Australia Awards are among the most generous scholarships open to Sri Lankans — long-term, fully-funded study at an Australian university, funded by the Australian Government’s development program. They’re competitive and development-focused, and they come with a firm return-home commitment that you should understand before applying.

What Australia Awards cover

These are fully-funded scholarships, typically including:

• check_circle Full tuition fees
• check_circle Return air travel to Australia
• check_circle A contribution to living expenses
• check_circle Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
• check_circle Introductory academic and on-arrival support

They’re administered through Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as part of its development partnership with participating countries.

The development focus

Like Commonwealth Scholarships, Australia Awards exist to build skills that benefit the recipient’s home country. Selection leans toward applicants in priority development fields and toward people likely to return and contribute to Sri Lanka’s progress. Your application should make the link between your study, your career, and a real development need at home explicit and credible.

Who can apply

General eligibility usually includes:

• check_circle Sri Lankan citizenship, and not holding Australian permanent residency
• check_circle Meeting the academic and English requirements for the intended course
• check_circle Meeting any minimum work-experience expectation for your field
• check_circle Being able to satisfy the Australian student visa requirements
• check_circle A commitment to return to Sri Lanka for a set period after your studies

The return-home rule is binding

This is important: Australia Awards require you to leave Australia for a defined period after completing your studies (commonly two years) before you’d be eligible to apply for certain Australian visas again. It’s a genuine condition, not a formality — so Australia Awards suit students who want to bring their skills back to Sri Lanka, not those primarily seeking a migration route. If your goal is to settle in Australia, a self-funded course with post-study work rights may fit your plans better.

How to apply

Applications are made online through DFAT’s OASIS portal during the open window for Sri Lanka. The process generally involves registering, completing the application with your academic and work details, writing about your goals and development contribution, and supplying supporting documents. Shortlisted candidates may be interviewed. As with all major scholarships, starting months ahead of the deadline is what separates strong applications from rushed ones.

Next steps

Australia Awards reward applicants whose plans genuinely align with returning to contribute to Sri Lanka. If that’s you, book a free session — we’ll confirm your eligibility against the current cycle, match your study to a priority field, and help you put together a competitive OASIS application. For other funding options, browse our scholarships in Australia guide.