Make a difference

with an Australia Awards

scholarship

/ 01
 Australia Awards - Nepal
Do you want to be a leader in your field
and make a difference in Nepal? Australia
Awards scholarships are your opportunity to
gain a world class education and become an
emerging leader for development with strong
links to Australia.
/ 02
Australia Awards
An Australia Awards scholarship provides you with the
opportunity to gain an internationally recognised qualification
from an Australian university, plus we will give you all the
necessary support and funding to complete your study.
Your career will benefit from new knowledge, leadership skills
and the links you create both in Australia and through our
global alumni network. On your return home you can make a
vital contribution to the economic and social development of
your country.
The application process is open and competitive, providing
equal opportunity to all eligible people, regardless of gender,
ethnicity and disability.
Australia and South Asia
Australians and the Australian Government view the countries
of South Asia as friends and neighbours and want to support
their development and sustain regional growth. Australia has
been a development partner with countries in South Asia
since the 1950s, as part of international efforts to promote
regional growth and development.
With over 400 million people living in poverty in South Asia,
Australia recognises that the region requires development
support. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
represents the Australian Government in delivering
development priorities in South Asia.
By working with partner governments in South Asia to develop
effective poverty reduction strategies, Australia contributes to
growth and stability.
Expected outcomes
The Australia Awards aim to achieve the following outcomes:
• Awardees develop and demonstrate high level professional
and technical skills relevant to their areas of expertise.
• Awardees return to their home countries and successfully
reintegrate into the workforce.
• Awardees exercise good leadership, apply new skills and
nurture partnerships with institutions in the region and
Australia.
• Awardees apply their skills to contribute to improving
capacity in their organisations and institutions.
• Active and effective Australian alumni associations are
operating in each country in South Asia.
Scholarship benefits
The Australia Awards are offered for the minimum period
necessary to complete an academic program, including any
preparatory training.
They attract the following benefits:
• Full tuition fees
• Air travel: a return, economy class airfare to and from
Australia, via the most direct route
• An establishment allowance to contribute to costs such as
accommodation, books etc

