Program overview

Australia’s international development assistance in Nepal aims to alleviate poverty and provide a peace dividend by focusing on service delivery in health, education, water, sanitation and hygiene and by providing jobs through micro-enterprise development. Most of Australia's assistance to Nepal is delivered through the Government of Nepal and in partnership with other donors and multilateral organizations. Long-term Awards to study in Australia are a key element of Australia’s support and integral to the Australian Government’s development cooperation across South Asia.

The Australia Awards are aligned with Australia’s development assistance in Nepal, targeting human resource gaps in identified priority sectors.  They aim to provide awardees with the skills and knowledge to drive change and influence economic and social development. 

Australia Awards Scholarships 

In Nepal, AusAID manages the Australia Awards Scholarships on behalf of the Government of Australia. Australia Awards Scholarships are long term study and professional development opportunities available to qualified people from Nepal to study full-time in Australia. They equip scholars with skills and knowledge to drive change and influence development outcomes in Nepal. These long-term scholarships were previously known as Australian Development Scholarships.

Selection for these Awards is based on merit, academic achievement and the relevance of proposed study programs to development priorities agreed between the governments of Australia and Nepal. Applications from women, people with disabilities and traditionally marginalised groups are strongly encouraged.

Australia Awards Leadership Program

Some outstanding awardees of Australia Awards Scholarships will be offered places in the Australia Awards Leadership Program. There is no separate selection exercise for this Program. This Program brings awardees together in Australia for leadership training, development discussions and opportunities to build valuable networks. 

Applications for master and PhD for the intake commencing academic year 2014 
close on 30 April 2013.

Applications received after this time will not be accepted. 

Applicants are encouraged to complete their application online at https://oasis.ausaid.gov.au. For assistance, contact the South Asia Scholarships Program (SASP) Nepal Office.

Priority Sectors

• Health
• Education
• Livelihoods/Poverty Alleviation
• Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
• Governance (Economics and Public Policy) for public sector applicants only.

Regional Awards for Water Management

Commencing in 2014, suitably qualified applicants from Nepal working in Water Management and related areas can apply for targeted Australia Awards Scholarships in this field. These Awards are at Master’s level only and available to applicants in Bangladesh, Bhutan and India as well as Nepal, as part of AusAID’s regional strategy. Please contact SASP Office for detail information.

As with all Australia Awards Scholarships, applicants must meet all general and country-specific criteria to be eligible for these Awards.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements detailed in the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook, available at: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/Publications/Pages/scholar-handbook.aspx

Applicants must also meet the following specific requirements for Nepal:

• All applicants will require an IELTS (Academic) score average of 6.5 or above (with no individual band less than 6.0) or an equivalent TOEFL paper-based/internet based test score. 
• Applications from women, people with disabilities and members of traditionally marginalised groups will be considered for eligibility with an IELTS (Academic) overall score of 6.5 or above (with no individual band less than 5.0) or an equivalent TOEFL paper-based/internet based test score. However, if they are offered Australia Awards, they must meet the English language requirement of their courses
• Have at least three years’ work experience relevant to a nominated field of study

Special Conditions

Applicants from Nepal must meet the following country special conditions:

• Applicants nominated from the public should have their nominations directed to AusAID from  the Ministry of Finance
• Applicants wishing to study a Masters by Research or a PhD must identify a supervisor
• Recipients of Awards must return to Nepal for at least two years after completing their studies
• Awards offered for 2014 must be taken in that year. They cannot be transferred to a future year

Required documents

Applicants must submit the following documents to meet application requirements for Nepal: 

The original document has been sighted and the copy has been sworn to be a true copy of the original by an authorised person at one of the following: 

i. the official records department of the institution that originally issued the document/s; or 

ii. an Australian overseas diplomatic mission; or 

iii. an Australian Educational Centre. 

• Candidates with 3-4 years Bachelor degree or two years Bachelor degree with a Master’s degree in related fields are encouraged to apply
• IELTS or TOEFL test must be valid as at 1 January 2014
• Applicants must inform the Nepal SASP Office of any connection or relationship with staff employed at AusAID or the South Asia Scholarships Program (SASP).

