Earning a master’s degree in Australia can be expensive, but the government and numerous universities offer financial aid in the form of master’s scholarships in Australia. Even partially funded scholarships can significantly reduce the cost of education, although fully funded scholarships are the most competitive and popular master’s scholarships, covering all living expenses and tuition. There are hundreds of master’s scholarships in Australia, and getting one enables recipients to take advantage of the enriching experience of living in Australia while concentrating more intently on their studies. This blog will look at some master’s scholarships in Australia that are accessible to both commencing and current students, emphasizing ways to help with your academic and personal development.
Master’s Scholarships in Australia: Overview
Most master’s scholarships in Australia are generally NOT fully funded and are harder to obtain than fully funded PhD scholarships in Australia. It is particularly difficult for students pursuing master’s or undergraduate degrees because comprehensive financial support is rarely provided at lower educational levels. When applying for a scholarship, your GPA and grades are very important. While international students frequently face limited and extremely competitive opportunities, domestic students, including Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, and applicants who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, have access to a wide variety of master’s scholarships in Australia. To gain a better understanding of the typical eligibility requirements and expectations of Australian universities, we will examine examples of master’s scholarships they offer below.
Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships in Australia
Australian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP)
The Australian Government provides fully funded master’s scholarships through the Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship to both domestic and foreign students pursuing research-based master’s degrees at participating universities. The RTP pays for all tuition costs, offers a living allowance (roughly A$35,000 annually, tax-free), and may also cover living expenses and thesis support. Many universities provide RTP funding for Master’s by Research students, even though it is best known for assisting PhD candidates. The selection process is extremely competitive and is determined by prior accomplishments, research potential, and academic merit. With the RTP, students can concentrate entirely on their research without having to worry about paying for living expenses or tuition.
ARIAM Research Hub Scholarship at University of Sydney
The University of Sydney’s ARIAM Research Hub Scholarship is a fully funded master’s by research program in Australia that is open to PhD candidates as well. It is intended for exceptional students in the Faculty of Engineering and supports Master’s by Research students for up to 1 year. Together with the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF), the scholarship offers a tax-free stipend equal to the national Research Training Program (RTP) rate, ca. A$40,000 per year. Recipients must be admitted under ARIAM supervision and possess an honors degree (First or Second Class Upper). Master’s students can pursue innovative robotics and asset management research with this scholarship, completely free from financial obligations.
Partially Funded Master’s Scholarships in Australia
Partially Funded Master’s Scholarships in Australia for International Students
Go Beyond Scholarship at Flinders University
Flinders University offers a Go Beyond Scholarship, which is partially funded in Australia and intended to assist international students commencing their course-based master’s studies. Depending on their academic standing and scholarship level, applicants may be eligible for a tuition fee reduction of 20–50% for the duration of their program. To be eligible for the prestigious Vice-Chancellor International Scholarships, which waive 50% of the fees, postgraduate recipients must have a minimum GPA of 5.0. Recipients must remain enrolled full-time and serve as ambassadors for the university; eligibility is restricted to new, full-fee international students in the majority of disciplines. High achievers can “go beyond the ordinary and achieve the extraordinary” at Flinders thanks to this scholarship.
Lord David Puttnam Scholarships for Producers at Griffith University
An exceptional student enrolled in Griffith Film School’s Master of Screen Production program is supported by the partially funded Lord David Puttnam Scholarship for Producers. 50% of tuition fees are covered each trimester, and under the supervision of a mentor, it may also pay for study trip expenses like going to important film festivals or industry markets. Applicants must be enrolled full-time, show a commitment to producing as a career, have an undergraduate degree in film or a related discipline, and meet the program’s admission requirements. Through a combination of academic support and real-world industry exposure, the scholarship seeks to foster excellence and innovation in producing.
STEM Accommodation Scholarship at Victoria University
The STEM Accommodation Scholarship at Victoria University (VU) offers eligible international students applying from outside Australia the opportunity to save up to 15,500 AUD through free accommodation at UniLodge VU for up to one year. The merit-based scholarship is available for students enrolling in STEM-related master’s degrees. Awards are given on a first-come, first-served basis and require strong academic performance. VU especially encourages female applicants as part of its initiative to close the gender gap in STEM. UniLodge VU provides a secure, friendly, and fully furnished living environment directly across from the Footscray Park campus.
Partially Funded Master’s Scholarships in Australia for Domestic Students
Flinders University
Graduate Women SA Trust Master’s Scholarship
Women who are citizens or permanent residents of Australia and are enrolled in a postgraduate Master’s program at a South Australian university (either by research or with a thesis component) can receive up to A$3,000 through the Graduate Women SA Trust Master’s Scholarship, which is partially funded in Australia. This scholarship is intended to reduce financial stress and encourage timely completion for students who are in a crucial stage of their education. Candidates must be unemployed full-time, have a solid academic record, and have studied for at least six months. Referee reports, academic merit, financial need, and the scholarship’s possible influence on academic advancement are all taken into consideration during the selection process.
Hearing Australia Scholarship
Allocated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students starting the Master of Audiology program at Flinders University, the Hearing Australia Scholarship is a partially funded master’s scholarship in Australia. It covers up to A$3,000 in expenses for a one-week outreach trip with Hearing Australia audiologists in Year 2 and offers a A$12,000 stipend, paid in installments each semester, with a total value of A$15,000 spread over two years. Based on academic merit, the scholarship encourages Indigenous students to pursue careers in hearing health. Candidates must be enrolled full-time in the program, be accepted by their community, and identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Depending on funding, one scholarship is given out each year.
