Australia Awards Africa
A fully funded Master's in Australia for working professionals — and for many African countries, no English test is required at all.
Offered by Australian Government (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
Australia Awards are scholarships from the Australian Government for mid-career professionals in Africa to take a Master's degree in Australia, then return home and apply it. They are aimed at people already working in one of five priority sectors, not at recent graduates. Two things to check before anything else. First, this scholarship demands more work experience than any other on this site: five years after your first degree, and you must be employed right now. Second, and this is where most guides mislead people, far more African countries can apply for SHORT COURSES than for the Master's scholarship. The official table ticks the two separately, and we have kept them separate below. There is also a genuinely good surprise here: citizens of many African countries — including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania and South Africa — are NOT required to sit an English test for this award at all.
The 2027 intake has closed. Applications for the 2028 intake open on 1 February 2027
Applications for the 2027 intake are closed. The next round opens on 1 February 2027 for study starting in 2028. The closing date is announced with each round, so check the official site once applications open rather than assuming last year's date. Use the months in between to build the five years of work experience, gather referee reports and confirm your country is still on the list.
Details checked against the official source on 13 August 2026. Rules change every year — always confirm on the official page before you apply.
TontonAfriJobs is not connected to this scholarship and never charges any fee. You can apply yourself, for free, using the steps below. Nobody needs to apply on your behalf.
Fully funded
Masters, Short_course
The 2027 intake has closed. Applications for the 2028 intake open on 1 February 2027
At least 5 years after your first degree, in a relevant field
IELTS, TOEFL or PTE — but NOT required for citizens of many African countries
Competitive
What the scholarship pays for
What you still pay for yourself
Find your country
Read this table carefully, because Australia Awards works differently from the other scholarships here. Some African countries can apply for the full Master's scholarship; others can only apply for funded SHORT COURSES. We have separated them below exactly as the official table does. Note also that eligible countries can change between rounds, so confirm your country on the official page when the 2028 round opens on 1 February 2027.
Eligible, but read this first
Cameroon
Cameroon is eligible for Australia Awards SHORT COURSES, but not for the Master's scholarship. The official eligibility table ticks only the short-course column for Cameroon. Short courses are real, funded training — but if you want a full Master's, look at the other scholarships on this site instead.
See the short coursesCôte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire is eligible for Australia Awards SHORT COURSES, but not for the Master's scholarship. The official eligibility table ticks only the short-course column for Côte d'Ivoire. Short courses are real, funded training — but if you want a full Master's, look at the other scholarships on this site instead.
See the short coursesEthiopia
Ethiopia is eligible for Australia Awards SHORT COURSES, but not for the Master's scholarship. The official eligibility table ticks only the short-course column for Ethiopia. Short courses are real, funded training — but if you want a full Master's, look at the other scholarships on this site instead.
See the short coursesNamibia
Namibia is eligible for Australia Awards SHORT COURSES, but not for the Master's scholarship. The official eligibility table ticks only the short-course column for Namibia. Short courses are real, funded training — but if you want a full Master's, look at the other scholarships on this site instead.
See the short coursesRwanda
Rwanda is eligible for Australia Awards SHORT COURSES, but not for the Master's scholarship. The official eligibility table ticks only the short-course column for Rwanda. Short courses are real, funded training — but if you want a full Master's, look at the other scholarships on this site instead.
See the short coursesSenegal
Senegal is eligible for Australia Awards SHORT COURSES, but not for the Master's scholarship. The official eligibility table ticks only the short-course column for Senegal. Short courses are real, funded training — but if you want a full Master's, look at the other scholarships on this site instead.
See the short coursesSomalia
Somalia is eligible for Australia Awards SHORT COURSES, but not for the Master's scholarship. The official eligibility table ticks only the short-course column for Somalia. Short courses are real, funded training — but if you want a full Master's, look at the other scholarships on this site instead.
See the short coursesSouth Sudan
South Sudan is eligible for Australia Awards SHORT COURSES, but not for the Master's scholarship. The official eligibility table ticks only the short-course column for South Sudan. Short courses are real, funded training — but if you want a full Master's, look at the other scholarships on this site instead.
See the short coursesUganda
Uganda is eligible for Australia Awards SHORT COURSES, but not for the Master's scholarship. The official eligibility table ticks only the short-course column for Uganda. Short courses are real, funded training — but if you want a full Master's, look at the other scholarships on this site instead.
See the short coursesZimbabwe
Zimbabwe is eligible for Australia Awards SHORT COURSES, but not for the Master's scholarship. The official eligibility table ticks only the short-course column for Zimbabwe. Short courses are real, funded training — but if you want a full Master's, look at the other scholarships on this site instead.
See the short coursesDon't see your country? Eligibility can change each year — check the official country list.
Can I apply?
You need to be able to tick every box below. Each one links to the official page that states the rule.
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You are a citizen of an eligible African country, living and working in your own country — or working for your home government in another African country. Official eligibility table
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You hold a bachelor's degree — and you must NOT already hold a Master's degree. This rules out anyone hoping for a second Master's. Application requirements
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You have at least 5 years of post-graduate work experience in one of the priority fields, and you are employed right now. This is the strictest work requirement of any scholarship on this site. Official FAQ
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Your field is one of the five priorities: climate change; agriculture and food security; mining and energy; foreign policy and international security; or gender equality, disability and social inclusion. Applications in any other field are not considered. Priority fields
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You can show clearly how what you learn will improve policy, practice or reform back home. This is a stated selection criterion, not a formality. Selection criteria
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You can meet the requirements for an Australian student visa (subclass 500). Visa requirement
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Applications are strongly encouraged from women, people with disability and other marginalised groups, and the programme runs a Women in Leadership Network to support female scholars. Support for women
How to apply, step by step
Do these in order. Every step links to the exact official page you need — you never have to guess, and you never need an agent.
