Eligibility

To be eligible for Australian Leadership Awards (ALA) Scholarships, applicants must satisfy the eligibility requirements outlined below.

Citizenship and visa status

Applicants must be a citizen of one of the participating countries listed below.

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kiribati, Laos, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Wallis & Futuna

Applicants must not have Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residence status, nor be in the process of applying.

Applicants must not be married or engaged to be married to a person who holds or who is eligible to hold Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residence status.

Note that nationals from the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau with New Zealand citizenship are eligible to apply.

Successful applicants must meet visa requirements of the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

Citizens from non-participating countries are ineligible for the ALA Scholarships program but may be eligible for an award under the Endeavour Program. For details see www.endeavour.deewr.gov.au

Residency status

Applicants must be residing in a country other than Australia and apply from outside Australia.

Academic background

Applicants must have completed a university level qualification which is at least equivalent in standard to an Australian Bachelors degree. Candidates with high level academic results in one or more university level degrees are encouraged to apply.

If you are unsure whether your previous university qualification(s) is equivalent in standard to an Australian Bachelors degree, you should seek advice from the Australian Education Centre located in your home country or in your region. International admissions staff in Australian higher education institutions may also provide applicants with guidance on the equivalence of their previous qualifications to an Australian Bachelors degree.

Applicants must not have held a foreign scholarship in the 24 months preceding the application (24 months calculated from the date of arrival back in home country to the closing date for receipt of ALA Scholarship applications)

Field of Study

Study programs must relate to AusAID’s priority areas of disability, economic growth, education, environment, food security, gender, governance, health, human rights, infrastructure, regional stability, rural development and water & sanitation.

English Language Proficiency

Applicants are expected to have strong written and spoken English language skills. Applicants must:

meet the minimum English language requirements to gain direct admission to their nominated higher education course(s) and
have undertaken one of the following English language proficiency tests no longer than two years prior to the opening of the round (ie. a test from 19 March 2007 onwards):

an IELTS Academic Test with an overall score of at least 6.5 and no band less than 6, or
a TOEFL paper-based test score of at least 580, or
a TOEFL computer-based test score of at least 237, or
a TOEFL Internet-based score of at least 92.

Please note: Test results must be attached to your application for an ALA Scholarship. For information about the IELTS and TOEFL tests and for details of the nearest location for you to attend a test, see www.ielts.org [external website] and www.ets.org/toefl/ [external website].

Note also that there is no provision for ALA Scholarship awardees to undertake or receive financial support for any pre-course English training.

Prospective applicants wishing to apply for an ALAScholarship for 2010 but who do not currently meet the required English level for the ALA Scholarships program should take immediate steps to prepare for and undertake an appropriate English test.

Offer of admission in a course at an Australian higher education institution

Applicants for ALA Scholarships must provide evidence of an unconditional offer of admission in an appropriate course at an eligible Australian higher education institution for full time studies commencing in Australia in 2010. Study by distance or external mode is not allowed under ALA Scholarships. Offers that include conditions that relate to meeting additional English language proficiency or any other conditions will not be accepted by the ALA Scholarships program. Applicants presenting a conditional offer of admission will be deemed ineligible.

It is the responsibility of each applicant to conduct the necessary research into available courses, contact the Admissions staff in Australian higher education institutions and make arrangements for an offer of enrolment letter to be issued. Applicants must ensure that, when applying to an institution for an offer of admission, they advise admissions staff of their intention to apply for an ALA Scholarship by attaching the AusAID covering letter [PDF 12KB]. Applicants should ensure that they leave sufficient time for universities to consider their request for an offer of admission.

See participating Australian higher education institutions on this website.

March 2009