Australia Awards is a fully-funded Australian government scholarship for postgraduate study — and it’s structurally different from Chevening or Commonwealth in one important way: it’s specifically aimed at experienced professionals, not recent graduates.
Eligibility criteria, covered countries, and deadlines are reviewed each intake cycle — confirm current specifics directly at australiaawardsafrica.org before applying.
Which African countries are eligible
Australia Awards Africa covers a substantial list of eligible countries, including (among others) Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, and several more — confirm your specific country’s current eligibility, since the exact list is reviewed and can change between intake cycles.
The eligibility requirement that sets this apart
Unlike scholarships aimed at recent graduates, Australia Awards specifically requires substantial post-graduate work experience (commonly around five years) and that you are currently employed at the time you apply. It’s also generally restricted to applicants who don’t already hold a master’s degree and haven’t previously received a long-term Australia Award. This makes it a genuinely different opportunity from Rhodes, Chevening, or Commonwealth — it’s built for mid-career professionals, not straight-from-university applicants.
What it covers
Australia Awards is comprehensive: return airfare, an establishment allowance on arrival, full tuition fees, a living expense contribution, an introductory academic program, health cover, and (for research students) fieldwork support where relevant. It’s structured to fund the entire experience of relocating and studying in Australia, not just tuition.
English language requirement
Applicants typically need an IELTS score of at least 6.5 overall with no individual band below 6.0 (or an equivalent score on an accepted alternative test) — see IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo if you’re deciding which test to sit.
Application timeline and process
Applications typically open in February and close by the end of April for a decision later that year, submitted through Australia Awards’ online OASIS application system with your passport, degree certificates, transcripts, CV, referee reports, and English test scores. Given the multi-document requirement, starting your document collection well before the window opens is worth doing rather than assembling everything after applications open.
Weighing this against other funded options
If you’re a recent graduate without significant work experience, Australia Awards likely isn’t the right fit yet — look instead at Chevening or Commonwealth Scholarships. If you do have several years of professional experience and want a comprehensive, fully-funded route to postgraduate study, it’s genuinely one of the strongest options available to African applicants. See Studying in Australia for what Australia’s broader higher education landscape looks like beyond this specific scholarship.