Top Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia for Indian Students 2026

If you plan to study in Australia and are worried about the expensive studies then we have a solution. You can apply for fully funded scholarships to study in Australia as an Indian student. Need more details? Check everything here to make your decision.

Studying abroad or in countries like Australia is a costly affair. But the best part about studying in Australia is that out of 47 universities, public universities in Australia are 37. So, the costs may be high but there are scholarships available. To cover all expenses, there is a provision of fully funded scholarships in Australia for Indian students. These scholarships are one-stop solution for international students. 

The cost of studying in Australia are high and surprisingly the lifestyle is even better, so cost of living in Australia is also very high. Sometimes covering both expenses can be difficult and for this there are fully funded scholarships to study in Australia. If you are an Indian applicant looking for undergraduate or postgraduate or even doctoral courses for study, may have to pay a big bill. But scholarships like these like fully funded scholarships can ease the load significantly. 

Interested in knowing more about them? Check out the article and choose the best fully funded scholarship to study in Australia.

Top Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia for Indian Students

There are limited fully funded scholarships in Australia for Indian applicants. Most of them are to support doctoral or postgraduate applicants. Some of the most popularly opted and offered fully funded scholarships in Australia for Indian students are:

1. Australia Awards Scholarships
2. Research Training Program Scholarship
3. University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships
4. University of Sydney International Scholarships
5. Monash University Research Training Program
6. Australian National University (ANU) PhD Scholarships

7. Charles Darwin University (CDU) Competitive Round Scholarships

8. UQ - Graduate School Scholarships
9. Maitri Scholarship

These scholarships are offered to Indian students and they can apply based on the given eligibility criteria. These scholarships in Australia are divided into two categories - government funded and university offered Let us discuss them in detail below.

What are Fully Funded Scholarships to Study in Australia?

Fully funded scholarships in Australia are those which cover all expenses of students while they study in Australia. Such scholarships help students in pursuing their degrees without worrying about the expensive costs. Fully funded scholarships in Australia are offered by the government or by the Australian universities. Although there is a wide range of scholarships available, competition for them remains high.

What do Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia Cover?

Majority of the expenses are covered under fully funded scholarships in Australia. Including study and living fees along with travel expenses as well in some cases. Fully funded scholarships in Australia cover the following expenses:

• Tuition fee for the entire duration of the course.
• A fortnightly or monthly stipend for food, accommodation, and personal expenses.
• Return airfare from your home country to Australia.
• Mandatory Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
• Research related funding and support.

In some cases, relocation funds are also given to students which is a one time fee.

Types of Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia for Indian Students

There are two types of fully funded scholarships in Australia - government offered and university specific. The government sponsored scholarships are limited but cover major expenses are offered to thousands of students. University specific ones are limited even though they cover major expenses. To study in Australia tuition free consider these fully funded scholarship types:

List of Fully Funded Scholarships in Australia - In Detail

Fully funded cholarships in Australia are limited and are mostly offered to doctoral or master's applicants. These are for those who have a good academic background and rmay require some funding to cover cost of studying at Australian universities. Check out in detail about these scholarships that fully funded for Indian students in 2026:

1. Australia Awards Scholarships (AAS)

The Australian Awards Scholarship is the most prestigious government-funded scholarship program offering full tuition coverage, living expenses, airfare, health insurance, and field trip costs. It's designed for students from developing countries, including India, and covers undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs.

Also note, the Australian Award Scholarship is extremely competitive and is applicable for those who will contribute to India-Australia relations. The 2-year return obligation is mandatory and non-negotiable.

2. Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship

Sponsored by the Australian Government, this provides tuition fee offsets and stipends for exceptional international postgraduate students pursuing research degrees. It's evaluated based on academic excellence and research potential.

Minimum two third of the program must be research. Publications, research projects should have been worked on. Cannot receive if already had equivalent scholarship

These were the two most popular and biggest fully funded scholarships to study in Australia. Indian students are eligible to apply for both of them while submitting admission applications for universities in Australia. 

3. University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships

The University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships are fully funded scholarships. These are offered to research graduates at the University of Melbourne in partnership with Australian government. This fully funded Australian university scholarship offers full fee offset, a living allowance (stipend), relocation grant, and OSHC for master's and doctoral students.

