,000 + full tuition | 31 Oct |
| 4 | USYD International Stipend | Masters/PhD | AUD $42,000–$44,000 | 30 Sep |
| 5 | UNSW IGRS | Masters/PhD | AUD $35,000–$37,000 | 31 Jul |
| 6 | UQ High Achievement | All levels | AUD $10k OR full research pkg | Sep/Oct |
| 7 | ANU Research | Masters/PhD | AUD $36,000 + dependent | 31 Aug |
| 8 | Monash Leadership | Bachelors/Masters | 100% tuition | Sep–Nov |
| 9 | Adelaide ASI | Masters/PhD | AUD $34,000–$37,000 | 30 Sep |
| 10 | Westpac Future Leaders | Masters/PhD | Up to AUD $120,000 total | Mar–Apr |
OSHC — Health Insurance Every Australian International Student Needs
Every international student in Australia on a student visa must hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the full duration of their enrollment. Most scholarships on this list include OSHC — but understand what it covers.
What OSHC covers:
- Hospital treatment (public and some private hospitals)
- GP consultations (Medicare-equivalent for international students)
- Some specialist consultations
- Emergency ambulance services
- Limited pharmaceutical benefits
What OSHC does NOT cover:
- Dental treatment (beyond emergency only)
- Optical care (eye tests and glasses)
- Physiotherapy beyond injury treatment
- Cosmetic procedures
Major OSHC providers:
Medibank Private — Most Widely Used Australia’s most popular OSHC provider, with the most extensive network. 👉 medibank.com.au/international-students
BUPA Australia — Comprehensive Coverage Strong network and good digital management app. 👉 bupa.com.au/oshc
nib OSHC — Best Value Competitive pricing with good coverage levels. 👉 nib.com.au/overseas-students
Allianz Care Australia Strong coverage particularly for students at regional universities. 👉 allianzassistanchealth.com.au/en/oshc
Scholarship OSHC: Australia Awards, USYD IS, UNSW IGRS, Melbourne Research, ANU Research, and Adelaide ASI all include OSHC — your provider will be arranged and paid by the scholarship program. Confirm exact arrangements in your award letter.
Banking in Australia — Complete Setup Guide
ANZ Bank — Best Pre-Arrival Option ANZ allows online account initiation from your home country and provides an account number before you arrive. Student account available. 👉 anz.com.au/personal/bank-accounts
Commonwealth Bank (CBA) — Best Campus Presence Australia’s largest bank with branches at or near every major university campus. Student Smart Access account with no monthly fees for students under 25. 👉 commbank.com.au/student-accounts
NAB (National Australia Bank) — Strong Digital Banking Good English digital banking with competitive student account features. 👉 nab.com.au/personal/bank-accounts/everyday-accounts/student-card
Westpac — Good for Scholarship Recipients Westpac’s Future Leaders Scholarship connection makes Westpac accounts particularly convenient for scholarship recipients. 👉 westpac.com.au/everyday-banking/bank-accounts/student-account
Wise — Best Pre-Arrival International Transfer Tool Open an AUD account from home before departure. Excellent for receiving initial scholarship stipend payments before your Australian bank account is established. 👉 wise.com
Tax File Number (TFN): Apply for your Tax File Number at the ATO (Australian Tax Office) website within your first weeks — required for employment (including research assistantships), banking investment products, and annual tax returns. Apply online at ato.gov.au.
Australian Student Visa (Subclass 500) — Financial Requirements
All non-Australian international students need a Student Visa (Subclass 500).
Financial proof required:
- Tuition fees for first year of study
- Living costs: approximately AUD $24,505/year (current DIBP requirement — verify at homeaffairs.gov.au)
- Travel costs to and from Australia
- Scholarship award letters count as financial proof
Application: Online through the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) portal at homeaffairs.gov.au
Processing time: Typically 4–6 weeks for most nationalities
GTE (Genuine Temporary Entrant) requirement: Australia’s student visa requires a Genuine Temporary Entrant statement — explaining why you want to study in Australia and your intention to return home. Scholarship recipients generally have strong GTE cases — your scholarship demonstrates legitimate academic purpose.
5 Tips to Maximize Your Australia Scholarship Success
Australia Awards is your highest-priority target if eligible. If you are from an AAS partner country, this is the most comprehensive scholarship available — full tuition, stipend, airfare, OSHC, and establishment allowance. The 30 April deadline is absolute — apply well in advance.
USYD International Stipend’s AUD $42,000–$44,000 is Australia’s highest research stipend. For PhD researchers in any discipline, USYD IS provides approximately AUD $5,000–$7,000/year more than comparable research scholarships elsewhere — a meaningful financial advantage worth targeting.
Melbourne and ANU include dependent allowances — rare in Australian scholarships. If you have accompanying family members, the dependent allowances at these universities significantly change your financial equation. Factor this into your university selection.
Apply to multiple Australian universities simultaneously. Most RTP and university research scholarships consider all qualified admitted research students automatically — applying to 4–5 Australian universities for PhD admission gives you 4–5 separate scholarship considerations.
Adelaide’s lower living costs make ASI’s stipend go further. AUD $34,000–$37,000/year in Adelaide provides a lifestyle comparable to AUD $45,000–$50,000 in Sydney. If your research can be conducted at Adelaide, the total financial quality of life may be higher despite the nominally lower stipend.
Final Thoughts — Australia’s Scholarship Ecosystem Is World Class
Australia in 2027 offers international students a genuinely extraordinary proposition: Group of Eight research universities competing with the world’s best, scholarship stipends that make comfortable living a reality, OSHC health insurance that protects your wellbeing from day one, and a post-study visa system that provides 2–4 years of work rights as a direct pathway to Australian permanent residency.
The Australia Awards’ complete package. USYD’s remarkable AUD $42,000–$44,000 stipend. Melbourne’s AUD $37,000 with full OSHC. ANU’s rare dependent allowance. Westpac’s AUD $120,000 leadership investment. Adelaide’s value-maximizing AUD $37,000 in Australia’s most affordable major city.
Australia Awards: 30 April deadline. Melbourne and Adelaide: 30 September–31 October. UNSW: 31 July. ANU: 31 August.
Your Australian future awaits. Apply today.
👉 Australia Awards: australiaawards.gov.au 👉 University of Melbourne: study.unimelb.edu.au/scholarships 👉 UNSW Research Scholarships: research.unsw.edu.au/scholarships 👉 ANU Scholarships: anu.edu.au/scholarships 👉 Study in Australia Portal: studyaustralia.gov.au
