Key takeaways
- Most Australian university scholarships are 15% to 30% tuition discounts decided automatically with the offer; a few cover full tuition through a separate application.
- Country awards (20% at UNSW, Sydney and Melbourne) are limited to lists that exclude Saudi Arabia; look for the same university’s general merit award instead.
- Values change by commencement year: the UTS Academic Merit scholarship was 20% for 2025 commencers and 15% for 2026.
- Apply for admission early; limited awards (20 at Monash, 25 at Newcastle) go to students holding a full offer.
- Saudi scholarship students are outside most awards because the Ministry pays tuition, and some universities explicitly exclude holders of another scholarship.
- A scholarship is a tuition discount, not cash; plan living costs from another source.
In this article
- What types of scholarships do Australian universities offer?
- Which scholarships are available now, and how much are they worth?
- How and when do you apply for a university scholarship?
- Can a university scholarship be combined with the Saudi scholarship?
- Which mistakes cost students the scholarship?
- How KD helps you win a university scholarship
Australian university scholarships for international students are real and open to Saudi students who pay their own fees: most are a 15% to 30% tuition discount awarded automatically with the offer, and a few cover full tuition by separate application. Some well-known awards exclude Saudi Arabia by country list, and sponsored Saudi scholarship students are usually outside their scope. This guide sorts the types, current examples and how to apply.
What types of scholarships do Australian universities offer?
In practice there are four kinds of university scholarships:
- Automatic merit scholarships: a fixed percentage off tuition decided at admission with no application, such as 20% off first-year tuition under the Vice-Chancellor’s International Achievement Award at the Australian National University, and up to 50% for up to four years under the International Achievement Award, both automatic according to ANU.
- Excellence scholarships by application: higher value, needing a personal statement or separate application, such as the UNSW International Scientia Coursework Scholarship, which covers full tuition or AUD 20,000 a year and requires an application, according to UNSW.
- Country awards: a 20% discount, for example, but only for listed nationalities. The UNSW International Student Award (20%) does not include Saudi Arabia in its eligible-country list published in April 2026; the Sydney International Student Award (20% for 2027 commencers) covers regions that do not include Saudi Arabia, according to the University of Sydney; and the Melbourne International Undergraduate Scholarship (20%, 225 awards from 2027) is for citizens of countries with GDP per capita of USD 10,000 or less, according to the University of Melbourne.
- Research and government scholarships: the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) for research master and PhD students, applied for through the university, and Australia Awards, aimed at students from developing countries, according to Study Australia.
Which scholarships are available now, and how much are they worth?
| University | Scholarship | Value | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTS | Academic Excellence International Scholarship | 30% of tuition for the standard course duration | Automatic, per UTS |
| UTS | Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship (undergraduate and postgraduate) | Full tuition | Automatic, per UTS |
| ANU | Vice-Chancellor’s International Achievement Award | 20% off first-year tuition | Automatic, per ANU |
| Monash | International Merit Scholarship | AUD 15,000 per 48 credit points (one academic year), 20 scholarships, up to AUD 75,000 for longer degrees | Automatic for holders of a full offer, per Monash University |
| UNSW | Australia’s Global University Award | AUD 10,000 one-off | Automatic, per UNSW |
| Macquarie | Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship | Up to AUD 10,000, with an ATAR equivalent of 85 or WAM equivalent of 65 | Per Macquarie University |
| Newcastle | International Excellence Scholarship 2027 | 20% of the annual tuition fee, up to 25 scholarships | Per the University of Newcastle |
| Griffith | International student scholarship | 20% off tuition for the whole program | Per Griffith University |
| Wollongong | International student scholarships | Up to 30% off tuition | Per the University of Wollongong |
| Charles Darwin | Vice-Chancellor’s International High Achievers Scholarship | 50% of tuition (30% under the Global Merit Scholarship) | Per Charles Darwin University |
Values are as published on university pages up to September 2026 and change each academic year and by commencement year: the UTS Academic Merit scholarship was 20% for 2025 commencers and 15% for 2026 commencers, according to UTS. Check the scholarship page before budgeting, and make sure the university is on the Saudi Ministry of Education’s approved list if you may join the Saudi scholarship later; the program’s Australia page lists 21 approved universities (updated 14 January 2024), according to the Saudi Ministry of Education.
How and when do you apply for a university scholarship?
The rule: the scholarship is decided with the admission application, not after it. At UTS "the majority of scholarships don’t require an application", according to UTS, and ANU considers applicants automatically, according to ANU. Excellence awards ask for something extra: a personal statement of up to 500 words for the UNSW International Student Award, per UNSW Scholarships, and a statement in sections of up to 200 words each at the University of Sydney, per the University of Sydney.
Practical steps
- Choose your major and universities first, then open each university’s "Scholarships for international students" page and read the eligibility rules: nationality, level, GPA (ATAR, WAM or GPA equivalent) and commencement year.
- Apply for admission early, months before your intended semester, because limited awards (20 at Monash, 25 at Newcastle) go to students who already hold a full offer.