• A fortnightly contribution to basic living expenses paid at a
rate determined by the Australian Government
• A compulsory 4–6 week Introductory Academic Program
covering life and study in Australia prior to commencing
formal studies
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of
the award to cover an awardee’s basic medical costs. (This
is for an awardee only and excludes pre-existing medical
conditions)
• Pre-course English fees for in-country and/or in-Australia
training, if applicable and if required
• Supplementary Academic Support (tutorial assistance), if
required, to improve a student’s performance to assist with
academic success.
These benefits are available to all recipients of Australia Awards.
Why Study in Australia?
• Universities in Australia have a good reputation; Australia
currently has eight of the top 100 universities in the world
• While Awardees are studying in Australia they can network
with other Australia Awards scholars. At any time there are
over 5,000 Australia Awards scholars in Australia.
• Recipients of Australia Awards join an elite alumni program
with scholars from around the globe.
• On return to Nepal, awardees will join the Association of
Nepalese Alumni from Australia (ANAA), an influential
organisation of Nepalese who have studied in Australia.
• Studying at Australian universities provides opportunities for
awardees to enhance their understanding of international
organisations and network with them.
• Australia has a reputation as a friendly country which
embraces multiculturalism. Awardees will not only learn
about Australian cultures, but they will find elements of home
in food and events in Australia.
Eligibility criteria
There are criteria you must meet to be eligible and considered
for an Australia Award. There are general criteria that apply to
applicants from all countries and criteria specific to Nepal.
You must meet all criteria to be eligible. We encourage you to
use this checklist below to check whether you may satisfy the
eligibility criteria for an Australia Awards scholarships in Nepal
before you commence an application. This checklist is not
exhaustive and must be read in conjunction with this brochure
and the information available at www.australiaawardsnepal.org.
Please note that Australia Awards scholarships will only be
awarded to persons who apply for an Award in the prescribed
manner and are selected through the formal selection process.
See full details of the application and selection process and the
conditions of award at: http://www.australiaawardsnepal.org.
If you are uncertain about any criterion, contact the team at the
Australia Awards Office Nepal (see page 6)
Australia Awards - Nepal
Important actions to start now
Complete an English language proficiency test
English language proficiency is a mandatory requirement at
the time you lodge your application. A certificate showing a
satisfactory IELTS/TOEFL or PTE score must be uploaded as
part of your application.
In Nepal this generally means:
IELTS (Academic):
• An overall score of at least 6.5 with no single band less than 6.0
or
TOEFL:
• Option 1 – a minimum paper-based test score of 580
• Option 2 – a computer-based test score of at least 237
• Option 3 – an internet-based score of at least 92
or
PTE:
• Academic overall score of 58 with no communicative skill
score less than 50.
Please note that English proficiency scores can be varied for
applicants from disadvantaged or under-represented groups as
an equity strategy.
Female applicants, people with disabilities, applicants from
traditionally marginalised groups and nominated public
servants can submit applications with an IELTS (Academic)
overall score of 6.0 with no individual band less than 5.0 or
TOEFL paper/internet based test scores/PTE scores equivalent
to the required minimum IELTS.
If applicants from these groups submit applications with
lower English language proficiency scores they must meet
the English language requirements of their courses if they are
offered an Australia Award.
IELTS/TOEFL/PTE test scores have a fixed validity period of
two years. For Australia Awards commencing in 2016, test
scores must be valid at 1 January 2016. This means the IELTS/
TOEFL/PTE test date must be no earlier than 1 January 2014.
Details of IELTS/TOEFL/PTE testing are available from
www.ielts.org, http://www.ets.org/toefl and
www.pearsonpte.com.
If you do not achieve a satisfactory level of English language
proficiency at the first attempt, make sure there is enough
time to re-sit the examination prior to the closing date of the
application period.
PhD and Master’s by Research applicants
Applicants wishing to undertake a Master’s by Research
or a PhD must undertake initial investigation to locate an
appropriate supervisor. Applicants must provide a statement
from a potential research supervisor at an Australian institution
giving in-principle support to their research proposal.
/ 03
 Australia Awards - Nepal
Explore CRICOS and university websites
It is important to investigate options in the courses of study you
hope to pursue. The best places to do this are the CRICOS
website and the websites of individual universities. They can
clarify several things including:
• whether a course is available to international students
• details of course content to compare course components
• how closely it fits with a particular development theme.
Visit http://cricos.deewr.gov.au
Gathering and certifying documents
You need a number of documents to complete an eligible
application. It is important to collect them as early as possible.
A number of documents must be certified (notarised) as true
copies of originals. Check the table of required documents
found below to ensure you know which ones need certification.
If you are unsure, contact the team at the Australia Awards
Office Nepal (contact details below).
Although you must upload scanned versions of documents
with your application, you will need to present original
documents if you are called for an interview.
Upload the complete package of documents, scanned in PDF
format, with similar documents in one file.
Referee reports
Referee reports are mandatory for PhD or Master’s by Research
or course work applicants. Three referee reports in the
scholarships template are required documents to be submitted
with applications.
Referee reports must use the template found here:
http://aid.dfat.gov.au/australia-awards/Documents/referee.doc
Reports in different formats cannot be accepted and will
jeopardise the strength of your application.
Experience shows that it can take time for supervisors to complete
referee reports. You are strongly advised to approach supervisors
as soon as possible to obtain up-to-date referee reports.
How to find information on Australian universities
The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for
Overseas Students (CRICOS) has information about Australian
university courses available to international students, including
applicants for Australia Awards scholarships. CRICOS is found
at http://cricos.deewr.gov.au
It is important to read the information on CRICOS carefully
because not all courses are available to international students.
Visit university websites also to confirm that selected courses
are offered to international students.
Each course at a university in Australia available to international
students has a unique code; a six digit number and check letter.
This number is an important identifier of the courses you select.
It must be accurate when you type it into your application.
/ 04
Important things to research
Development
Australia Awards scholarships are about development. You
are strongly advised to research development needs in Nepal
before you begin your application. It is important you have
clear ideas about how you will contribute to the development
of Nepal on your return. Your application and your interview
will be much more convincing if you have thought about
development and you can explain your understanding clearly.
A good starting point is the Australia Awards webpage on
DFAT’s website: http://aid.dfat.gov.au/australia-awards/
Pages/default.aspx
This will lead you to other links to help build your
understanding.
Priority sectors
The priority sectors of study for Australia Awards in Nepal are:
Education; Health; Economics and Livelihoods Development;
Governance (Public Policy and Public Financial Management)
- for Government of Nepal applicants only; Gender, Inclusion
and Disability; International relations - for Government of Nepal
applicants only; Regional: Water Resource Management.
Scholarships in the Water Resource Management priority
area are available at Master’s level only. Australia Awards
scholarships will also be open to applicants from the
Government of Nepal in the field of International Relations.
Country Profile
The Nepal Country Profile is essential reading and is found at:
http://aid.dfat.gov.au/australia-awards/Pages/eligiblecountries.aspx
It includes information such as: the target groups for
scholarships, the priority sectors for study, the levels of
scholarships available, key dates and eligibility criteria for a
particular scholarship intake.
An important part of your research is to make sure you meet
the requirements of the Country Profile. If you are uncertain,
contact the team at the Australia Awards Office Nepal.
Social inclusion
The Australian Government values contributions from all
people. It seeks equity and broad participation by all groups
in society. This includes women, people with disabilities and
people from traditionally marginalised groups.
The selection process for the Australia Awards takes account
of barriers to participation faced by applicants from under-
represented groups to improve their competitiveness.
As far as possible, applicants who have not had opportunities
in the past to study outside Nepal have preference over those
who have already had that opportunity.
It is expected that women will receive at least 50% of Awards. In
the selection process, applications from women are considered
separately from applications from men. This means women are
not competing with men for scholarships.
 Australia Awards - Nepal

