How An Australian University Scholarship Helps Your Studies

Australia is only an eight-hour plane ride away from Malaysia. Yet, many fantastic opportunities await students interested in furthering their studies. The country is home to many of the world’s elite institutions, research facilities, and academics. As such, attending an Australian university has become a Malaysian favourite for education and living.

One of the ways you can study in Australia is by entering twinning courses, which you can read about here. Another way is to consider nailing a scholarship.

Why Consider Getting An Australian University Scholarship?

1. It Lightens Your Financial Burden

Studying abroad is no cheap feat, as living expenses and tuition fees combined can eat into your savings. While not all Australian scholarships provide a 100% tuition waiver, having a scholarship will ease your financial constraints.

The University of Melbourne’s Student Financial Assistance Grant gives approximately 250 local and international students up to $10,000 of financial support. This grant is awarded to students with good academic standing but in financial need.

2. It Allows You To Allocate Your Budget For Other Expenses

Take a look at this scenario below:
The estimated cost of tuition fee per year at the University of Adelaide (ranked 109 in the QS World Rankings 2018) is AUD 39,500 (RM 119,447.22). By applying for the Adelaide International Undergraduate Scholarships, you stand a chance to receive a 25% yearly waiver of your tuition fee for the duration of your chosen course.

A 25% may not look impressive, but it is AUD 9,875 knocked off your fee. In other words, you will save at least RM 31,600! 

What does this mean? Besides reducing your tuition fee, you can now allocate more budget to other expenses. AUD 9,875 is equivalent to 

• Almost 50% of the average living cost for a student in Australia (AUD 20,000) a year
•  1 year’s worth of rental in Adelaide (the average renting price in the city per month is about AUD 800) 
•  You can afford up to six iPhone XS! (Please refrain from buying this many phones and concentrate on your studies) 

3. It Protects You From Dire Situations.

In addition, the Australian government offers international student scholarships to shield them in times of emergencies. The Australian Awards Scholarships (AAS), for example, come with the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) to provide coverage for medical care. It also has an Introductory Academic Program (IAP)and Pre-course English (PCE) fees to prepare you for your stay.

Sounds feasible, doesn’t it? Jot it down, especially if you are planning to apply to one of these Australian universities.

• The University of Melbourne
• Curtin University
• Queensland University of Technology
• University of South Australia
• Australian National University (ANU)
• University of Sydney (USYD)

You can find other participating institutions of the AAS here.

4. It Also Broadens Your Opportunities

Not everyone has the luxury to get a higher education, let alone enter self-improvement courses. Getting an Australian University Scholarship is both friendly to your savings and one of the golden tickets to future opportunities.

An international student scholarship to consider is the Monash University International Merit Scholarship. As a first-year scholar, you get to attend the Monash Minds Leadership Programme. Selected scholars can boost their leadership skills by learning from various community leaders.

(Even if you are not a Year-One Student, you can still apply for this scholarship too!)

Other International Student Scholarship FAQs

When you submit your application, remember that most of these Australian scholarships require you to either hold an offer or apply for your course first. Hence, it is important to start applying ahead of the upcoming intake.

Normally, it takes up to 4-6 weeks for applications and scholarships to be processed, so you should start submitting your applications as early as April! Good luck!