Adelaide Academic Excellence Scholarship 2026: 50% Tuition Fee Support for International Students

Studying in Australia can be a major financial commitment, but high-achieving international students may have access to substantial tuition support. The Adelaide Academic Excellence Scholarship 2026 offers eligible international students a 50% reduction in tuition fees when commencing an eligible undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program at Adelaide University.

The award is designed for students who have demonstrated exceptional academic performance in their previous qualification. Because places are limited and applications are assessed competitively, meeting the minimum academic requirement does not automatically guarantee a scholarship.

Adelaide Academic Excellence Scholarship 2026 at a Glance

What Does the Scholarship Offer?

The scholarship provides a 50% reduction in tuition fees for the recipient’s eligible Adelaide University coursework program.

This is a tuition benefit rather than a general living-expense scholarship. Students should therefore plan separately for costs such as accommodation, food, transportation, health insurance, visa expenses and other personal expenses.

Scholarship offers are made throughout the recruitment cycle while available allocations remain. This means eligible applicants should avoid waiting unnecessarily if they are ready to apply.

Who Can Apply?

The scholarship is intended for new international students beginning an eligible CRICOS-registered bachelor’s or master’s coursework degree at Adelaide University.

Applicants must meet the academic requirements associated with their intended study level.

Undergraduate Applicants

For undergraduate admission, applicants must meet one of the specified academic benchmarks:

• A minimum ATAR of 99, or an equivalent qualification for international applicants; or
• A GPA of at least 6.7 on a 7.0 scale, or a comparable academic result.

Postgraduate Applicants

Applicants seeking an eligible postgraduate coursework degree generally need a minimum GPA of 6.7/7.0, or an equivalent academic result in the qualification used for admission.

Because international grading systems differ, applicants should consider the university’s assessment of their qualification rather than assuming that a particular percentage or CGPA will automatically be considered equivalent.

Degree Requirements

The intended program must satisfy the scholarship’s study-load requirements after any applicable credit or recognition of prior learning.

Eligible applicants must be applying for:

• A CRICOS-registered bachelor’s degree requiring at least 96 units or two years equivalent after credit/RPL; or
• A CRICOS-registered master’s degree requiring at least 72 units or 1.5 years equivalent after credit/RPL.

The program must also not appear on Adelaide University’s excluded-program list.

Programs Excluded From the Scholarship

Not every course at Adelaide University qualifies for this award. Several health, medical and professional programs are specifically excluded.

Excluded Undergraduate Programs

These include:

• Bachelor of Dental Surgery
• Bachelor of Medical Studies
• Bachelor of Midwifery
• Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)
• Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours)
• Bachelor of Podiatry (Honours)
• Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience)
• Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours)
• Selected Medical Radiation Science majors

Excluded Postgraduate Programs

The excluded postgraduate list includes a number of medical, veterinary, psychology, nursing, physiotherapy and business programs, including:

• Doctor of Medicine
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
• Doctor of Clinical Dentistry
• Master of Business Administration
• Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy
• Master of Midwifery (Graduate Entry)
• Master of Nursing (Graduate Entry)
• Master of Occupational Therapy (Graduate Entry)
• Master of Physiotherapy (Graduate Entry)
• Master of Psychology programs
• Selected Advanced Clinical Physiotherapy programs

Important for veterinary applicants: the Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine are specifically excluded. Therefore, students interested in veterinary studies should not assume that this 50% scholarship applies to those programs.

How Are Scholarship Recipients Selected?

This is a competitive academic award rather than an automatic tuition discount.

Applications are assessed by a selection panel based on academic merit. Adelaide University reviews applications on a rolling basis, and scholarship offers continue until the available allocations have been used.

A strong academic record can therefore be important, particularly because the scholarship is aimed at students who have achieved outstanding results in their previous studies.

How to Apply for the Adelaide Academic Excellence Scholarship

Applications opened on 24 August 2026.

Eligible applicants should:

1. Identify an eligible Adelaide University undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program.
2. Check that their academic results satisfy the scholarship requirement.
3. Confirm that their intended program is not excluded.
4. Complete the appropriate Adelaide Academic Excellence Scholarship application form.
5. SATAC applicants should use the dedicated application form where applicable.
6. Submit the application according to the university’s instructions.
7. Monitor their application and university communications for the scholarship decision.

Since scholarships are limited and reviewed on a rolling basis, applying early can be a sensible strategy.

Scholarship Conditions After Selection

Receiving the award is not the end of the requirements. Scholarship recipients must continue to meet the scholarship conditions during their studies.

The required minimum Program Term GPA is 5.5 on a 7.0 scale during each compulsory study period.

If the recipient’s GPA falls below this threshold, the scholarship may be suspended. In that situation, the scholarship will not be applied to the next invoice.

If the student’s GPA subsequently returns to 5.5 or higher, the scholarship can recommence and be applied to the following invoice, subject to the scholarship conditions.

Can You Combine This Scholarship With Other Funding?

Applicants should carefully consider their existing sponsorship arrangements.

The scholarship is not available to Australia Awards recipients. It is also not intended to be combined with an international sponsorship arrangement that already provides a tuition fee waiver equal to or greater than the scholarship’s value.

A student cannot receive both the scholarship and a qualifying sponsor tuition fee waiver concurrently; where applicable, the relevant fee-waiver arrangement will apply.

Why This Scholarship Is Worth Considering

A 50% tuition reduction can significantly reduce the cost of an Australian degree, particularly for students entering a multi-year coursework program.

For academically strong international applicants, the scholarship can make Adelaide University considerably more financially accessible. However, applicants should look beyond the headline percentage and calculate their complete study budget, including the remaining tuition balance and living expenses.

Final Advice for Applicants

Before submitting an application, verify three things carefully: your academic eligibility, your chosen program’s eligibility, and the current scholarship availability.

The most important point for prospective students is that the scholarship is not available for every Adelaide University degree. In particular, applicants interested in veterinary bioscience or the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine should check alternative funding opportunities because those programs are explicitly excluded from this award.

As applications are assessed on a rolling basis and the number of scholarships is limited, qualified students should prepare their documents and apply as early as possible rather than relying on availability later in the recruitment cycle.

Note: Scholarship conditions, eligible programs and application arrangements can change. Always verify the latest requirements with Adelaide University before submitting an application.

How to Apply

Applications for the Adelaide Academic Excellence Scholarship open on Monday, 24 August 2026. As the number of scholarships is limited, eligible students are encouraged to apply early.

To apply, complete the application form that matches your application pathway and carefully follow the instructions provided. There are two forms available:

• Adelaide Academic Excellence Scholarship Application Form – for general applicants.
• Adelaide Academic Excellence Scholarship Application Form – for SATAC applicants – specifically for students applying through SATAC