Australia Awards South and West Asia

• These documents contain essential information about Australia Awards Scholarships in Nepal for studies commencing in 2026. All prospective applicants should review this information carefully.

Information for study commencing in 2026 (Country Profile – Nepal)

Indicative Fields of Study for Scholarships

• Applicants who want to accept an Australia Awards Scholarship will need to sign a contract with the Commonwealth of Australia declaring that they will comply with the conditions of the Australia Awards Scholarship. Scholars are required to leave Australia for a minimum of two years after completing their Scholarship.

To learn more about Australia Awards Scholarships, applicants are strongly advised to attend an information session and a course advice session.

Register here to attend an information session.

Before attending a session, applicants must watch this video, which presents basic information about applying for the Australia Awards Scholarships in Nepal.

Register here to attend a course advice session.

Below is a guide to the general eligibility requirements applicants must meet. Please review the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook for a comprehensive list.

Personal criteria

Applicants must:

• be over 18 years old
• be a citizen of Nepal and currently residing in, and applying, from Nepal
• not be married to, engaged to, or a de facto of a person who holds, or is eligible to hold, Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency
• not be applying for a visa to live in Australia permanently
• not be current serving military personnel.

Study program criteria

Applicants must:

• have a proposed study program within one of the identified priority sectors
• be applying for a master’s program with a proposed course of study of no more than two years
• have not completed a qualification that is deemed to be equivalent to the Australian qualification they are applying for – Scholarships will not be available for courses of study in Australia where the applicant already has achieved that qualification, and the qualification is deemed to be equivalent to the Australian qualification at the same level.

Academic and work experience criteria

Applicants must possess one of the following:

• a minimum four-year bachelor’s degree and minimum three years’ relevant full-time work experience earned after the bachelor’s degree, or
• a three-year bachelor’s degree with at least a one-year master’s degree with a minimum of three years’ relevant full-time work experience earned after the bachelor’s degree, or
• a two-year bachelor’s degree with at least a two-year master’s degree with a minimum of three years’ relevant full-time work experience earned after the bachelor’s degree.

English language test score criteria

Applicants must possess one of the following English language test scores valid on 1 January 2026 (If an institution requires an extended test validity timeframe, applicants must meet the institution’s requirements):

• IELTS (Academic) 6.5 or higher (with all band scores 6.0 or higher), or
• TOEFL (Internet-based) 84 or higher (with all subtest scores 21 or higher), or
• PTE (Academic) 58 or higher (with all communicative skill scores 50 or higher).

Women, people with disability, members of traditionally marginalised groups and public servants will be considered for eligibility with IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 or higher (with all band scores 5.5 or higher) or an equivalent TOEFL (Internet-based) or PTE (Academic) test score. However, if offered an Australia Awards Scholarship, these applicants must meet the English language requirements of their preferred university and degree before commencing study.

Applicants with disability who require testing accommodations are encouraged to register early for English language tests.

For any clarification, please contact the Australia Awards – Nepal office.

Applicants must submit all the relevant supporting documents listed in the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook. Applicants must also provide the following documents to meet the specific requirements for Nepal:

Applicants are requested to compile documents into single PDFs by document category, appropriately name files (e.g., ‘Degree Certificates,’ ‘Transcripts,’ ‘Referee Reports’) and ensure scans are complete, legible and in correct page orientation and order.

Where documents are denoted as requiring a specified format, applicants must download and use these current templates from the section below. Documents not complying with the specified format or using a format from a previous application round will not be accepted.

* For awards, honours, commendations and achievements listed, please upload supporting evidence compiled in a single PDF as ‘other document.’

Download and use these required templates for the following application components:

CV – Template

Development Impact and Linkages Plan – Template

Referee Report – Template

The following is a guide for master’s degree by research applicants only, who must submit a research proposal outline as part of their application, alongside evidence of communication with potential supervisor as noted above. Research Proposal Outline – Guide

The application process

Want to learn more about the application process? This following videos will take you through some crucial steps.

Your development contribution

Applicants are expected to have clear ideas about how they will contribute to Nepal’s development on their return. Before beginning their applications, applicants should consider the links between their academic and professional goals and their country’s development needs. All applicants are required to submit the Development Impact and Linkages Plan (DILP) as part of their application.

Watch a video guide on how to prepare an effective DILP.

How to find Australian universities and programs

The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) has information about Australian university courses available to international students, including applicants for Australia Awards Scholarships.

It is important to read the information on CRICOS carefully because not all courses are available to international students. Visit university websites to confirm that selected courses are offered to international students.

Each course at a university in Australia available to international students has a unique code. This number is an important identifier of the courses you select. It must be accurate when you type it into your application.

Applicants are advised to approach the University for any queries on CRICOS code and availability of courses for studies in 2026.

1.Lodging an application

Applications are lodged through an online system OASIS and are valid only if all sections are completed.

2.Eligibility checks

Each application will be checked against the eligibility criteria and documents requirements. Each application will be either eligible or ineligible. Only eligible applications will be considered in the next stage of the selection process.

3.Assessment

Applications are independently assessed, ranked and forwarded to the Australian Government for consideration.

4.Shortlisting

Not all eligible applicants continue in the selection process. The focus is on applicants who demonstrate clear development outcomes that will benefit Nepal on their return. Only shortlisted applicants are invited to the selection interview.

5.Interview and recommendation

Shortlisted applicants are invited to a selection interview, which may consist of a written exercise in addition to a panel interview. The selection panel recommends candidates who meet the selection criteria and best demonstrate how they will contribute to the development outcomes in Nepal. The number of recommendations depends on the number of Scholarships available to Nepal.

6.Scholarship offer

The Australian Government considers all recommendations before offering Scholarships. A Scholarship is offered subject to a confirmed place at a university and candidates meeting visa requirements to study in Australia.

Social inclusion

The Australian Government values contributions from all people. It seeks equity and broad participation by all groups in society. This includes women, people from traditionally marginalised groups and people with disability. The selection process for Australia Awards takes into account barriers to participation faced by applicants from under-represented groups, with the aim of improving their competitiveness.

Applicants who have not had opportunities in the past to study outside Nepal have preference over those who have already had that opportunity.

Disability support

Reasonable disability support (academic and non-academic) is provided to recipients with disability based on a ‘needs’ assessment. The objective is to allow their participation on an equal basis with other Australia Awards recipients. Academic support may comprise of reasonable adjustments to support academic endeavours such as access to and training in the use of assistive technology and/or additional academic assistance. Reasonable non-academic support may comprise of full-time or part-time carers and equipment such as wheelchairs or specialised computer hardware. Australian institutions are very experienced in providing disability support.

Applicants with disability are encouraged to notify Australia Awards — Nepal of all disabilities and pre-existing medical conditions when applying for a Scholarship. Early and full notification of disability will not negatively affect the assessment of an applicant’s eligibility or placement and will enable the Australia Awards office to consider appropriate support throughout the selection process. For further information on disability inclusive support, please refer to the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook.

Under Australian law, disability includes physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, neurological and learning disability, physical disfigurement, and the presence in the body of disease-causing organisms. More information on the Australian definition of disability and the rights of people with disability in Australia is available on DFAT’s website and the Australian Human Rights Commission’s website.

For further information, contact the Australia Awards office in Nepal:
+977-1-4002614
inquiries@australiaawardsnepal.org