How to apply

1. The online application form is accessible at https://oasis.ausaid.gov.au. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit applications online. Those who cannot lodge applications on-line must contact the Nepal SASP office well before the application closing date to discuss options for lodging an application. If required, they can arrange to forward a hardcopy form.
2. Government employees eligible to apply for the Awards must be nominated by the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Nepal. They should relate their field of study to a priority sector.
3. Research applicants for a Masters or PhD must provide a research proposal with their applications and identify a potential university supervisor.
4. Applicants must complete the English Language Proficiency section in full, including their scores. Applicants must attach a copy of their IELTS or TOEFL certificate.
5. Notarized and legible scanned copies of all supporting documents must be uploaded with the online application form. Scan related documents as a single file; DO NOT upload page by page. 
6. Carefully read the Country Profile, brochures and the Australia Awards Scholarships Handbook before commencing an application. 
7. DO NOT forget to submit all transcripts and certificate from SLC onwards, a CV and three referee reports in the given templates.

Please Note

• Investigate universities and courses based on AusAID priority sectors and your previous degree and experiences. Take time and consult with colleagues who have had experience with Australia Awards.
• Consult with professors at preferred universities to identify possible supervisors if you are pursuing a research degree (PhD or Masters by research).
• Identify and verify the CRICOS Code before completing application: See link below.
• Draft a research proposal carefully, based on priority sector and in consultation with a potential supervisor.
• Review and understand the concept of ‘Development’ and ‘Leadership’.
• Use AusAID templates for referee reports and CV.
• Make sure you meet all eligibility requirements.
• Make sure that you have a three or four year Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree and a two year Bachelor’s degree.

Using OASIS to lodge applications

• Use title case for names and sentence case for other details 
• Check spelling and date of birth, passport number etc. for accuracy
• Double check information before submitting an application
• Print and keep a copy of application for future reference
• DO NOT submit duplicate applications 
• Type names correctly and in right order: given name then last name. 
• Check the character count. For convenience draft the paragraph in MS Word, count the characters, and then paste it to the application.
• Make sure ethnicity is clear in an application. Some examples of ethnic groups are: Brahmin, Chhetri, Dalit, Madhesi, Janajati. Ethnicity needs to be specific. For instance, Thapa is both Chhetri and Magar (Janajati). 
• Identify how a field of study matches with a priority sector.
• Select two universities with the same field of study to strengthen your application.
• Ensure a selected level of study is a Master or PhD degree. (e.g. Not an Associate degree)

Eligibility:

• Ensure all eligibility requirements are met.

Documents:

• Ensure that referee reports are signed, stamped and in the scholarship template
• Ensure that academic credentials include transcripts, degree certificates (or provisional certificate) right from SLC
• Ensure that identification documents include translated and notarized citizenship and passport
• Ensure that legal documents are notarized as given above
• Ensure that scanned documents are clear, legible and preferably in PDF format. Similar documents are to be combined into one file not exceeding 2 MB
• Upload only documents relevant to your application.

Scholarship management process

The selection process follows the steps below:

• Applications are screened against the published eligibility criteria
• Applications are assessed independently for academic qualifications, work-experience, English language proficiency, commitment to development and social inclusion
• Applicants are short-listed by AusAID and interviewed by a panel comprising of representatives of the Australian Government, the Government of Nepal and an independent expert 
• Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview
• Applicants complete a writing exercise followed by an interview

Useful links

• To search for information about Australian Educational Institutions and courses:http://cricos.deewr.gov.au
• For information about Visas, Department of Immigration and Citizenship: http://www.immi.gov.au
• For information about other Australian Government Scholarship programs: http://australia.gov.au/topics/education-and-training/scholarships
• For advice on studying in Australia: http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au
• Nepal - Australian Embassy website: http://nepal.embassy.gov.au/kmdu/home.html

For more general information about the Australia Awards, studying in Australia and the Australian Agency for International Development can be found at

• www.australiaawards.gov.au
• www.ausaid.gov.au
• http://studyinaustralia.gov.au/
• www.southasiascholarships.org

Contact us

Australia Awards in South Asia
GPO Box – 8974, EPC – 211
Panipokhari, Chhetrabikram Marg, Maharajgunj Kathmandu - Nepal
T (+977) 1 4002614
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: www.southasiascholarships.org

Managed by Coffey International Development