Study in Australia – Scholarship Overview

Australia offers scholarships for international students, but compared to countries like China, the opportunities are more limited and highly competitive. Most fully funded scholarships are available mainly for research-based programs (PhD or Master’s by Research), while Bachelor and coursework Master’s students usually receive partial tuition fee waivers. However, with a strong academic background and proper application strategy, students from Bangladesh can still secure good funding opportunities.

Types of Scholarships in Australia

1. Australia Awards Scholarship

The Australia Awards is a fully funded government scholarship mainly for Master’s programs. It is one of the few scholarships in Australia that truly covers major student expenses.

Coverage:

• Full tuition fee
• Return airfare (Bangladesh ⇄ Australia)
• Monthly stipend: approx. 2,800 – 3,000 AUD
• Health insurance (OSHC)

Eligible Majors: Public Policy, Economics, Agriculture, Education, Health, Environmental Science

2. Research Training Program (RTP)

The Research Training Program is the most common fully funded scholarship in Australia, mainly for research degrees.

This scholarship is mainly for PhD and Master’s by Research students.

Coverage (Actual Benefits Students Get):

• Full tuition fee
• Monthly stipend: approx. 2,800 – 3,500 AUD
• Health insurance (OSHC)

Eligible Majors: Engineering, Computer Science, IT, Science, Health, Medical Research

3. Destination Australia Scholarship

The Destination Australia Scholarship is a program funded by the Australian Government to encourage international students to study in regional areas of Australia (outside major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane). This scholarship is available for Bachelor’s, Master’s (coursework), and some vocational programs, depending on the university offering it. It is not a fully funded scholarship, but it provides a good financial support amount.

Coverage:

• 15,000 AUD per year (used for tuition or living cost)

Eligible Majors: Business, IT, Engineering, Health, Arts

4. University Scholarships (Partial / Merit-Based)

Top universities like University of Melbourne and University of Sydney offer partial scholarships based on academic performance. These are the most common scholarships for international students.

Coverage:

• Tuition fee waiver:
  • 10% reduction
  • 20% reduction
  • 25% reduction
  • 50% reduction
  • 80% reduction
  • 100% (rare cases)

N.B: No monthly stipend in most cases

Eligible Majors: Business, Engineering, IT, Health, Arts (almost all majors)

Study in Australia – Complete Cost Overview (2026)

Studying in Australia involves several types of expenses, and students should clearly understand the total financial requirement from admission to arrival. The overall cost depends on the course, university, and city, but a standard estimated range can be calculated by combining tuition, living, visa, and other necessary costs.

1.  Total Estimated Cost (First Year)

• Tuition Fee: 20,000 – 50,000 AUD per year
• Living Cost: 18,000 – 27,000 AUD per year
• Health Insurance (OSHC): 600 – 700 AUD per year
• Visa + Application + Medical: 3,000 – 5,000 AUD (one-time)
• Airfare (Bangladesh → Australia): 1,000 – 2,000 AUD (one-time)
• Initial Setup Cost: 2,000 – 4,000 AUD

Total Estimated First-Year Cost:
Approx. 40,000 – 75,000 AUD

2. With Partial Scholarship (Example)

If a student gets a tuition waiver:

• 20% scholarship → save ~4,000 – 10,000 AUD
• 50% scholarship → save ~10,000 – 25,000 AUD
• 80% scholarship → save ~16,000 – 40,000 AUD

Approx. 25,000 – 50,000 AUD per year

3. With Full Scholarship (Australia Awards / RTP)

• Tuition Fee: Fully covered
• Monthly stipend: approx. 2,800 – 3,500 AUD (covers living)
• Health insurance included

Almost 0 AUD (only personal expenses)