This is applicable for Master's by Research or PhD courses only. New applicants or currently enrolled students can apply. IELTS/TOEFL/PTE scores will also be required to apply for this fully funded scholarship in Australia.

4. University of Sydney International Scholarships

Next fully funded scholarship in Australia for Indian students is offered at The University of Sydney. The University of Sydney International Scholarships covers full tuition fees and offers a living allowance for postgraduate research degrees.

Only new Indian or international students or already enrolled (within 6 months) are eligible to apply. No applicant applying for this scholarship should have held AAS in the last 2 years or RTP Fee Scholarship. Also applicants can apply a maximum of 3 times in 5 years

5. Monash University Research Training Program

The next fully funded scholarship on the list is Monash University RTP. This is offered at Monash University to PhD applicants. Since it is fully funded, it covers all major expenses and 100% tuition waiver.

6. ANU PhD Scholarships

The Australian National University (ANU) PhD Scholarships are fully funded scholarships. These awards cover majority of costs at ANU, including a tax free living stipend and full tuition, allowing scholars to focus entirely on advanced research across all academic disciplines.

No separate application is required; students are automatically considered for the scholarship upon applying for admission to an ANU Higher Degree by Research (HDR) program.

7. CDU Competitive Round Scholarships

Charles Darwin University offers Research Training Program scholarships through a competitive round to support meritorious international researchers. Thid applicable for those who are pursuing Higher Degrees by Research. These fully funded awards provide a comprehensive package including a tax free living stipend, full tuition fee offsets, and relocation support for studies.

Applicants must secure a CDU supervisor and receive an invitation to apply before submitting their formal scholarship application through the CDU HDR portal.

8. UQ - Graduate School Scholarships

The University of Queensland Graduate School Scholarships (UQGSS) also offers fully funded scholarship in Australia for international researchers. These scholarships integrate the RTP and UQ funded awards to provide living stipends and full tuition for entire duration of Master of Philosophy or PhD.

No separate application is needed for UQGSS scholarship. They will have to submit their interest and get a confirmation from UQ supervisor to join. Based on interest and on UQ admission application, applicants will be considered.

9. Maitri Scholarship

The Maitri Scholarships are fully funded and an initiative by the Australian Government designed to support high-achieving Indian scholars in pursuing advanced STEM education research at top-tier Australian universities. Managed by the Centre for Australia-India Relations, this fully funded program aims to deepen strategic educational links and foster long-term friendship (Maitri) between the two nations.

How to Get 100% Scholarships in Australia for Indian Students?

Getting fully funded scholarship in Australia for Indian students can be challenging. But there are some instructions that applicants must follow. Here is how applicants can get full scholarship covering all expenses in Australia from India: 

• Start shortlisting universities and courses that offer these scholarships keeping February intake and July intake in mind.
• Submit a well rounded application with all documents in place. Including SOPs and LORs.
• Apply to 3-5 universities to increase chances of getting selected.
• Before this check if you can apply to multiple universities for the same scholarship.
• Prepare documents well in advance so that when the application submission time comes, you just have to upload them.
• Target universities with research strengths in your field especially if you wish to apply for research based programs.
• If there is a requirement for expression of interest, understand its requirements and then submit one. Ensure you include everything in the right format.

How to Apply for Fully Funded Scholarship in Australia?

For those who want to study in Australia on a fully funded scholarship should know that there is no one way of applying for them. Every university has a different way to accept them - if they are university specific or government specific.

• Sometimes applicants need not submit any additional application because based on academic background they are considered.
• In other cases, applicants may have to submit and expression of interest and if it is accepted they can apply for the scholarship.
• There are dedicated portals for fully funded scholarships, applicants can apply there before their admission application.
• Finally, if the fully funded scholarship in Australia offered by government then applicants may have to apply separately.

Do you feel confident enough to take the next step of applying to Australian universities with a fully funded scholarship? If yes, then good luck with your applications. In case you need some assistance with admissions, you can sign up for free Shiksha Abroad Counselling, and our team of experts will get back to you soon.