Funding

• OS-HELP

  What is OS-HELP?

  Financial assistance for students is available through OS-HELP. This is a loan scheme administered by the Department of Education that allows students to borrow up to $8,245 (non-Asian countries in 2025) or $9,893 (Asia study in 2025) for a six-month period overseas for a maximum of two study periods.

  An additional $1,314 is available if you are undertaking Asian language study in preparation for study in Asia. You will not be able to receive a supplementary amount if your Asian language study is part of a course for which you are receiving Commonwealth assistance for the tuition cost. In other words, you cannot be gaining credit from the Asian language study towards any programs currently funded through HECS-HELP.

  Your OS-HELP is added to your accumulated HECS-HELP debt.

  For more information about OS-HELP, please visit the Australian Government's OS-HELP page.

  Am I eligible?

  The primary criteria (as evidenced in your SMART application) for eligibility are:

  • must be an Australian citizen, permanent humanitarian visa holder, Pacific engagement visa holder, or a New Zealand Special Category Visa holder who meets the long-term residency requirements (scroll down to information box for more details).
  • must meet the following criteria in relation to a single course of study (degree program, e.g. Bachelor of Arts) towards which they will be studying overseas (including approved double degrees as listed in Degree Finder):
    • successful completion of 1 EFTSL of the program (24 University of Adelaide units, which must be shown as passed with results posted before payment will be made)
    • 0.125 EFTSL (3 units) remaining in the program on return from overseas
    • receiving credit or recognition towards the program for full-time studies undertaken overseas (in the case of unit-bearing semester-length programs, to an equivalent of at least 9 units per semester, for other programs "full time" is determined on a case-by-case basis)
    • in a Commonwealth supported place
  • must not have received more than one OS-HELP loan in a previous study period (you may only receive two OS-HELP loans in your lifetime)
  • must not have received another OS-HELP loan in the same six-month study period (counted from the Commencement Date of the first loan)
  • must meet all of the above criteria prior to the end date of the overseas program
  • have a valid tax file number (TFN) at the time of applying
  • have a Unique Student Identifier (USI)
  • have read the OS-HELP Statement of terms and conditions booklet.

  Please note that any errors or omissions in your OS-HELP questionnaire (in SMART) or elsewhere in your SMART application may delay or exclude you from receiving an OS-HELP loan.

  Important: Diploma in Languages and OS-HELP

  If you are studying part of your Diploma in Languages overseas and wish to obtain an OS-HELP loan, it is important that you read the following:

  • The Diploma in Languages alone cannot qualify for an OS-HELP loan as it is not long enough in duration to meet the unit-based criteria.
  • The Diploma in Languages cannot be considered a "double degree" with a Bachelor degree in order to meet the OS-HELP criteria.
  • You must qualify for an OS-HELP loan through an eligible degree (usually a Bachelor degree), meeting all criteria through that degree, including the minimum full time credit approval: 9+ units credited to that degree, per semester.
  • In most cases this will mean that students will only qualify for OS-HELP if the Diploma in Languages portion of their credit is no more than 3 units of a 12 unit total (in one semester).
  • Students participating in a short program comprising one language course will not be eligible for OS-HELP if that course is to be credited to a Diploma in Languages.

  IMPORTANT NOTE: The above advice only applies where the language study is to be credited towards a Diploma in Languages. Language credit applied to a Bachelor degree is not impacted.

  One application must be completed per study period (i.e. two applications must be completed for two loans). Please note that it is not possible to apply for, or be found eligible for, an OS-HELP loan after the end of your overseas study experience. Your OS-HELP application (in SMART) must be made, and all eligibility criteria be met, at least one week before the start date of your overseas program to ensure you can be selected to receive the loan funds.

  How do I apply?

  OS-HELP is not automatically applied to eligible students; you must apply for the loan.

  Please note that the University of Adelaide receives a limited number of loan applications that it can allocate to students.  It may be the case that we have more students applying for a loan than we have loan applications available. In this case, students that are applying for their first loan will take precedence over students applying for their second loan. 

  If there are still more applicants than applications, students selected by random draw will have their applications forwarded and processed.

  Once applications have been reviewed and assessed for eligibility, successful applicants will receive an electronic Commonwealth assistance form (eCAF) via email. Students will need to confirm their Tax File Number and digitally sign and submit the eCAF to allow processing of their OS-HELP loan. Students should review the step-by-step guide (PDF | DOCX) before completing their eCAF.

  New Zealand Special Category Visa holders should check the information box below regarding their additional forms and requirements and then contact Study Overseas directly if they intend to apply for OS-HELP.

  Payments will be made to students once they meet all eligibility requirements for the loan and their eCAF has been submitted. Payment is expected to take up to 2 weeks to be processed from the time an eCAF is correctly submitted.

