Application Deadline: 30 April 2025
Applications are now open for the 2026 The Australia Awards Africa Scholarship Program. Australia Awards scholarships are prestigious international awards offered by the Australian Government to the next generation of global leaders in developing countries. Through study and research, recipients develop the skills and knowledge to drive change and help build enduring people-to-people links with Australia. Applicants are assessed on their professional and personal qualities, academic competence and, most importantly, their potential to positively impact inclusive development in eligible countries.
Level of study
These scholarships allow citizens of eligible African countries to obtain postgraduate qualifications at an Australian tertiary institution. Priority fields of study The priority areas of study for Africa are:
- Agriculture and food security
- Climate change
- Foreign policy and international security
- Gender, disability, and social inclusion
- Mining and energy
Requirements
In addition to the eligibility requirements, candidates from eligible African countries must also meet the following conditions:
- Be a minimum of 25 years of age on 1 February 2026
- At a minimum, have 5 years of post-graduate work experience, working in a field relative to their field of study
- Be employed at the time of applying for the scholarship
- Be a citizen of Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia or Zimbabwe and be residing in and applying for the scholarship from their country of citizenship, unless working for an African Regional Organisation or working on diplomatic mission for their home country.
- Not already hold or be undertaking a Master’s degree or equivalent (equivalent to a Master’s degree in home country)
- Already hold an undergraduate degree (equivalent to an Australian undergraduate degree)
- Not have previously received a long-term Australia Award
Meet the minimum English language proficiency of at least 6.5 in IELTS with no band less than 6.0 (an internet based TOEFL score of at least 84, with a minimum of 21 in all subtests, or PTE Academic overall score of 58 with no communicative skill score less than 50). Scores must be valid on 1 January 2025. (Excluding candidates if their first language is English and they have undertaken their education in English).
Australia Awards Benefits
Scholarship recipients will receive the following:
- return air travel
- a one-off establishment allowance on arrival
- full tuition fees
- contribution to living expenses
- introductory academic program
- overseas student health cover for the duration of the scholarship
- supplementary academic support
- fieldwork allowance for research students and Masters by coursework which has a compulsory fieldwork component
- Disability support and reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities (assessed on a case-bycase basis).
The application process
- Applications for study commencing in 2026 will be received online through OASIS via the Australia Awards Africa website.
- Apply online
- When applying online, all essential supporting documents must be uploaded.
Supporting documents
Applicants must submit all the relevant supporting documents listed in the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook. Applicants must also provide the following documents to meet the specific requirements for the Africa program:
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the The Australia Awards Africa Scholarship Program