Documents required for Australia Awards applications

The following documents must be uploaded with your application. A number of them must also be certified by an notory public in Nepal. If you
are uncertain about the required documents, or whether they need to be certified, or who is authorised to certify your documents, contact the
Australia Awards Office Nepal.

Document Document type Notarized

Passport and citizenship certificate Proof of citizenship Yes
Tertiary degree certificates (three or four years Bachelor or a two year Degree Certificate Yes
Bachelor degree and a Master’s degree)

Academic grades/transcripts (from SLC onwards) Academic Transcript Yes

IELTS, TOEFL or PTE certificates Proof of English Language Proficiency Yes
Certificate of special achievements or merit Other Document No

Three referee reports (two academic and one professional) using the Referee Report No
required scholarship template
Research proposal and evidence of communication with potential Other Document No
supervisor providing in-principle support for research proposal*
Nomination letter from the Ministry of Finance (for applicants from the Employer or nominating Authority No
public sector) Statement
Employment Letter (if employed) Other Document No
Police clearance certificate (if selected for the Australia Awards) Other Document No

CV using the required scholarship template Other Document No

Disability Support Processing your application

Reasonable disability support (academic and non-academic)
is provided to recipients with a disability based on a ‘needs’
assessment. The objective is to allow their participation on an
equal basis with other award recipients. Academic support
may comprise reasonable adjustments to support academic
endeavours such as access to and training in the use of
assistive technology and/or additional academic assistance.
Reasonable non-academic support may comprise full-time
or part-time carers and equipment such as wheelchairs or
specialised computer hardware. Australian institutions are very
experienced in providing disability support.
Applicants with a disability are encouraged to notify the
Australia Awards Office Nepal of all disabilities and pre-existing
medical conditions as early as possible, preferably when
applying for an Australia Award. Early and full notification of
a disability will not negatively affect the assessment of an
applicant’s eligibility or placement and will enable the Australia
Awards office to consider appropriate support throughout the
selection process. Further information is available at: http://aid.
dfat.gov.au/aidissues/did/Pages/australia-awards.aspx
Lodging an application
Applications are lodged directly into OASIS, an online
application system https://oasis.ausaid.gov.au and are valid
only if all sections are completed. Contact the team at the
Australia Awards Office Nepal if you cannot complete an
application on-line and require a hard-copy form.
Please note the following points:
• You can add and edit information while your application is in
DRAFT form.
• SAVE your information each time you make changes.
• You can revise your application up until you SUBMIT it. To
edit the application after it is submitted, it must be ‘Un-
submitted’. All edits must be completed before the closing
date for applications. To avoid last minute technical problems,
submit your application well before the closing date.
• Scan all required documents into a single file and upload
them with the application form. Please note there is a size
restriction of 2 MB for all files uploaded.