  NZ citizen OS-HELP eligibility

  The Government allows New Zealand citizens who are Special Category Visa holders, or New Zealand citizens who are a permanent visa holders and have formerly held a Special Category Visa, that meet the requisite criteria, access to OS-HELP loans.

  Note: Just being a New Zealand citizen and SCV holder is not enough to confirm your eligibility - you must meet all of the long-term residency requirements:

  • You first began residing in Australia at least 10 years ago and at that time you were a child under the age of 18 with no spouse or de facto partner; and
  • You have been in Australia for at least: a total of eight out of the past 10 years; and a total of 18 months out of the last two years.

  If you are not sure of the number of years you have resided in Australia, you can contact the Department of Home Affairs for assistance.

  When applying for your OS-HELP loan you will need to submit the following items to Study Overseas:

  • a copy of your current New Zealand passport
  • a copy of your International Movements Record (available to request from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA))
  • a copy of your Special Category Visa entitlement, available from the DHA Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) website

  Further information about NZ citizen eligibility can be found at the Study Assist website.

• Funded programs

  To view all programs offering (fully or partially) funded places, click the relevant button below.

  view funded semester programs view funded short-term programs

  Students will only be considered for funding if they have successfully applied for the relevant program in SMART. Official offers for funding will be made through SMART.

  Funding availability for Semester 2, 2025 semester exchange applicants is to be confirmed.

  

  New Colombo Plan Mobility Grants

  Thanks to the New Colombo Plan, a signature initiative of the Australian Government, we are able to offer funding for places on selected short-term and semester programs to students who meet the eligibility requirements for New Colombo Plan Mobility Grants. Students who wish to receive these funded places first need to be selected to participate in the overseas program. Once accepted to the program, eligible students will receive grants depending on availability.

  New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant eligibility

  A Student participating in a New Colombo Plan Mobility Project may be eligible to receive a grant if they are:

  • An Australian citizen (please note: students are not eligible for a mobility grant if they are a citizen or hold residency rights in any Host Location of the mobility project).
  • Undertaking a Bachelor Degree or Bachelor Honours Degree at the commencement of their mobility project.
  • Aged between 18 to 28 years (inclusive). Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students do not need to be aged between 18 and 28. Students above the age of 28 may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • Not be an employee of the branch of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade that administers the New Colombo Plan, or the contractor.
  • Have not previously received more than two New Colombo Plan Mobility grants during the course of their undergraduate study.

  You can view the full guidelines of the New Colombo Plan Mobility Program on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.

• New Colombo Plan Scholarship

  

  New Colombo Plan Scholarship

   

  New Colombo Plan 

  The New Colombo Plan (NCP) is a signature initiative of the Australian Government which aims to lift knowledge in Australia of the Indo-Pacific by supporting Australian undergraduates to study and undertake internships in the region. The strategic objective of the NCP is to strengthen Australia’s regional standing by building a diverse cohort of Australian alumni with deeper Indo-Pacific knowledge, capability and connections.

   

  New Colombo Plan Scholarship

  Individual students are able to apply to access significant funding to support a period of study, language training and internship and/or mentorship of up to 19 months. The maximum total grant amount for the NCP Scholarship in previous years has been $87,000.

   

  Eligibility

  For the 2025 New Colombo Plan Scholarship, applicants must adhere to the following criteria:

  • be an Australian citizen.
  • not be a current citizen or permanent resident of their proposed host location(s).
  • non-Indigenous applicants: Between 18 and 30 years of age (inclusive) on 1 January 2025.
  • indigenous applicants: Between 18 and 35 years of age (inclusive) on 1 January 2025.
  • be enrolled in and undertaking, until completion of all study components of the NCP Scholarship Program, at least one Bachelor Degree, Bachelor Honours Degree or eligible undergraduate language-focused course at an Australian campus of an Australian University.
  • must study full-time for at least one semester and the courses undertaken at the host institution must be approved for full-time academic credit towards an approved degree.
  • have achieved a minimum 70 per cent graded average or equivalent for their current course at the time of application, as determined by the nominating home university. 
  • not be a previous recipient of a NCP Scholarship.
  • not an employee of the branch of DFAT or the contractor that administers the NCP.

   

  Application Information

  Applications for the 2025 New Colombo Plan Scholarships have closed.

  To apply for the New Colombo Plan Scholarship, you must be nominated by the University of Adelaide. In 2024, the University of Adelaide could nominate up to 15 students.

  If selected as one of the University of Adelaide's nominees, you will be immediately required to obtain an official University of Adelaide transcript (cost associated).

  You will then be invited by the Australian Government to formally apply for a New Colombo Plan Scholarship.

