RFAs: Australia Awards Scholarship Program in Timor-Leste

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.

Applicants are assessed on their professional and personal qualities, academic competence and, most importantly, their potential to impact on development challenges in Timor-Leste. Applications are strongly encouraged from women, people with disability, rural applicants, and other marginalised groups. At least 50% of the scholarships will be targeted at suitability qualified female applicants.

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.

Level of Study

• Australia Awards scholarships provide citizens of Timor-Leste with the opportunity to obtain a qualification at an Australian tertiary institution.
• Awards will be offered for commencement in 2026 within the following allocations:
  • Diploma level (only available for people with a disability)
  • Bachelor’s/Undergraduate degree (approximately 15% of awards)
  • Master’s degree (coursework or research)
  • PhD (approximately 5% of awards) – a limited number of research awards will be offered to strengthen the capacity of Timorese academic and research institutions.

Eligibility Criteria

• Candidates from Timor-Leste must also meet the following conditions:
  • be 18 years old by scholarship application opening period.
  • be usually and currently residing in Timor-Leste and have lived in Timor-Leste for at least 10 years (cumulative) since 1999, with some exceptions for applicants working for the Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL) in a third country.
  • if a recipient of previous scholarship, including GoTL scholarships, have worked in Timor-Leste for a minimum of two years cumulatively.
  • not have citizenship of any developed country (exceptions may be made in some instances for Timorese citizens holding Portuguese citizenship).
  • not currently holding another scholarship with the same benefits.
  • not have been terminated or withdrawn from a previous Australian Government scholarship.
• Applicants currently employed as public servants, including within semi-autonomous state institutions (e.g. Timor Gap) must:
  • provide a signed letter of endorsement from the relevant senior government official e.g. Director General or National Director.
  • check with the human resource department of the Civil Service Commission and confirm that they have permission to apply for an Australia Awards Scholarship prior to applying.
  • if the applicant is a permanent public servant who was previously awarded a Government of Timor-Leste scholarship, the applicant must check with the relevant scholarship department to ensure all previous scholarship conditions have been fulfilled and that they are authorised to apply for an Australia Awards scholarship.
  • if the applicant is not currently a public servant but was previously awarded a Government of Timor-Leste scholarship, the applicant must provide a confirmation letter from the relevant government scholarship department that they are authorised to apply for an Australia Awards scholarship.

For more information, visit Australian Government.