Vietnam

Applying for an Australia Awards scholarship

Australia Awards scholarships in Vietnam

Australia’s international development assistance in Vietnam helps promote prosperity, reduce poverty, and enhance political
stability.

Australia Awards scholarships are prestigious international awards offered by the Australian Government to the next
generation of global leaders in developing countries. Through study and research, recipients develop the skills and
knowledge to drive change and help build enduring people-to-people links with Australia. Australia Awards will support
Vietnam to meet strategic, development, and economic challenges in priority sectors.

Applicants are assessed on their professional and personal qualities, academic competence and, most importantly, their
potential to impact on development challenges in Vietnam.

Applications are strongly encouraged from women, people with disability and other marginalised groups. A support scheme
is available to assist equal participation by people with disability and from other marginalised groups.

Priority fields of study

The priority areas of study for Vietnam are:
• Governance and Economic Growth (economics, competition, international trade, public policy, public administration,
public finance management, corporate finance, green finance law to support economic integration, entrepreneurship and
innovation, social policy and social protection)
• Infrastructure and Transport (project management and financing, traffic forecasting, transport engineering, social and
environmental safeguards, urban transport planning and management, transport master planning, public-private
partnership, transport economics, road safety and audit, logistics and supply chain management including maritime
logistics management, green building/infrastructure)
• Education (educational studies, education management, institutional governance, adult and vocational education
management)
• Gender Equality (gender and development, women’s studies, social work, social policy, women’s leadership)
• Agriculture and Rural Development (Agricultural-Forestry-Fisheries sciences, agribusiness, agricultural economics, rural
development, sustainable tourism management, food safety, aquaculture, fisheries management, low carbon agriculture)
• Regional Stability and Human Rights (cyber security, criminology and public governance, international law, international
human rights law, journalism and media, maritime sustainability, and maritime security), international law of the sea,
transboundary waterways management, international relations, political science, international security studies, strategies
studies.
• Disability (including social work, special education)
• Climate Change/Environment (including disaster risk reduction, environment management, climate change risk analysis,
climate change adaptation, carbon markets, nature-based solutions, climate resilient agriculture, coastal management,

Australia Awards scholarships information for study commencing in 2024

 early warning systems, reskilling of impacted communities, water management, water engineering, water governance,
water security, drought or flood management, marine pollution)
• Energy, energy transition
• Innovation (science and technology transfer, and commercialisation)
• Health (including vaccinate cooperation, research, health systems strengthening, and degrees that support Vietnam’s
COVID-19 recovery)
• Cyber security (including cybercrime, cyber technology standards, international cyber norms, digital transformation, and
digital infrastructure)
• Information Technology (hardware and software) (for applicants with disability only)
Studies in other fields (except Master of Business Administration, Medicine, Pharmacy) will be considered based on merit.
The governments of Australia and Vietnam regularly review these areas of study together and adjust the emphasis of the
program.
Applicants should select courses that align with their experience and qualifications or provide a strong justification for
courses that represent a shift in career focus or direction.

Applicants are recommended to use the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students
(CRICOS) for course selection.

Level of study
Australia Awards scholarships provide citizens of Vietnam with the opportunity to obtain a qualification at an Australian
tertiary institution.

Awards will be offered for Master Degree commencing in 2024 with the following allocations:
• central, city/provincial/district-level agencies
• vocational education and training colleges
• universities
• Vietnamese / State research institutions
• Vietnamese companies
• Vietnamese NGOs
• international NGOs, UN agencies, embassies,
• international companies (for people with disabilities).

Australia Awards benefits

Australia Awards scholarships are offered for the minimum period necessary for the individual to complete the academic
program specified by the Australian education institution, including any preparatory training.
If recognition of prior learning is granted, the recipient may be placed in a degree program that is shorter in duration than
for which they have originally applied for.
Scholarship recipients will receive the following:
• return air travel
• a one-off establishment allowance on arrival
• full tuition fees
• contribution to living expenses
• introductory academic program
• overseas student health cover for the duration of the scholarship
• supplementary academic support,
• fieldwork allowance for research students and masters by coursework with compulsory fieldwork.
Split courses in International and Development Economics, and Environmental and Resource Economics are available.
Further details can be found at australiaawardsvietnam.org.

Eligibility criteria
Australia Awards applicants must meet all eligibility requirements detailed in the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy
Handbook, available at https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/aus-awards-scholarships-policy-handbook.pdf
Australia Awards scholarships information for study commencing in 2024
Country-specific conditions
In addition to the eligibility requirements, candidates from Vietnam must also meet the following conditions:
• have completed a formal undergraduate degree
• have at least 24-month full-time relevant work experience in Vietnam as of 1 May 2023 (except disadvantaged
applicants – see below)
• not apply for a second Master degree (except disadvantaged applicants or applicants from a specified group of
agencies applying for a different field of study).
Candidates must declare all previous study undertaken (including status) irrespective of whether it is complete, incomplete,
or ongoing and/or undertaken in Vietnam or another country1

