Masters Scholarships in Australia for International Students: 2026 Guide

As an international student, you can apply for the Australia Awards, the Research Training Program (RTP) scholarships, the Fulbright Commission scholarships and the Northcote Postgraduate Scholarship, among others, to help fund your Masters in Australia. The specific funding you’ll be eligible for depends on your personal circumstances.

Great universities, year-round sun and an excellent quality of life. . . it’s not too hard to understand why so many international students choose to study a Masters in Australia.

If you’re looking to fulfil your dream of studying ‘Down Under’, this one is for you! I’ve summed up some of the most popular funding options for international Masters students at Australian universities, with information on entry criteria, how to apply and the kinds of benefits they provide.

Research Training Program (RTP) scholarships

Each year the Australian Government funds talented postgraduate research students – both domestic and international – through Research Training Program (RTP) scholarships.

This funding is allocated to Australian universities, who then use it to support students enrolling on research Masters courses and PhDs.

Funding

• Fees Offset – this covers your full tuition fees
• Stipend – For 2026, the full-time base stipend rate is AUD$34,315 and the full-time max stipend rate is AUD$53,608.
• RTP Allowance – this covers extra expenses associated with your degree, such as health cover and thesis printing

Depending on the university and the course, you may receive one or a combination of the above funding elements. International students usually receive the tuition fee waiver in addition to the stipend.

Applications

You should always apply directly to your prospective university, rather than the Australian Government so the exact application process might differ from university to university.

When applying for an eligible research Masters, you’ll usually need to indicate that you’d like to be considered for a scholarship.

The university will then assess your RTP scholarship application based on a series of criteria (academic background, research proposal, professional experience, publications and more) before deciding.

These are some popular funding options for Australian students. Note that international students are not usually eligible for the same government finance as Australian citizens.

Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP)

The Australian government provides support to domestic students through a national loans system. This support is referred to as the Higher Education Loan Programme, or ‘HELP’ – a pretty appropriate acronym!

HELP loans are normally only available to Australian citizens, or students with permanent humanitarian visas. This usually excludes students from New Zealand or those with other forms of visa, but there may be some exceptions for New Zealand nationals who are Special Category Visa holders and meet certain long-term residency requirements.

You can receive five different forms of ‘HELP’ for your Masters degree:

• FEE-HELP loans help cover the cost of your tuition fees.
• VET student loans are similar to FEE-HELP but are provided to cover tuition on vocational education and training (VET) qualifications. These include some postgraduate courses, such as graduate certificates and graduate diplomas.
• HECS-HELP support is only available to students on Commonwealth supported places. It provides a loan to cover your student contribution fee (the amount of tuition you pay for after your Commonwealth support is considered).
• OS-HELP loans are intended for Commonwealth supported students studying part of their course overseas. In order to be eligible for an OS-HELP loan your Masters must be awarded by your ‘home’ institution in Australia. You cannot use an OS-HELP loan to pay for an entire Masters abroad.
• SA-HELP loans are available to assist with the cost of your Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). Eligibility for SA-HELP loans is partly based on your tax status. You will need to submit your Tax File Number (TFN) as part of your application.

HELP combined loan limit

As of 2025, there’s a loan limit of AUD $126,839 for HELP loans. Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Sciences and some Aviation students can get up to AUD $182,172.

Most HELP loans including HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP and VET Student Loans are included in the loan limit. However, the SA-HELP and OS-HELP are not.

The actual amount of loan you can take depends on your HELP balance. Any previous loans will reduce the balance you have. You can check how much balance you have using the Australian Government's tool.

HELP application deadlines

The census date is the last date you can apply for a HELP loan.

Universities are free to set their own census dates so we recommend you check with your institution to know how much time you have.

Some universities may have an 'administrative date' in which case you'll have to apply for the loan before this date. If you miss the administration date, you'll still have time till the later census date but you may have to pay an extra late fee.

HELP repayments

Any HELP debt you incur as a Masters student in Australia will be combined into one sum, managed by the Australian Taxation Office.

Repayments are made on an income-contingent basis, above a specific threshold (currently AUD $67,000) and deducted through the Australian taxation system. The exact rate at which you repay will depend on how much you earn each year.

You can find more information about different HELP schemes (including repayment rates) on the Australian government’s Study Assist website.

Commonwealth supported places (CSP)

Domestic students (as well as permanent residents and citizens of New Zealand) may be able to receive Commonwealth support for a taught Masters (or ‘Masters by coursework’) in Australia.

Commonwealth supported places are partially subsidised by the Australian government, which pays money directly to universities to reduce tuition fees.

Masters fees for Commonwealth supported students are much lower than those for other ‘full-fee’ students.

 Instead of paying the entire cost of your programme you will pay a smaller ‘student contribution fee’. This could be between AUD $4,627 and $16,992, though the actual cost will depend on the units you study and the grade bands they fall into. Find out more about Commonwealth supported postgraduate places.

Indigenous Student Success Program

The Indigenous Student Success Program supports indigenous Australians in higher education. You can apply for this funding if you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student and can demonstrate a need for financial support.

Universities are encouraged to design their own scholarships and support using this funding, so check with your institution for the exact details and application process.

Frequently Asked Questions