Australia Awards Scholarships for study commencing in 2026 will open on 1 February 2025 and applicants are encouraged to check their eligibility before starting the application process. To be eligible, applicants must meet certain English language proficiency standards, with results valid as of 1 January 2026. These standards include an IELTS (Academic) overall score of at least 6.5 with no band less than 6.0, a TOEFL internet-based test (iBT) score of at least 84, or a PTE Academic overall score of 58 with no communicative skill score less than 50.
Women, people with disabilities, and those from ethnic minorities are permitted to submit an overall IELTS score of at least 6.0 with no band less than 5.5 (or equivalent TOEFL or PTE score). However, if selected for the scholarship, they must meet the English language admission requirement of the relevant Australian institution.
English language testing can be expensive, so proper preparation is key to successfully submitting your application. For more details, visit the British Council—Bangladesh, IDP—International Education Specialists, and Pearson—PTE Academic in Bangladesh. People with disabilities wishing to apply should contact English language test centers as early as possible, as the testing facility will need time to make necessary adjustments to meet individual needs.
Australia Awards—Bangladesh organizes information sessions for prospective applicants, with session dates and times and a link to register shared in due course. Useful resources for applying for an Australia Awards Scholarship include the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT) dedicated page, OASIS (User Guide), Study Australia website, Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic.
Scholarship applicants must meet the English language proficiency requirements specified by Australia Awards for their country, and DFAT will accept results from any of the following English language tests. For further information, contact the Bright Admission Coaching or Australia Awards office in Bangladesh.