Australia Awards Cambodia: Eligibility, Fields of Study and Application Timeline

What Australia Awards Cambodia offers

Australia Awards Cambodia funds full-time Masters and PhD study at Australian universities for Cambodian professionals, administered by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through Australia Awards Cambodia . The award covers your degree costs and living expenses in full, and it is built around Australia's development partnership with Cambodia rather than academic merit alone, so your intended field of study and its relevance to Cambodia's development matter as much as your grades.

Who can apply

To apply, you need to meet every eligibility condition, not just some of them. Applicants must hold only Cambodian citizenship, with no dual or additional citizenship, and must have lived in Cambodia for at least two years before the application deadline. You also need at least two years of full-time work experience, or the part-time equivalent.

Academic requirements depend on your target degree. Masters applicants need a completed bachelor's degree, and PhD applicants need a completed master's degree, per Australia Awards Cambodia .

Priority fields and groups

Australia Awards Cambodia accepts applications across public sector agencies, academia, civil society, media and the private sector. Climate-related study is strongly encouraged, while general management degrees such as MBA variants are not funded unless you provide a strong case connecting the degree to your professional experience.

The program also actively encourages applications from women, people with disability, applicants living and working outside Phnom Penh, indigenous and ethnic minority groups, LGBTQIA+ applicants and other underrepresented groups.

English requirements

You need an IELTS score of at least 6.0, with no individual band below 5.5, for Masters by coursework. Masters by research and PhD applicants need at least 6.5 overall, with no band below 6.0. If your English falls short at the time of application, pre-course English training is available for successful candidates who need it before their program starts.

Selection process

Australia Awards Cambodia runs selection in three stages. First, the program verifies that you meet every eligibility condition. Second, eligible applicants go through shortlisting based on academic performance, your potential contribution to Cambodia's development, and your professional and personal leadership qualities. Third, shortlisted candidates attend an interview before final offers go out.

Application timeline

For the 2026 intake, applications opened January 31, 2025 and closed around April 30, 2025, per Australia Awards Cambodia . If you're reading this in 2026, check the Australia Awards Cambodia website for the 2027 intake's dates instead, since deadlines shift slightly each cycle.

Apply through the online OASIS portal at oasis.dfat.gov.au, the preferred method, or submit a hardcopy application if the portal is not accessible to you.

What the scholarship covers

• Full tuition fees at your Australian university

• Return economy airfare between Cambodia and Australia

• A living allowance for accommodation and daily expenses

• Textbooks and study materials

• An introductory academic program on arrival in Australia

• Overseas Student Health Cover for the length of your award

• Pre-course English training, if you need it

• Supplementary academic support during your studies

Return obligation

Australia Awards exists to build skills that support Cambodia's development, not to provide a migration pathway. You go to Australia to study, then return to Cambodia to apply what you learned in your sector, whether that's government, academia, civil society, media or the private sector. Confirm the specific visa conditions and any post-study requirements attached to your award with Australia Awards Cambodia directly, since these are set out in your offer documentation.

How to apply

• Confirm you meet every eligibility condition: citizenship, residency, work experience and prior qualifications.

• Choose a field of study connected to your professional background and Cambodia's development priorities.

• Sit an IELTS test early if you don't already meet the band score requirement.

• Register on the OASIS portal and prepare your supporting documents ahead of the deadline.

• Prepare for an interview if you are shortlisted after the initial screening.