/ 05
 Australia Awards - Nepal
• Print a copy of your application for reference before
submitting it. Once it is submitted you can not print a copy.
• You will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt of your
application.
Hardcopy applications can be submitted with all required
documents to the Australia Awards Office Nepal by courier or
mail. Contact the Nepal team for assistance in submitting hard-
copy applications.
Validation checks
When applications close the eligibility criteria and required
documents are checked.
Each application will be either ELIGIBLE or INELIGIBLE. Only
eligible applications continue in the selection process.
Technical assessment
Applications are independently assessed, ranked and
forwarded to the Australian Government for consideration.
Short-listing
Not all eligible applicants continue in the selection process.
The focus is on applicants who demonstrate clear development
outcomes that will benefit Nepal on their return.
Interview and recommendation
Candidates invited for interview complete two tasks: a writing
exercise and an interview. It is an opportunity to expand on
information presented in applications.
The selection panel recommends candidates who meet
the selection criteria and best demonstrate how they will
contribute to development outcomes in Nepal. The number
of recommendations depend on the number of scholarships
available to Nepal.
Scholarship offer
The Australian Government considers all recommendations
before offering scholarships. A scholarship is offered subject to
a confirmed place at a university and candidates meeting visa
requirements to study in Australia.
Female applicants, people with disabilities and applicants
from traditionally marginalised groups that submit applications
with lower English language proficiency scores must meet
the English language requirements of their courses if they are
offered Australia Awards.
If you have an enquiry or need assistance in preparing your
application, contact the Australia Awards Office Nepal.
/ 06
Contact details
Local office address
Australia Awards Office - Nepal
GPO Box 8974, EPC 211
Panipokhari, Chhetrabikram Marg, Maharajgunj,
Kathmandu – Nepal
Ph +977 1 4002614
www.australiaawardsnepal.org
Where to find more information
There are several places you can continue to research the
Australia Awards and other related material and information.
The following websites are good starting points:
DFAT
http://www.dfat.gov.au: for general information on DFAT and links
to specific aspects of the Australia Awards.
https://oasis.ausaid.gov.au: for information about on-line
application forms
http://aid.dfat.gov.au/Publications/Pages/scholar-handbook.aspx
for the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook.
Australia Awards in Nepal and South Asia
http://www.australiaawardssouthasia.org: for information on
Australia Awards in South Asia and application requirements for
individual countries in South Asia.
Australian Government agencies
http://www.customs.gov.au: for information on customs
requirements in entering Australia.
http://www.dfat.gov.au: for information about Australia.
http://www.immi.gov.au: for information about visa requirements
to study in Australia.
http://cricos.deewr.gov.au: for information on study programs and
universities offering courses available to international students.
Scholarships information
http://www.australiaawards.gov.au: for information specifically
about the Australia Awards.
Living and studying in Australia
http://www.australia.com: for general information about living in
Australia.
http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au: for information about living
and studying in Australia.
English language
http://www.ielts.org: for information about the IELTS examinations.
http://www.ets.org/toefl: for information about the TOEFL
test options.
http://www.pearsonpte.com: for information about PTE test options.
 Australia Awards - Nepal

Eligibility Checklist
Potential applicants for an Australia Awards Scholarship in Nepal for Intake 2016 are encouraged to use this checklist to check
whether they may satisfy the applicable eligibility criteria before they commence an application. This checklist is not exhaustive
and must be read in conjunction with the Country Profile for Nepal for Intake 2016 and other information available at:
http://australiaawardsnepal.org
Please note that Australia Awards Scholarships will only be awarded to persons who apply for an Award in the prescribed manner
and are selected through the formal selection process. Full details of the application and selection process and the conditions of
award are available at: http://australiaawardsnepal.org

