Australia Awards scholarships in Samoa
Australia’s international development assistance in Samoa promotes a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for Australia and in the region.
The Australia Awards program aims to support partner countries in achieving their development goals through education, knowledge exchange, and building enduring relationships with Australia. It equips emerging leaders with the skills, networks, and experience needed to contribute to sustainable development and foster international cooperation
Applicants are assessed on their professional and personal qualities, academic competence and, most importantly, their potential to exercise leadership and impact on development challenges in eligible countries.
Applications from women, people with disability and other marginalised groups are encouraged.
Priority fields of study
|
National Workforce Plan Priority Areas |
Required Qualification |
|
1.Health |
|
|
2. Education |
|
|
3. Information Communication & Technology (ICT) |
|
|
4. Tourism |
|
|
5. Agriculture & Fisheries |
|
|
6. Environment, Transport & Infrastructure |
|
|
7. Sports Development |
|
|
8. Water & Sanitation |
|
The governments of Australia and Samoa regularly review these areas of study together and adjust the emphasis of the program. Detailed information on priority areas of study can be found at: Australia Awards
Level of study
Australia Awards scholarships provide citizens of Samoa with the opportunity to obtain a qualification at an Australian tertiary institution.
Awards will be offered for commencement in 2027 within the following allocations:
• Foundation category AAS and AAPS (undergraduate studies only)
• Open category AAS and AAPS (undergraduate and postgraduate including Masters and PhDs)
• Australia Online Study Scholarships (AOSS for online postgraduate studies only). These are also known as Distance Flexible Learning (DFL) within Government of Samoa
Australia Awards benefits
Australia Awards scholarships are offered for the minimum period necessary for the individual to complete the academic program specified by the Australian education institution, including any preparatory training.
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
Australia Awards applicants must meet all eligibility requirements detailed in the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook
Country-specific conditions
In addition to the eligibility requirements, candidates from Samoa must also meet the following conditions:
- Applicant must be seeking a new course of study and not seeking support for a course already commenced
- Applicant must be applying for an upgrade of their highest qualification
- Samoan citizens holding citizenship of any other developed country (eg Australia, NZ, USA and including American Samoa) are ineligible to apply
- Must be residing in Samoa and have resided in Samoa for a minimum of 2 consecutive years at the time of application
- Must sign a Government of Samoa scholarship bond prior to departure for study overseas
- Must have a valid email address to receive notifications on the status of their application
- Open Category only- Must be currently employed in Samoa and have worked in Samoa for a min. of 2 years
- Foundation Category only- Must complete a Foundation Program at the National University of Samoa in 2026.
Application dates
For study commencing in Australia in 2027:
Opening date: Monday 2 February 2026 (14:00 AEST)
Closing date: Thursday 30 April 2026 (11:59PM AEST)
Applications and/or supporting documents received after the closing date will not be considered.
The application process
Online applications
All Open category applications must be lodged online through OASIS.
- Applicants must use their full name exactly as it appears on their passport, including first, middle, and last names.
- Applicants must not use nicknames, shortened versions, or abbreviations of their names.
Only AOSS/DFL applications will be accepted in hardcopy and application forms can be uplifted and submitted to the Samoan Public Service Commission (PSC) Office
Supporting documents
Applicants must submit all the relevant supporting documents listed in the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook.
Applicants must also provide the following documents to meet the specific requirements for Samoa:
|
Required |
OASIS |
Certified |
|
At least 2 referees reports- Current employer (required), plus 1 other (eg previous employer, mentor, academic supervisor etc) |
Referee report |
No, letterhead will suffice Please note there is a template available online which must be used for referees of PhD candidates. |
The selection process
- Applications will be shortlisted after eligibility checking.
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted regarding the outcome of the shortlisting process.
- The selection process includes an interview. Applicants will be assessed against the following criteria:
- academic competence
- potential outcome, specifically the contribution to development outcomes in Samoa.
- professional and personal leadership attributes including relevant work experience.
- Successful candidates will be notified in late 2026.
- Awardee travel will be subject to meeting the requirements imposed by the Australian Government, as determined by the federal Department of Home Affairs and Department of Education and by the relevant Australian State or Territory governments.
Preparatory training
Successful applicants will be required to attend:
- pre-departure briefing
- university’s Introductory Academic Program
- other required preparatory study on arrival in Australia.
Further information
More general information about the Australia Awards, Australia’s aid program, and studying in Australia can be found at the following links:
Information about visas and Australia Awards scholarship entitlements and conditions can be found in the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook.
Contact details
Australia Awards Samoa
Address: Australian High Commission, 47 Main Beach Rd, Apia
Telephone: +685 23411
Email: [email protected]