- If an application is required, write a personal statement with three parts: who you are, why this university, and your goal after graduation.
- Watch your email after the offer; some awards have a short acceptance window and cannot be deferred, as with the UNSW award, which "cannot be deferred", per UNSW Scholarships.
- After enrolment, keep the conditions: full-time study and no outstanding fees, which is the continuing condition at the University of Sydney, per the University of Sydney.
If you would rather have a counsellor compare conditions across universities and prepare your admission file, that is what our step-by-step process covers.
Can a university scholarship be combined with the Saudi scholarship?
Usually not, for two reasons. First, the Saudi scholarship already pays tuition, so there is nothing left for a discount to reduce. Second, some universities explicitly exclude students who hold another scholarship: Charles Darwin University’s Vice-Chancellor’s International High Achievers Scholarship requires that the applicant "must not hold another scholarship from an Australian or foreign sponsoring agency", per Charles Darwin University, and the UNSW International Student Award cannot be combined with Sponsor Partners Program offers, per UNSW Scholarships.
The three situations in practice:
| Your situation | What applies |
|---|---|
| Self-funded | You are the main target of university scholarships; apply for all you qualify for |
| Saudi scholarship student (sponsored) | The Ministry pays tuition; ask your SACM academic adviser before accepting any award, because the university may apply it to the sponsor’s invoice rather than to you |
| Self-funded now, planning to join the Saudi scholarship | Use the scholarship now, and tell the university and SACM when the joining request is approved so fees are re-arranged |
Remember that a self-funded student may apply to King Salman Scholarship Program tracks when the track conditions are met, according to the Saudi Ministry of Education; see our guide to all Saudi scholarship tracks and the Ar-Ruwaad track guide.
Which mistakes cost students the scholarship?
- Relying on a percentage read for an earlier intake; values change by commencement year.
- Applying for a country award that excludes your nationality, while ignoring the same university’s general merit award.
- Accepting the offer late, after the scholarship window closes.
- Enrolling part-time or deferring, both of which cancel many awards.
- Forgetting that a scholarship is a tuition discount, not cash; at the University of Sydney "no payment will be made directly to the student", per the University of Sydney, so plan living costs from another source.
How KD helps you win a university scholarship
KD International provides education consulting and university admissions, and states that its admission service is free for students applying to scholarship-program majors at universities approved by the Ministry of Education. A counsellor helps you target universities whose automatic awards match your grades, prepares the admission documents and personal statement, and KD has announced partnerships with Navitas and Study Group for students who need an academic pathway before university.
Start today: register your details so a counsellor can tell you which scholarships you qualify for next semester, or contact us with your question.
Frequently asked questions
Automatic merit awards such as 20% off first-year tuition at ANU, 30% or full tuition at UTS, 20% at Newcastle and Griffith and up to 30% at Wollongong, plus fixed amounts such as AUD 15,000 a year at Monash and AUD 10,000 at UNSW and Macquarie, according to university pages as at September 2026.
Most need no application; you are considered automatically with your admission application. Excellence awards ask for a personal statement (up to 500 words at UNSW, sections of up to 200 words at Sydney). Apply for admission early and accept the offer within the window, because some awards cannot be deferred.
The International Student Award at both universities is limited to country lists that exclude Saudi Arabia, per the UNSW list of April 2026 and the University of Sydney page for 2027. However, UNSW’s Australia’s Global University Award (AUD 10,000) is automatic for all nationalities, and Sydney has excellence awards by application.
Usually not: the Saudi scholarship already pays tuition, and some universities require that applicants hold no other scholarship from a sponsoring agency, as at Charles Darwin University. If you are sponsored, ask your SACM adviser before accepting any award.
Yes, but few and competitive: the UTS Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship covers full tuition, and the UNSW International Scientia Coursework Scholarship covers full tuition or AUD 20,000 a year by application. The government’s Research Training Program for research students is applied for through the university.
With the admission application itself, months before your target semester. Check the commencement year in the scholarship conditions, because the value can differ between 2026 and 2027 commencers.
Usually yes; most awards require full-time enrolment and no outstanding fees, which is the continuing condition at the University of Sydney, for example. Read the continuing conditions in your scholarship letter.
Official sources
- Scholarships — Australian National University
- International scholarships — University of Technology Sydney
- Scholarships for international students — UNSW Sydney
- International Student Award — UNSW Scholarships
- Sydney International Student Award — The University of Sydney
- Melbourne International Undergraduate Scholarship — The University of Melbourne
- Monash International Merit Scholarship — Monash University
- Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship — Macquarie University
- International Excellence Scholarship — The University of Newcastle
- International Scholarships and Finance — Griffith University
- International student scholarships — Charles Darwin University
- Scholarships — Study Australia (Australian Government)
Ready to start?
KD International helps you choose a university, prepare your admission and visa file, and answers your questions about Saudi scholarships and studying in Australia. Apply now or message us on WhatsApp.
Last updated: 14 September 2026. Fees and requirements change; always confirm with the official source before deciding.