Group GPA IELTS

• Central agencies, City/provincial/ district- No IELTS requirement at application
level agencies
6.5 IELTS Academic 5.0 (no sub-band below 4.5)
• Vocational education and training colleges
TOEFL iBT 35 (Reading and Listening 3, Writing and Speaking 12 or
above)
PTE Academic 29 (no sub-band below 23)

• Provincially based universities 7.0

No IELTS requirement at application
• Research institutions IELTS 5.5 (no sub-band below 5.0)
TOEFL iBT 46 (Reading and Listening 4, Speaking and Writing 14 or
above)
PTE Academic 36 (no sub-band below 29)

• Universities in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Danang, No IELTS requirement at application

Can Tho, Ho Chi Minh City 7.0
IELTS 6.0 (no sub-band below 5.5)
TOEFL iBT 60 (Reading 8, Listening 7, Speaking 16, Writing 18 or above)
PTE Academic 46 (no sub-band below 36)
• Vietnamese NGOs Submit IELTS certificate at application
IELTS 5.5 (no sub-band below 5.0)
• Vietnamese companies 7.0 TOEFL iBT 46 (Reading and Listening 4, Speaking and Writing 14 or
above)
PTE Academic 36 (no sub-band below 29)
• International NGOs, UN agencies, Submit IELTS certificate at application
embassies 7.0 IELTS 6.5 (no sub-band below 6.0)
TOEFL iBT 84 (no sub-band below 21)
PTE Academic 58 (no sub-band below 50)
• International companies (for people with No IELTS requirement at application
disabilities) IELTS 5.0 no sub-band below 4.5)
TOEFL iBT 35 (Reading and Listening 3, Writing and Speaking 12 or
above)
6.0 PTE Academic 29 (no sub-band below 23)
* IELTS, TOEFL iBT or PTE Academic certificates will be valid if the tests have been on or after 1 January 2022.

1
Candidates who have commenced but not completed Master level study will be considered on a case-by-case basis
Australia Awards scholarships information for study commencing in 2024
Disadvantaged applicants
Below provisions apply for the following disadvantaged applicants:
• persons with disability
• disadvantaged rural applicants, (for details, refer to australiaawardsvietnam.org).

GPA IELTS Work Experience

6.0
No IELTS requirement at application 12-month full-time relevant work experience
IELTS 5.0 no sub-band below 4.5)
TOEFL iBT 35 (Reading and Listening 3, Writing
and Speaking 12 or above)
PTE Academic 29 (no sub-band below 23)

Application dates
For study commencing in Australia in 2024:
Opening date: 1 February 2023
Closing date: 1 May 2023 (11:59PM AEST)
Applications and/or supporting documents received after the closing date will not be considered.

The application process

Online applications
All applications must be lodged online through https://oasis.dfat.gov.au/
Supporting documents
Applicants must submit all the relevant supporting documents listed in the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook.

Applicants must also provide additional documents to meet the specific requirements for Vietnam.

Please refer to australiaawardsvietnam.org for a full list of required supporting documents.

Australia Awards Scholarships are administered by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT),
which has zero tolerance of fraudulent activity or behaviour. DFAT defines fraud as dishonestly obtaining a benefit, or
causing a loss, by deception or other means. For example, providing false or misleading information or not providing
relevant information could be considered as fraud. This may include failing to declare previous study undertaken,
irrespective of whether it is complete or incomplete.
Where fraud is detected, the application will be deemed ineligible, and the applicant will be barred from applying for an
Australia Awards Scholarship in future rounds.

The selection process

• Applications will be shortlisted after eligibility checking and independent assessment.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
• The selection process includes an interview. Applicants will be assessed against the following criteria:

- academic competence
- potential outcome, specifically the contribution to development outcomes in Vietnam
- professional and personal leadership attributes including relevant work experience.

• Successful candidates will be notified in early August 2023.

• Awardee travel will be subject to meeting the requirements imposed by the Australian Government, as determined by the
Department of Education, Skills and Employment, and must meet the requirements imposed by State and Territory
governments.

Australia Awards scholarships information for study commencing in 2024

Preparatory training
Successful applicants will be required to attend:
• pre-departure English language training in Vietnam of up to 12 months (depending on your English level), if you do not
achieve an Academic IELTS result with an overall score of at least 6.5, with no band less than 6.0 or an equivalent
TOEFL or PTE score.
• course counselling
• pre-departure briefing
• university’s Introductory Academic Program
• other required preparatory study on arrival in Australia.

Further information
Information about the Australia Awards - Vietnam can be found at http://www.australiaawardsvietnam.org

More general information about the Australia Awards, Australia’s aid program, and studying in Australia can be found at the
following links:

• dfat.gov.au/people-to-people/australia-awards/pages/australia-awards-scholarships
• studyinaustralia.gov.au
Information about visas and Australia Awards scholarship entitlements and conditions can be found in the Scholarships
Policy Handbook: dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/Pages/australia-awards-scholarships-policy-handbook.aspx

Contact details
Aus4Skills
Address: 9th Fl, Handi Resco Building A, 521 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
Telephone: (024) 3939 3991
Fax: (024) 3934 6782
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.australiaawardsvietnam.org

Australia Awards scholarships information for study commencing in 2024