  Further Information

  For further information about the New Colombo Plan Scholarship visit the DFAT website. 

  2025 Scholarship Program Guidelines and Advice to Applicants are coming soon, but 2024 information can be accessed on the DFAT website.

  You are also welcome to contact Study Overseas for further information.

   

• Westpac Asian Exchange Scholarship

  

  Westpac Asian Exchange Scholarship

  The Westpac Asian Exchange Scholarship supports students who are interested in Asia, and want to actively contribute to Australia's success in Asia in their chosen field. It presents young Australians with the exciting opportunity to spend up to two semesters studying at a leading Asian university and develop global leadership skills.

  For the latest updates, visit University Scholarships and Westpac Asian Exchange Scholarship.

   

  To be eligible you must be:

  • an Australian citizen or permanent resident
  • studying full time at a participating Australia university (all fields of study are eligible)
  • enrolled in second year or beyond when commencing the exchange
  • holding a minimum of a credit average
  • intending to complete a university approved exchange program for one to two semesters in mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Korea or Taiwan

  Additional criteria and further information can be found on Westpac Asian Exchange Scholarship.

   

  Application Information

  Applications for the 2025 Westpac Asian Exchange Scholarship are now open. To apply, visit the Westpac Asian Exchange Scholarship website . Applications are open until 5:00pm (AEDT) on Monday, 2 December 2024.

• Funding managed outside Study Overseas

  Your Study Overseas Experience may be eligible for other scholarships which are managed by other offices of the University, or are offered through private or government organisations.

  University of Adelaide scholarships

  University scholarships
  The University offers scholarships to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Students will need to review the University Scholarships website for information about individual scholarships, eligibility and relevance to overseas study.

  External scholarships

  See our Featured Scholarships page.

  John Monash Scholarships
  The General Sir John Monash Foundation offers up to twenty scholarships per year for postgraduate study at leading overseas universities. The scholarships support any postgraduate degree and each scholarship is valued at AUD $70,000 per year for a maximum of three years. These scholarships are not limited by academic field or choice of overseas university. Please see the John Monash website for further eligibility details.

  Nicolas Baudin Travel Grant
  The Embassy of France in Australia supports student mobility from Australia to France through the Nicolas Baudin Program, named for the French explorer and botanist who in 1802, at the same time as Matthew Flinders, charted the coast of New Holland (Australia). The Travel Grant consists in a return flight ticket between Australia and France. As recipients of a French government grant, the Laureates are also exempt from paying the associated visa fees. For further information please visit the Nicolas Baudin Travel Grant website.

• Centrelink

  If you are receiving Centrelink payments it is your responsibility to check how this overseas travel might affect those payments. You should not assume that your payments will continue. Please see the Services Australia website for tailored information about how travelling outside of Australia may affect you. If you have any questions please check with Centrelink directly.

  The following resources may also assist:

  • Enrolment List from MyAdelaide
  • Unofficial Transcript from MyAdelaide
  • Letter from Ask Adelaide to verify your full-time enrolment during the time you will be overseas, noting that letters cannot be actioned without confirmation of course approval from your faculty and a valid Host Acceptance document in SMART
  • PDF copy of your Faculty Approval (Course Approval) questionnaire from SMART (Press Print and then save as PDF)
  • Host acceptance from the overseas institution/provider or your study tour acceptance email.

  It is recommended that you scan all of the documents above and provide them to Centrelink in one PDF document.

  As per the Services Australia Travel Outside Australia website, you must remain enrolled with your Australian educational institution to continue receiving payment while studying or working outside Australia for the duration of your approved overseas course. You should note that enrolment at Adelaide in Semester 1 and 2 does not mean that you are enrolled at the University of Adelaide in periods outside of this and that if your program is occurring outside of semester dates, you are not considered enrolled. Enrolment for a specific period needs to be reflected on your University of Adelaide transcript.

  Please note: Study Overseas has no affiliation with Centrelink and are unable to advise on Centrelink matters. Students may also seek advice regarding student payments from Student Care. Whilst Student Care can provide information they are not authorised to confirm your study arrangements to Centrelink.

News in grants and scholarships

Congratulations to the 2025 New Colombo Plan Scholars

 

Read more about Congratulations to the 2025 New Colombo Plan Scholars

2025 Westpac Asian Exchange Scholarship

Applications for the 2025 Westpac Asian Exchange Scholarship  are now open.

Read more about 2025 Westpac Asian Exchange Scholarship

Piero Jaksa - Exchange Alumni Testimonial

Piero Jaksa completed his exchange at Osaka University in Semester 2 of 2023. Piero went on Exchange for his Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) (Honours) and Bachelor of Science (Physics).

Read more about Piero Jaksa - Exchange Alumni Testimonial