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1
Check whether your country gets a Master's or only short courses
This is the first thing to establish. The official table has two columns, and many African countries are ticked only for short courses. Find your country in the list above before planning anything.
Official eligibility table -
2
Check you have five years of work experience in a priority field
You need five years after your first degree, in climate change, agriculture and food security, mining and energy, foreign policy and international security, or gender equality and social inclusion. Applications outside these fields are not considered at all.
Priority fields -
3
Find out whether you need an English test — many do not
Citizens of Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe do NOT need to submit an English test for this award. Check before you pay for one.
English test rules -
4
Arrange two referee reports early
Two referee reports are required. There is an official template, but you may use your own as long as it covers what they ask. If you cannot get a work referee, the programme accepts a reputable community figure such as a lawyer or religious leader.
Referee report template -
5
Register for an information session before applying
Australia Awards runs free information sessions for applicants. These are run by the programme itself, so the guidance is accurate and costs nothing.
Register for a session -
6
Apply online through OASIS when the round opens on 1 February 2027
All applications are made online through the OASIS system, linked from the Australia Awards Africa website. Nothing is submitted on paper and no agent can lodge it for you.
Apply for an award
Papers you need to prepare
Start gathering these early — some take weeks to get.
Your bachelor's degree certificate and transcripts
And confirmation that you do not already hold a Master's.
Proof of 5 years post-graduate work experience
Must be in one of the five priority fields.
Proof you are currently employed
You must be working at the time you apply.
Two referee reports
An official template exists; your own format is accepted if it covers the same ground.
IELTS, TOEFL or PTE result
ONLY if you are a citizen of one of the countries that requires it — many do not.
A valid passport
Needed for the subclass 500 student visa later.
English test — which one to take
An English test proves you can study in English. You take it at a test centre (or sometimes at home), pay a fee, and receive a score. Book directly on the official website below — never pay an agent to book it for you.
No English test required (many countries)
Australia Awards does NOT require an English test from citizens of Botswana, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
If your country is on that list, do not pay for IELTS for this scholarship. Check the official FAQ yourself before spending the money.
IELTS, TOEFL or PTE Academic (required countries)
Citizens of Algeria, Angola, Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique and Rwanda must submit a test result.
Australia Awards says these requirements come from the Australian universities themselves, so there is no exemption even if your English is excellent.
Questions people ask
When do Australia Awards Africa applications open?
Applications for the Australia Awards 2027 intake have closed. The next round, for the 2028 intake, opens on 1 February 2027. The closing date is announced with each round, so check the Australia Awards Africa website once applications open rather than relying on a previous year's date.
Which African countries can get an Australia Awards Master's scholarship?
The official eligibility table currently ticks the Australia Awards Scholarship column for Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia. Other African countries — including Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe — are listed for short courses only, not for the Master's scholarship.
Do I need IELTS for Australia Awards?
Not if you are a citizen of Botswana, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia or Zimbabwe — Australia Awards does not require an English test from these countries. Citizens of Algeria, Angola, Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique and Rwanda must submit an IELTS, TOEFL or PTE Academic result.
How much work experience do I need for Australia Awards?
You need at least five years of post-graduate work experience in a relevant field, and you must be employed at the time you apply. This is the strictest work requirement among the major scholarships for Africans — Chevening and DAAD both ask for two years, and Erasmus Mundus asks for none.
Can I apply for Australia Awards if I already have a Master's degree?
No. Australia Awards Africa states that applicants must not already hold a Master's degree. The scholarship is intended for mid-career professionals gaining their first Master's qualification, so a second Master's cannot be funded.
What subjects does Australia Awards fund?
Australia Awards Africa funds five priority areas: climate change; agriculture and food security; mining and energy; foreign policy and international security; and gender equality, disability and social inclusion. Applications in any other field of study are not considered, and your five years of work experience must be in one of these areas too.
Can I take my family to Australia on an Australia Awards scholarship?
Successful Australia Awards candidates can apply for their family to join them in Australia, but the scholarship does not pay their costs. Spouses are welcome at the pre-departure briefings held across Africa, though again at their own expense.
Tips that genuinely improve your chances
- Check the two-column eligibility table first. Many people prepare a Master's application from a country that only qualifies for short courses.
- If your country does not need an English test, do not buy one. That is real money saved before you have applied.
- Your five years of experience must be in the priority field you want to study. Working in an unrelated sector will not qualify you.
- Short courses are not a consolation prize. They are funded training in the same priority areas, and they are open to far more countries.
- The round opens 1 February 2027 — use the time now to line up referees and confirm your employer will release you.
Protect yourself from scams
Australia Awards applications are free and are made only through the official OASIS online system linked from australiaawardsafrica.org. The programme is run by the Australian Government through Palladium; no agent can apply on your behalf, improve your chances or guarantee an award. Free information sessions are run by the programme itself — never pay anyone for access to them.
Ready to apply?
Applications are made directly on the official website — it is free, and you do it yourself.