Griffith University
Chancellor’s Scholarships
Griffith University offers partially funded Chancellor’s Scholarships for master’s (coursework) students who have faced compounding educational disadvantage, such as being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander or living in remote areas. When enrollment and academic progress requirements are met, these awards, which range from A$3,000 to A$5,000, are given out in trimester-based installments. Domestic citizens or permanent residents (including those from New Zealand) who exhibit true hardship and uphold the progression requirements set by the university are eligible applicants. Indigenous applicants or remote learners may be eligible for additional funding. By helping underprivileged students start and finish their studies at Griffith, these master’s scholarships in Australia seek to lessen educational inequality in addition to providing financial support to affected students.
Database of Master’s Scholarships in Australia
State “Australian Capital Territory (ACT)”
- Australian National University (ANU): https://www.anu.edu.au/study/scholarships/find-a-scholarship
- University of Canberra: https://www.canberra.edu.au/future-students/study-at-uc/scholarships
State “New South Wales (NSW)”
- Australian Catholic University (ACU): https://www.acu.edu.au/study-at-acu/fees-and-scholarships
- Charles Sturt University: https://www.csu.edu.au/scholarships
- Macquarie University: https://www.mq.edu.au/study/admissions-and-entry/scholarships
- Southern Cross University: https://www.scu.edu.au/scholarships/
- University of New England (UNE): https://www.une.edu.au/scholarships
- UNSW Sydney: https://research.unsw.edu.au/graduate-research-scholarships
- University of Newcastle: https://www.newcastle.edu.au/scholarships
- University of Sydney: https://www.sydney.edu.au/scholarships/
- UTS: https://www.uts.edu.au/study/scholarships
- Western Sydney University: https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/future/why-western/scholarships
- University of Wollongong (UOW): https://www.uow.edu.au/study/scholarships/
State “Northern Territory (NT)”
- Charles Darwin University: https://www.cdu.edu.au/scholarships
State “Queensland (QLD)”
- Bond University: https://bond.edu.au/entry-to-bond/scholarships
- CQ University: https://www.cqu.edu.au/courses/future-students/scholarships
- Griffith University: https://www.griffith.edu.au/scholarships
- James Cook University (JCU): https://www.jcu.edu.au/scholarships
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT): https://www.qut.edu.au/study/fees-and-scholarships/scholarships
- University of Queensland (UQ): https://scholarships.uq.edu.au/
- University of Southern Queensland: https://www.unisq.edu.au/scholarships
- UniSC: https://www.usc.edu.au/study/scholarships
State “South Australia (SA)”
- Flinders University: https://www.flinders.edu.au/scholarships?q=
- Torrens University Australia: https://www.torrens.edu.au/how-to-apply/fees-scholarships/scholarships
- University of Adelaide: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/scholarships/
- University of South Australia: https://i.unisa.edu.au/students/scholarships/
State “Tasmania (TAS)”
- University of Tasmania: https://www.utas.edu.au/study/scholarships-fees-and-costs
State “Victoria (VIC)”
- Deakin University: https://www.deakin.edu.au/study/fees-and-scholarships/scholarships
- Federation University of Australia: https://federation.edu.au/current-students/starting-at-federation/scholarships
- La Trobe University: https://www.latrobe.edu.au/study/scholarships
- Monash University: https://www.monash.edu/study/fees-scholarships/scholarships/find-a-scholarship
- RMIT University: https://www.rmit.edu.au/study-with-us/international-students/apply-to-rmit-international-students/fees-and-scholarships/scholarships
- Swinburne University of Technology: https://www.swinburne.edu.au/study/options/scholarships/
- University of Divinity: https://divinity.edu.au/scholarships-and-grants/
- University of Melbourne: https://scholarships.unimelb.edu.au/
- Victoria University (VU): https://www.vu.edu.au/study-at-vu/fees-scholarships/scholarships
State “Western Australia (WA)”
- Curtin University: https://scholarships.curtin.edu.au/
- Edith Cowan University: https://www.ecu.edu.au/scholarships/overview
- Murdoch University: https://www.murdoch.edu.au/study/scholarships
- University of Notre Dame Australia: https://www.notredame.edu.au/current-students/opportunities/scholarships
- University of Western Australia: https://www.uwa.edu.au/study/fees-and-scholarships
Conclusion
For both domestic and foreign students, master’s scholarships in Australia provide significant financial assistance that helps them cope with the high cost of tuition and living expenses. Partially funded scholarships are still available at universities for a variety of study areas and student backgrounds, even though fully funded options are uncommon and very competitive, particularly for international applicants. Australia offers specialized scholarship opportunities to help you on your path, whether you are an international achiever, an Indigenous student, or an aspiring researcher. Your master’s program in Australia can be more affordable and enriching if you are aware of the standard eligibility requirements, which include financial need, research potential, and academic merit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are fully funded master’s scholarships in Australia common?
No, they are quite rare. Most fully funded scholarships are reserved for PhD students. Master’s applicants, especially international ones, face strong competition and limited availability.
Can international students apply for master’s scholarships in Australia?
Yes, but most master’s scholarships in Australia are aimed at domestic students. International students can still apply for competitive options like the RTP or university-specific awards.
Do I need research experience to apply for master’s scholarships in Australia?
Only for research-based master’s programs. Coursework scholarships usually focus on academic grades, leadership, and specific eligibility factors (e.g., Indigenous status or field of study).
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