Sri Lanka
Applying for an Australia Awards scholarship
Australia Awards scholarships in Sri Lanka
Australia’s international development assistance in Sri Lanka helps promote prosperity, reduce poverty, and
enhance political stability.
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 impact on development challenges in Sri Lanka.
Applications are strongly encouraged from women, people with disability, those working in the disability sector and
people working in the following priority districts:
Ampara Batticaloa Trincomalee
Jaffna Kilinochchi Mullaitivu
Mannar Vavuniya Anuradhapura
Polonnaruwa Badulla Moneragala
Puttalam Ratnapura Nuwera Eliya
Priority fields of study
The priority areas of study for eligible Sri Lanka are:
Priority Sectors Fields of Study
• Agriculture
Sustainability and Resilience • Climate change Adaptation & Resilience
• Disaster Management & Risk Reduction
• Environmental & resource Management
• Food Security
• Renewable Energy
• Sustainable Infrastructure Development
• Urban Planning
• Veterinary
• Waste Management
• Water Management
• Development Studies
Stability, inclusion, and governance • Disability Studies
• Education
• Gender Studies
• Health (including Public & Mental Health)
• Law & Justice
• Political Science
• Public Administration & Policy
Australia Awards scholarships information for study commencing in 2025
Priority Sectors Fields of Study
• Social Work & Counselling
• Business Administration
Economic Development • Economic
• Finance (including Public Finance)
• Fisheries & Aquatic Resources
• Information & Communication Technologies
• Taxation
• Tourism & Hospitality
The governments of Australia and Sri Lanka regularly review these areas of study together and adjust the emphasis of
the program. Detailed information on priority areas of study can be found at: www.australiaawardssrilanka.org
Level of study
Australia Awards scholarships provide citizens of Sri Lanka with the opportunity to obtain a qualification at an
Australian tertiary institution.
Awards will be offered for commencement in 2025 within the following allocations:
• Master level qualification by coursework or research.
Australia Awards benefits
Australia Awards scholarships are offered for the minimum period necessary for the individual to complete the
academic program specified by the Australian education institution, including any preparatory training.
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.
Eligibility criteria
Australia Awards applicants must meet all eligibility requirements detailed in the Australia Awards Scholarships
Policy Handbook, available at: dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/Pages/australia-awards-scholarships-policy-
handbook.aspx
Australia Awards scholarships information for study commencing in 2025
Country-specific conditions
In addition to the eligibility requirements, candidates from Sri Lanka must also meet the following conditions:
• The English language requirements as set out in the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook. Scores
must be valid on 1 January 2025
o applicants working in the priority districts, applicants with a disability and those working in the disability
sector will be considered with an overall IELTS band score of at least 6.0 with no band less than 5.0 (or
equivalent TOEFL or PTE score).
o if offered an Australia Awards Scholarship, these applicants must meet the English language requirements
of IELTS 6.5 equivalent before commencing study.
• Be employed and the following criteria must be confirmed by an employment letter:
o applicants from the public sector must have at least 3 years’ post qualification experience in the public
sector with 2 years in a field relevant to the proposed course of study and be confirmed in their current
positions.
o applicants from the private sector and civil society organisation must have at least 3 years’ post
qualification experience in a field relevant to the proposed course of study.
• Have completed a tertiary level qualification at least equivalent to an Australian Bachelor’s degree.
• Have an academic or professional background relevant to their proposed study program.
Special Conditions
• Public sector employees selected for an Australia Award scholarship will be required to provide a copy of
their official leave approval document to the Australia Awards office prior to departure.
• Awardees must return to Sri Lanka for at least two years after completing their scholarship, to contribute to
economic and social development of the country. Failure to do so will incur a debt to the Commonwealth of
Australia for the total value of the scholarship.
• Awardees are required to sign a contract with the Commonwealth of Australia declaring they will comply
with the conditions of the scholarship.
Scholarships will not be available for courses of study in Australia where the applicant has already achieved that
qualification and the qualification is deemed to be equivalent to the Australian qualification.
Australia Awards Scholarships program will request recognition of prior learning for all scholarship recipients from
Sri Lanka. If this request is granted, the recipient may be placed in a degree program that may be shorter in
duration that what they have originally applied for.
Application dates
For study commencing in Australia in 2025:
Opening date: 1 February 2024
Closing date: 30 April 2024 (11:59PM AEST)
Applications and/or supporting documents received after the closing date will not be considered.
The application process
Online applications
All applications must be lodged online through OASIS at https://oasis.dfat.gov.au/
Australia Awards scholarships information for study commencing in 2025
Supporting documents
Applicants must also provide the following documents to meet the specific requirements for Sri Lanka:
Required OASIS
Certified
document document type
Tertiary degree certificates Degree Certificate Yes
Academic grades for university qualifications Academic Transcript Yes
Passport/National ID/Driving licence Proof of citizenship Yes
Curriculum Vitae (CV) * Other Document No
Development Impact Plan (DIP) document* Other Document No
Certificates of special achievement or merit Other Document No
English language test (IELTS, TOEFL or PTE) results certificate
valid at 1 January 2025
Employment Letter* Other Document No
COURSEWORK MASTER APPLICANTS: One academic referee report
and one professional referee report (e.g. a work supervisor with referee’s
seal)* Referee Report No
RESEARCH MASTER APPLICANTS: two academic referee reports and
one professional referee report (e.g. a work supervisor with referee’s seal)*
Referee Report No
RESEARCH MASTER APPLICANTS: a research proposal. This proposal
must include a proposed methodology, timeline, and a brief literature
review (Guideline available*) Other Document No
RESEARCH MASTER APPLICANTS: Identify 2 supervisors from each of
your nominated institutions and include details with your application
Other Document No
Any other document you wish to upload ensuring your eligibility Other Document No
*Template/documents available at: www.australiaawardssrilanka.org
Notes:
• Please refer the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook for certification requirements for
documents requiring certification. If a document is not in English, the translated copy must also be certified.
• Referee reports in different formats cannot be accepted and may make applications ineligible. Contact the
Australia Awards Sri Lanka & Maldives office to clarify reference requirements.
Australia Awards scholarships information for study commencing in 2025
The selection process
• Applications will be shortlisted after eligibility checking.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• The selection process includes an interview. Applicants will be assessed against the following criteria:
- academic competence
- potential outcome, specifically the contribution to development outcomes in Sri Lanka.
- professional and personal leadership attributes including relevant work experience.
• Successful candidates will be notified in late 2024.
• Awardee travel will be subject to meeting the requirements imposed by the Australian Government, as determined
by the federal Department of Home Affairs, Department of Education and by the relevant Australian State or
Territory governments.
Preparatory training
Successful applicants will be required to attend:
• course counselling
• pre-departure briefing
• university’s Introductory Academic Program
• other required preparatory study on arrival in Australia.
Further information
Information about the Australia Awards – Sri Lanka can be found at www.australiaawardssrilanka.org
More general information about the Australia Awards, Australia’s aid program, and studying in Australia can be found
at the following links:
• dfat.gov.au/people-to-people/australia-awards/pages/australia-awards-scholarships
• studyinaustralia.gov.au
Information about visas and Australia Awards scholarship entitlements and conditions can be found in the
Scholarships Policy Handbook: dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/Pages/australia-awards-scholarships-policy-
handbook.aspx
Contact details
Australia Awards—Sri Lanka and Maldives
Address: 75 1/1, Kynsey Road, Colombo 08, Sri Lanka
Telephone: +94 115 772 977 – 80
Email: [email protected]
www.australiaawardssrilanka.org
Australia Awards scholarships information for study commencing in 2025
