The University of Sydney International Undergraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship covers 100% of tuition fees for up to 4 years. Open now with no closing date, approximately 20 awards globally per year. Here’s who qualifies.

What Is This Scholarship?

The University of Sydney International Undergraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship is one of the most comprehensive undergraduate awards available to international students in Australia — covering 100% of tuition fees and the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) for the full published duration of your undergraduate degree, up to four years.

There is no closing date. Applications are open now and considered on a rolling basis across two intakes per year. Around 20 scholarships are awarded globally annually, which makes this highly competitive, but the rolling consideration means you don’t wait for a single annual window.

The University of Sydney is one of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious research universities, consistently ranked in the top 50 globally. A full-tuition scholarship here is a genuinely significant award.

What You Get

Not covered: Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), living costs, accommodation, textbooks, flights, or any costs associated with being under 18. You are responsible for all of these independently.

Who Can Apply?

You must:

• Be an international student — Australian Citizens, Permanent Residents, and dual citizens with Australian nationality are not eligible
• Have applied for but not yet commenced a single undergraduate coursework degree at the University of Sydney (including embedded honours) with a maximum duration of 4 years
• Be planning to enrol full-time
• Have completed secondary school (or a Foundation Programme in Australia or from a recognised University of Sydney foundation partner)
• Have no prior tertiary studies (excluding extension studies as part of Year 12)
• Not be commencing a second degree at Sydney

Not eligible courses include:

• Combined degrees with a postgraduate component
• Bachelor of Arts (Dual Degree, Sciences Po, France)
• Bachelor of Economics (Dual Degree, Sciences Po, France)
• Degrees, including the Bachelor of Advanced Studies

How to Apply

Apply for your chosen undergraduate degree at the University of Sydney. The scholarship consideration is built into your application process; you apply for the scholarship alongside your course application.

Timeline: Approximately 5 weeks from your scholarship application submission to receiving an offer (if successful). Only successful applicants are contacted.

The scholarship prioritises diversity of course and diversity of nationality across its 20 annual global awards, meaning it is actively looking to build a cohort that spans subjects and countries. If you’re from a less-represented nationality and applying for a course that the award hasn’t frequently supported, that context works in your favour.

For Nigerian and African Students

With approximately 20 scholarships awarded globally per year across two intakes, competition is intense. But the rolling open window — no closing date — means that a strong application submitted now is considered on its merits, not against a large annual pool. Nigerian and African applicants from underrepresented countries or disciplines have a genuine angle here, given the diversity prioritisation.

Contact the University of Sydney’s regional admissions experts for your country to confirm eligible courses and application requirements.

Quick Facts