Call for Entries: Australia Awards Scholarships in Tuvalu

Deadline: 30 April 2025

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is requesting applications for its Tuvalu Australia Awards to help promote prosperity, reduce poverty, and enhance political stability.

This contributes to the Government of Tuvalu’s (GoT) capacity to use human resources to improve standards of living and opportunities for its people.

Priority Areas

Awards will be offered for commencement in 2026 in the following priority areas:
- Environment and Climate Change (includes but is not limited to):
  - Agriculture
  - Climate Change
  - Disaster Preparedness and Reconstruction
  - Disaster Risk Reduction
  - Environment and Occupational Health and Safety
  - Environment and Public Health
  - Environment and Sustainability
  - Science
  - Waste Management
- Economic Growth and Governance (includes but is not limited to):
  - Accounting
  - Applied Finance
  - Banking
  - Business and Law
  - Commerce
  - Communication
  - Development Economics
  - Development Studies
  - Digital Media
  - Entrepreneurship
  - Environmental and Resource Economics
- Education (includes but not limited to):
  - Curriculum Education
  - Disability Studies
  - Early Childhood Education
  - Educational Studies
  - Leadership and Management in Education
  - Physical Education
  - Special and Inclusive Education
  - Teaching (early childhood, primary and secondary)
  - Teaching English as a Second Language
  - TVET Education and Training
- Gender, Disability and Social Inclusion (includes but not limited to):
  - Behavioural Studies
  - Community Development
  - Disability Management
  - Disability Studies
  - Family Studies
  - Gender Studies
  - Psychology
  - Social Change and Development
  - Social Science
  - Social Work
  - Sociology
- Infrastructure Support (includes but is not limited to):
  - Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (mechanical/avionics – FNU only)
  - Architecture
  - Aviation Management (Griffith University only)
  - Civil Engineering
  - Computer Science
  - Construction
  - Electrical Engineering
  - Information Systems
  - Information Technology
- Health – Clinical (includes but is not limited to):
  - Biomedical Science
  - Exercise and Sport Science
  - Food Science and Human Nutrition
  - Health Science
  - Medical Science
  - Medical Statistics
  - Medicine
- Health – Non-clinical (includes but is not limited to):
  - Contract Management
  - Disaster Management
  - Financial Health Planning
  - Health Administration
  - Health Information Systems
  - Hospital Management

Categories

Scholarships are awarded under two categories in Tuvalu: Public or Open (quotas may be applied):
- Public category awards focus on building capacity in priority public service sectors within GOT Ministries. All public candidates must obtain approval or have their application cited by the Secretary of their respective Ministry. The shortlist for public candidates is reviewed and endorsed in consultation with the GOT.
- Open category awards cater for the general population in Tuvalu. The shortlist for open category is endorsed by the Australian High Commission.

Benefits

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 which has a compulsory fieldwork component

Eligibility Criteria

Must be residing in the Pacific region at the time of application
Applied program of study must not be available locally or regionally
Must be a minimum of 18 years of age at the time of commencing the scholarship (1 January 2026)
Must not be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia
Must be able to meet the institutional entry requirements for their proposed course
Must not hold an equivalent or higher degree qualification either at time of application or commencement of award
Must not be serving an existing scholarship bond with Tuvalu or any other government
Must not transfer from any other scholarship during the tenure of that scholarship
Must be applying to commence a new course of study and not be seeking support for a course they have already commenced
For undergraduate level study:
- Undergraduate applicants must:
  - Have completed Year 12 Certificate Examination with a minimum aggregate mark of 300 out of 400 (including English and three best subjects) or equivalent and must be studying Year 13. Scholarship will be dependent on applicant achieving a minimum aggregate result of 300 out of 400 in 2025;
  - Have completed Year 13 Certificate Examination with a minimum aggregate mark of 300 out of 400 (English and three best subjects) or equivalent.
  - Mature age applicants who have:
    - Completed a qualification, should have minimum five years’ relevant work experience
    - Not completed a qualification, must have a minimum of 10 years relevant work experience and have achieved pass grades in either Year 12/13 or have successfully undertaken some form of relevant formal or work-related training
For Master’s level study:
- Postgraduate applicants:
  - Must hold a first degree and have at least two years’ relevant work experience;
  - Who do not hold a first degree must have at least 10 years’ relevant work experience and have achieved a pass grade in either Year 12/13 or have successfully undertaken some form of formal or work-related training;
English language proficiency
- AAS applicants, offered a scholarship, may be required by the Australian institution to provide an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (Academic) score of 6.5 or higher (with no individual band score of less than 6.0) or an equivalent TOEFL or PTE score.
- Note, this test is not required at the time of application.