Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships provide people from Pacific developing countries with opportunities to study at selected education institutions in the Pacific region. The purpose of the Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships is to give people the opportunity to gain and build the knowledge and skills to drive positive change, and influence their home country’s development.
Participating countries
Participating countries are: Federated States of Micronesia; Fiji; Kiribati; Marshall Islands; Nauru; Niue; Palau; Papua New Guinea; Samoa; Solomon Islands; Tonga; Tuvalu; Vanuatu; and Wallis and Futuna.
Eligibility and applications
Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships are currently offered for study at Pacific tertiary institutions in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, and Wallis and Futuna.
If you intend to apply for an Australia Awards Pacific Scholarship, you must read the Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships Policy Handbook.
Scholarship enquiries in each participating country should be directed to the relevant Australian diplomatic mission in that country.
Contact addresses for the each Australian diplomatic mission are available below:
Scholarship selection
Applicants compete on their merit which includes academic achievement and other selection criteria. The selection criteria vary between countries and are developed jointly by the Australian and partner governments.
The department has a gender/equity policy (with equal scholarships awarded to women and men).
To be eligible for a scholarship applicants must:
- be a citizen of and a resident in the Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships participating country
- not have or be entitled to permanent residence in Australia; and not be married or engaged to be married to a person who holds or is eligible to hold Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residence status (unless their country does not issue passports—the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau)
- meet specific eligibility criteria imposed by the government of the applicant’s country of citizenship
- satisfy the host government’s immigration requirements for regional students
- not hold another scholarship during the period of the Australia Awards Pacific Scholarship
- not be transferring from another scholarship
- not hold or have held an Australian Government scholarship in the two years preceding the proposed time of commencement of the Australia Awards Pacific Scholarship.
Study location
Currently Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships are offered to people from the Pacific to study at Pacific tertiary institutions in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia.
Citizens of Papua New Guinea are currently not eligible to undertake Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships at universities outside Papua New Guinea.
Fields of study
Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships students study a wide range of disciplines at selected education institutions in the Pacific region.
The scholarship numbers and fields of study for each country are determined annually as part of Australia’s bilateral development assistance program with that country.
Some countries may limit the level of study (technical, undergraduate or postgraduate) and give priority to certain fields of study to better meet development needs.
Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships are offered to Papua New Guinea citizens under the Papua New Guinea Health Awards for courses in Midwifery, Nursing and Community Health Work. To be eligible, applicants must first satisfy the eligibility and acceptance requirements of a participating Papua New Guinean health college or university. For more information please contact the Scholarships PNG Facility in Port Moresby or visit the Facility website.
More country specific information is available from the Australian Diplomatic Mission in the country of citizenship.
Scholarship duration
The scholarships are offered for the minimum period that the individual could be expected to complete the academic program. Scholarships may include preparatory programs (including English language tuition) which are normally limited to one year.
Applicants considering studying for particular professions (e.g. medicine, legal studies should note that they are expected to complete their practical training in their own country. Only under exceptional circumstances do scholarships include a practical training period required for professional registration.
Scholarship conditions
Applicants who are offered a scholarship will be asked to sign an undertaking declaring that they will comply with the conditions of that scholarship. Partner countries may impose their own conditions on the scholarship.
Conditions include:
- studying full time and meeting all course requirements
- not changing enrollment without the prior written approval of the department
- making satisfactory academic progress
- complying with restrictions on employment in the country of study
- accepting that the scholarship may be withdrawn by the Australian Government
- returning to the home country on completion of the scholarship
- restrictions on returning to the country of study or traveling to Australia within 2 years of the completion of the scholarship
- repaying the total amount of the scholarship if condition (6) or (7) are not adhered to.
Financial assistance
Scholarship entitlements vary between countries and institution of enrollment.
Generally entitlements cover a return airfare from your home country to the country of study, academic and other compulsory fees, an establishment allowance and a living allowance paid fortnightly.
In some countries the living allowance may be paid at a higher rate when the student is joined long term by one or more family members. No assistance is available for the airfares of family members.