Criterion Your response / eligibility

Personal details
Q1 Are you over 18 years of age? Yes – please continue to Q2
No – you are ineligible
Q2 Are you a citizen of Nepal and currently residing in and applying from Nepal? Yes – please continue to Q3
No – you are ineligible
Q3 Are you married, engaged to, or a de facto of a person who holds, or is eligible to hold, Yes – you are ineligible
Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency? No – please continue to Q4
Q4 Are you applying for a visa to live in Australia? Yes – you are ineligible
No – please continue to Q4
Q5 Are you current serving military personnel? Yes – you are ineligible
No – please continue to Q6
Qualifications & Work Experience
Q6 Do you satisfy the following requirements? Yes – please continue to Q7
No – you are ineligible
For Master’s Applicants
• four year’s bachelor’s degree with three year’s relevant experiences earned in a full-
time role after the bachelor’s degree, OR
• three year’s bachelor’s degree with at least a one year master’s degree with three
year’s relevant experiences earned in a full-time role after the bachelor’s degree, OR
• two year’s bachelor degree with at least a two year’s master degree with four year’s
relevant experiences earned in a full-time role after the bachelor’s degree.
For PhD Applicants
• A Master’s degree in the proposed field of study; and
• A minimum of five year’s relevant work experience (with at least two years of relevant
work experience after a Master’s degree).

Previous Scholarships from the Australian Government

Q7 Have you previously been awarded a long term1 Australian Award? Yes – please continue to Q8
No – please continue to Q9
Q8 Have resided outside of Australia for twice the length of the total time that you were in Yes – please continue to Q9
Australia for your previous long term Australia Award? No – you are ineligible
(for example, if you were on an Australia Awards Scholarship in Australia for two years you
will not be eligible to apply for another Australia Awards Scholarship until you have been
home for four years)

/ 07
 Australia Awards - Nepal

Proposed Study Program

Q9 Does your proposed field of study fall within one of the priority sectors detailed below? Yes – please continue to Q10
More detail on the fields of study is available at http://australiaawardssouthasianepal.org No – you are ineligible unless you
change your proposed field of study
Priority Sector
Education
Health
Economics and Livelihoods Development
Governance (for Government of Nepal applicants only)
Gender, Inclusion & Disability
International Relations (for Government of Nepal applicants only)
Water Resource Management (for Master’s level only) - any Water Resource Management-
related fields - particularly related to regional or river-basin scale water resource
management issues

English Language Proficiency

Q10 Are you a woman, a person with a disability2, a member of traditionally marginalised group3 Yes – please continue to Q12
or an applicant from the public sector nominated by the Government of Nepal?
No – please continue to Q11
Q11 Do you have: Yes – you may be eligible.
We encourage you to investigate
• an IELTS (Academic) score average of 6.5 or above (with no individual band less than further at:
6.0): or http://australiaawards
• TOEFL paper-based test score of at least 580, or computer-based score of at least 237 southasianepal.org
or an internet-based score of at least 92 which will still be valid on 1 January 2016?# No – you are ineligible unless you
• PTE academic overall score of 58 with no communicative skill score less than 50. can satisfy this criterion by 30 April
2015

Q12 Do you have: Yes – you may be eligible.

We encourage you to investigate
• an IELTS (Academic) score average of 6.0 or above (with no individual band less than further at: http://australia
5.0); or awardssouthasianepal.org
• an equivalent TOEFL paper-based/internet based test score which will still be valid on No – you are ineligible unless you
1 January 2016?# can satisfy this criterion by 30 April
2015
1
’long term’ means an award (scholarship) supporting studies of more than six months towards a course of studies, and which is
recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework
2
Under Australian law, disability includes physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, neurological and learning disability, physical
disfigurement, and the presence in the body of disease-causing organisms. People with disability who are otherwise eligible are
encouraged to apply for an Australia Award
3
Traditionally marginalized groups mean any such groups identified and or listed by the Government of Nepal as being traditionally
marginalized such as any one of Dalit, Janajati, Madhesi, Muslim, etc.
# Awardees must meet the English language requirement of their course which may be higher than these levels

/ 08