Australian universities run a wide range of merit-based entrance scholarships specifically for international undergraduates, most of which reduce tuition fees automatically based on the strength of the admission application.
The ten programs below give a solid starting point across several of Australia’s major universities.
1. Deakin International 20 Percent Merit Scholarship
The [Deakin International 20 Percent Merit Scholarship](/deakin-international-20-percent-merit-scholarship/) automatically reduces tuition by a fixed percentage for eligible international undergraduate applicants who meet the academic entry standard.
2. Macquarie Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship
The [Macquarie Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship](/macquarie-vice-chancellors-scholarship/) substantially reduces tuition fees for high-achieving international students admitted to an undergraduate degree at Macquarie University.
3. RMIT International Excellence Scholarship
The [RMIT International Excellence Scholarship](/rmit-international-excellence-scholarship/) provides a tuition fee reduction for high-achieving international students commencing an undergraduate degree at RMIT University.
4. Monash International Leadership Scholarship
The [Monash International Leadership Scholarship](/monash-international-leadership-scholarship/) supports international undergraduates who combine strong academic performance with demonstrated leadership, covering a substantial portion of tuition fees.
5. ANU Chancellor’s International Scholarship
The [ANU Chancellor’s International Scholarship](/anu-chancellors-international-scholarship/) offers a tuition fee reduction to high-achieving incoming international undergraduates at the Australian National University.
6. UNSW Australia’s Global University Award
The [UNSW Global University Award](/unsw-global-university-award/) offers a tuition fee reduction to eligible international undergraduate applicants from a defined list of partner countries and institutions.
7. University of Adelaide Global Academic Excellence Scholarship
The University of Adelaide offers this scholarship to incoming international undergraduates with strong academic records, reducing tuition fees for the length of the degree.
8. University of Queensland International Scholarship
UQ awards this scholarship to high-achieving international undergraduates, providing a tuition fee reduction based on academic merit assessed during admission.
9. Curtin International Scholarship
Curtin University offers a tuition fee reduction to eligible international undergraduates who meet its academic merit criteria, applied automatically at the point of offer.
10. Griffith University International Excellence Scholarship
Griffith University offers this scholarship to international undergraduates with strong academic achievement, reducing tuition fees for the standard duration of the degree.
Because most of these scholarships are assessed automatically from the admissions application, submitting a complete academic transcript alongside a well-documented English test score usually matters more than a separate scholarship essay.
Students should also budget for Australia.’s Overseas Student Health Cover requirement, which is mandatory for the length of the student visa and is separate from any tuition scholarship received from the university.
Many Australian universities also allow applicants to be automatically considered for more than one scholarship through a single admission application, so selecting the correct intake and course code at the point of applying can open up multiple funding opportunities at once.
Checking each university.’s scholarship closing date against the relevant intake, whether February, July, or a trimester start, avoids the common mistake of missing a funding deadline while still well within the general admissions window.
International students accepted into a scholarship-linked offer should also read the renewal conditions carefully, since a minimum grade point average each semester is usually required to keep the award for the full length of the degree.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these scholarships awarded automatically?
Most are assessed as part of the standard admission process without a separate application, though applicants should confirm this directly with each university.
Do these scholarships cover living costs as well as tuition?
Generally no, most are tuition fee reductions rather than full living cost coverage, so students still need to budget separately for accommodation and daily expenses.
How much can these scholarships reduce tuition by?
Reductions vary by university and program, ranging from modest percentage discounts to more substantial reductions for the strongest applicants.
Are these scholarships available for every undergraduate course?
Most apply broadly across a university’s undergraduate programs, though some high-demand courses such as medicine may have separate or more limited scholarship arrangements.
Is a minimum academic average required?
Yes, each scholarship sets its own minimum grade threshold from the applicant’s prior schooling, and meeting that threshold is usually the main eligibility test.
Can these scholarships be renewed every year?
Most are renewable for the standard length of the degree provided the student maintains the required academic average each year.
Do partner country restrictions apply to every scholarship?
Only some, like UNSW’s Global University Award, restrict eligibility to specific partner countries or schools, while most others are open more broadly to all nationalities.