Sydney Opera House and the city skyline viewed across the harbour with passenger ferries on the water.

Australia Round closed

Australia Awards Scholarships

Australia Awards Scholarships are the Australian government's flagship long-term development scholarships, funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). They cover a full Master's degree at an Australian university for mid-career professionals from eligible countries — Sri Lanka is on the list. The 2027 intake explicitly prioritises applicants from Sri Lanka's Northern and Eastern districts, alongside six priority fields tied to Sri Lanka's development needs.

The 2027 intake closed on 30 April 2026. Australia Awards Sri Lanka runs an annual round that normally opens 1 February and closes 30 April via the OASIS portal, so expect the 2028 intake to open around February 2027 — confirm on the Australia Awards Sri Lanka site before planning around it.

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Government-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

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Value

Fully Funded

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Duration

Master's (1-2 years) + pre-course English

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Travel

Return Airfare + Establishment Allowance

info How this award actually works

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This is a separate, highly competitive application

Government awards like this one run their own selection round against applicants from across the world, and success rates are usually in the low single digits. Lanka Scholar does not administer it and cannot submit it for you. Treat it as a bonus on top of a funded study plan — never as the plan itself.

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Who awards it

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.

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How you are considered

Through a separate application round run by the funder, with its own forms, deadlines and shortlisting. You submit it yourself — it is not part of a university admission application.

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What it covers

Fully Funded + Living + Flights. Read the terms carefully: even fully-funded awards rarely cover every cost, and any shortfall is yours to fund.

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Where we come in

We help you judge whether this award is worth your time, and build a realistic admission plan that works whether or not you win it.

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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Bachelor's Degree

Tertiary qualification equivalent to an Australian Bachelor's degree, with academic or professional background relevant to your proposed course of study.

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3+ Years Work Experience

Public-sector applicants need at least 3 years' post-qualification experience (including 2 years in a field relevant to the proposed study) and must be confirmed in their current position. Private-sector and civil-society applicants also need 3+ years' relevant experience.

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Sri Lankan Citizen, Currently Employed

Sri Lankan citizen, resident in Sri Lanka, employed at the time of application. The 2027 intake gives priority to candidates from Sri Lanka's Northern and Eastern districts.

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Return for 2 Years

Awardees must sign a contract committing to return to Sri Lanka for at least 2 years after completing their studies, in line with the DFAT 2-year rule.

account_tree Application Process

Apply via OASIS by 30 April 2026

Submit your complete application online through the OASIS portal (oasis.dfat.gov.au). Late or incomplete submissions — including missing supporting documents — are not considered.

Choose a priority field

Climate change and disaster risk reduction
Economic development
Education
Gender equality and social inclusion (including disability)
Governance
Inclusive growth and stability

English-language proficiency

IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE result valid as at 1 January 2027. The Awards programme funds pre-course English in Sri Lanka or Australia if your score is below the university's direct-entry threshold.

Shortlist & interview

Shortlisted applicants attend interviews at the Australian High Commission in Colombo (typically July-September 2026). Successful candidates start studies in early 2027.

Why Australia Awards?

Run for decades by DFAT, Australia Awards has a strong Sri Lankan alumni community across the public sector, NGOs, and academia. Award includes pre-departure briefing, on-arrival orientation, and OSHC health insurance — one of the most comprehensive packages on offer to Sri Lankan postgraduates.

AUD 90k+

Avg. Total Value

~15-25

Sri Lankan Awards / Year

Since 1950s

Programme Running (Colombo Plan roots)

Planning around this award?

We do not administer this award and cannot submit it on your behalf. What we can do is help you build an admission plan that works whether or not you win it — so your studies do not depend on one competitive result.

Our guidance is free and happens face to face at any of our three offices — we don't do phone or online consultations. The scholarship decision is not ours to make.

Book a visit to plan your studies event_available See our three offices

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This round has closed

The most recent deadline we have on record was 30 April 2026. Most awards like this run annually — confirm the current dates with Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade before you plan around it.

Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?

Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.

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