Australia Awards Africa Scholarships 2027

Overview

Australia Awards is the Australian Government’s main scholarship for citizens of developing countries, run by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). In Africa the programme funds Master’s degrees only: Australia Awards Africa states plainly that it does not support bachelor’s or PhD study. Day-to-day administration is handled for DFAT by a managing contractor, Palladium.

Applications for the 2027 intake opened on 1 February 2026 and closed on 30 April 2026. The Australia Awards Africa site says the next round, for the 2028 intake, will open from 1 February 2027. The closing date for that round has not been published, so check the site once it opens.

Countries and sectors for the current round

The eligible countries for the current round are Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The list is reviewed each round, so check it again in February.

Your field must sit in one of five priority sectors:

• climate change
• agriculture and food security
• mining and energy
• foreign policy and international security
• gender equality, disability and social inclusion

Applications in any other field are not considered. Within those sectors you may choose any Master’s course at a participating Australian institution, and you do not need an offer of admission to apply: if you win the award, the programme applies to your chosen university on your behalf.

Who can apply

Beyond citizenship of an eligible country and a field in a priority sector, you need:

• a bachelor’s degree, completed before you apply
• at least five years of paid post-graduate work experience in your priority sector, or at least three years for applicants with a disability (who may also count relevant internships or voluntary work)
• to be 18 or over when you apply (there is no upper age limit)
• not to be married or engaged to an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
• to commit to returning home for two years after the scholarship

The work-experience rule is stricter than many applicants expect. Internships and volunteering do not count for most candidates, and a degree finished this year with work done before it does not meet the post-graduate test. The FAQ answers every borderline question the same way: if you do not meet every criterion, the application will not be considered.

English tests depend on your nationality

Whether you must submit an English test with the application depends on your citizenship. The test is an entry requirement of Australian universities, and good English alone does not earn an exemption if your country is on the test list.

If you need a test, book it early. Late documents are not accepted: everything has to be uploaded at the time you submit.

What it pays for

• Full tuition at any participating Australian university
• Return economy airfare from home to Australia
• An establishment allowance on arrival
• A fortnightly Contribution to Living Expenses (CLE)
• Overseas Student Health Cover for the whole programme
• Pre-course English training where required
• Reunion airfares for programmes longer than 18 months
• Supplementary academic support if needed

Family costs are not covered. Australia Awards gives no extra money for a spouse or children to travel to or live in Australia. Family can apply for dependant visas, usually only after the scholar has arrived and started the course and with the university’s approval.

Why work experience weighs so heavily

DFAT is paying to train professionals who will go back and strengthen priority sectors, and the selection follows from that. A mid-career professional with a clear plan for using the degree at home is often a stronger candidate than a top-of-class graduate with little work history, and how closely you fit the priority sectors can count for more than a perfect transcript.

The question running through the whole application is what specific change you will bring about at home with this degree. Answer it in a sentence or two, naming the problem, your sector and how the course lets you address it, and then back it up with what you have done in your years of work. The example below is illustrative, with invented details.

The stronger version names a sector, a place, a problem and a role, and its claims can be checked against the CV. That is what the panel will be doing.

Interviews

Shortlisted candidates are interviewed online. Australia Awards Africa describes the interview as the candidate’s chance to convince the panel that they should be selected, and publishes pre-interview information sheets on interview technique, returning home, the development agenda, social inclusion and managing a virtual interview. Read them all before the day: the panel will expect you to talk about your plan for going home as fluently as about your course.

Documents to have ready

• Proof of citizenship of an eligible country (passport or national ID)
• Degree certificate and academic transcripts
• Evidence of at least five years of paid post-graduate work in a priority sector (three for applicants with a disability)
• Two referee reports, on the referee's organisation letterhead, signed and stamped where a stamp exists
• IELTS, TOEFL or PTE Academic results, if your country is on the test list
• Your development-impact statement and return-home plan

Referees may use their own format as long as it is on letterhead and signed. If you graduated long ago and cannot get an academic referee, the programme accepts a report from another reputable person who knows you, such as a lawyer or religious leader.

From application to arrival

1. From 1 February 2027The round for the 2028 intake opens. Confirm the country list, sectors and closing date.
2. Before the deadlineApply through the Online Australia Scholarships Information System (OASIS) with every document attached. The 2027 round closed on 30 April.
3. After shortlistingOnline interviews for shortlisted candidates.
4. September to NovemberScholars are announced. For the 2027 intake this fell between September and November 2026.
5. Usually OctoberA compulsory pre-departure briefing, held in several locations in Africa, with costs covered.
6. On arrivalThe Introductory Academic Program, which is mandatory, then the start of the Master's.

Australia Awards gives only general feedback to unsuccessful applicants, not individual comments, so keep your own notes on what you submitted. Our guide to studying in Australia covers life on a student visa, and preparing for a video interview helps with the online panel.

Country lists, sectors and deadlines change each cycle, so confirm the current details on the official Australia Awards Africa site before applying.