Scholarships for Australians to study overseas: the official guide

Australia sends students all over the world, but the distance makes every plan expensive. A semester in Asia or a master’s in the UK or the US starts with long-haul flights and ends with a currency conversion that rarely goes your way.

That is why the scholarships below matter. Some come from the Australian Government, some from foundations set up to send Australians abroad and bring their skills home. We checked each one on its official page on October 31, 2026.

At a glance

Scholarship	For	Value (as stated)	Next date
New Colombo Plan Scholarship	Undergraduates, Indo-Pacific	Tuition up to AUD 30,000, stipend up to AUD 3,000 a month, plus allowances	Next round not yet announced
John Monash Scholarships	Master’s or PhD anywhere overseas	AUD 100,000 a year, up to AUD 300,000	Opens May 2027
Roberta Sykes Scholarship	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander postgraduates	Up to AUD 75,000	29 January 2027
Charlie Perkins Scholarship	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander postgraduates, Oxford or Cambridge	Full fees, travel and stipend	29 January 2027
Frank Knox Fellowships	Graduate study at Harvard	Not stated on the page	1 February 2027
American Australian Association	Graduate study or research in the US	Up to USD 40,000	31 March 2027
Ramsay Postgraduate Scholarships	Postgraduate study at top overseas universities	Up to AUD 100,000 a year	Expected February 2027
Fulbright Australia	Postgraduate study or research in the US	Not stated on the page	Usually February to July
Rhodes Scholarships for Australia	Postgraduate study at Oxford	Set out in Rhodes conditions	Last round closed 11 August 2026
Churchill Fellowships	Professionals, 4 to 8 weeks overseas	Not stated on the page	2027 dates not yet announced

For undergraduates: the New Colombo Plan

The Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan is the biggest program for undergraduates. It works in two ways:

• The Scholarship Program funds 3 to 19 months of study, language training and internships in one of 37 Indo-Pacific host locations. Benefits include tuition up to AUD 30,000, a stipend of up to AUD 3,000 a month, a AUD 3,000 establishment allowance, a AUD 3,000 travel allowance and insurance. The 2027 round closed on 4 August 2026.
• The Mobility Program funds shorter study, internships and research trips through Australian universities. Average student grants in the 2026 round were about AUD 4,500 for four to five weeks and up to about AUD 7,000 for eight to nine weeks. Ask your university’s international office which programs it runs.

For postgraduates: the big four

John Monash Scholarships. Worth AUD 100,000 for each year of master’s or PhD study at an accredited university outside Australia, up to AUD 300,000, plus a travel allowance. Applications for 2028 scholarships open in May 2027.

Ramsay Postgraduate Scholarships. The Ramsay Centre funds postgraduate study at top overseas universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard, at up to AUD 100,000 a year. The next portal is expected to open in February 2027.

Rhodes Scholarships for Australia. Nine Rhodes Scholarships are awarded in Australia each year for postgraduate study at Oxford: six through state committees and up to three Australia-at-Large awards. Permanent residents can also apply.

Fulbright Australia. Supports Australian PhD students doing research in the US for 4 to 8 months, or students enrolling in a US graduate degree for up to two years. Rounds generally run from February to July. There are also postdoctoral and scholar awards.

Study in the United States

• Frank Knox Memorial Fellowships: graduate study at Harvard. Applications for 2027 to 2028 close on 1 February 2027, and you must also apply to your Harvard school.
• American Australian Association Graduate Education Fund: awards of up to USD 40,000 for graduate study or research in the US, with priority fields including AI, health, critical minerals, defence and engineering. The round runs from 1 January to 31 March each year.

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

• Roberta Sykes Scholarship: up to AUD 75,000 for postgraduate study overseas. Applications close on 29 January 2027.
• Charlie Perkins Scholarship: up to three years of full fees, travel and a living stipend at Oxford or Cambridge. Applications close on 29 January 2027.

For both, you need written confirmation of enrolment at your overseas university.

For professionals: Churchill Fellowships

Churchill Fellowships fund four to eight weeks of overseas travel to study best practice in any field and bring it back to Australia. They are open to Australian citizens and permanent residents. The 2026 round closed on 30 April 2026.

Also open to Australians

• Gates Cambridge is open to citizens of any country outside the UK, and Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford accepts all nationalities.
• Schwarzman Scholars funds a master’s in Beijing.
• Japan’s MEXT scholarship is open to Australians.

Tips

1. Mind the calendar. John Monash, Rhodes and Fulbright all run mid-year in Australia, often a year or more before you would start.
2. Secure your place first where required. Roberta Sykes, Charlie Perkins and Frank Knox all depend on your admission to the overseas university.
3. Check value carefully. Some programs state exact amounts; others, such as Churchill and Frank Knox, do not on their main pages. Read the conditions before you plan your budget.

Next steps

See how much money you must show for a visa in student visa proof of funds by country, and plan your dates with our study abroad application timeline.