How to apply

Explore our easy-to-follow guide on how to submit your application to study with us.

Apply as an international student

As part of the application process for your chosen degree, you will be asked to submit a personal statement using this template (docx, 64KB) to apply for the Award.

In this personal statement, you will be asked to:

• Tell us about yourself (maximum 200 words)
• Tell us what has inspired you to apply to the University (maximum 200 words)
• Tell us what you want to achieve with your studies at the University or how it will help you to achieve your goals (maximum 200 words).

If you are successful in receiving the Award, you will be advised when you receive your offer of admission via email. The Award contribution will be applied to your tuition fee in your admissions offer letter. 

1. Background

   The Sydney International Student Awards are available to international students from select markets to recognise the exceptional quality of our students and the strategic importance of those markets for the future of the University. The Award is open to all commencing students from the defined markets enrolled full time in an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework degree.

2. Eligibility
   1. To be eligible for the Award, applicants must be an international student as defined in the Higher Education Support Act 2003. This excludes Australian citizens and permanent residence.
   2. Applicants must hold citizenship of one of the countries listed as eligible for the Award. Proof of residency will be required. Countries within Africa, South & Central America, Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan etc), Eastern Europe as well as Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.
   3. Applicants must have an offer of admission for a new undergraduate coursework or postgraduate coursework degree at the University of Sydney at the time of application for the Award.
   4. Applicants commencing a second degree at the University of Sydney are eligible to apply.
   5. Applicants can hold a conditional award offer, but it will only transition to a full Award when they meet all of the criteria for their course and the Award.
   6. The Award is not applicable to students studying in MBA, EMBA, Study Abroad or Executive Education programs, or courses offered in distance mode or to students participating in a Law Dual Degree pathway program. Research degrees may only be included where agreements already with eligible sponsors or by approval by the delegate authority.
   7. The Award is only applicable to degrees where tuition fees are payable to the University of Sydney.
   8. The Award is applicable to new commencements in 2025.
3. Selection criteria
   1. To be successful in obtaining the Award, applicants will need to meet the entry criteria for the University and complete a personal statement as part of the application process for admission to an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework degree.
   2. The personal statement should not exceed 200 words for each of these sections:
      1. Tell us about yourself
      2. Tell us what has inspired you to apply to the University of Sydney
      3. Tell us what you want to achieve with your studies at the University of Sydney or how it will help you to achieve your goals
   3. Applicants from eligible countries will be prompted to apply for the Sydney International Student Award in their application process.
   4. Applicants who do not fulfil the criteria of the Award will be offered a place without the Award being applied to their offer and cannot retrospectively apply for the Award after commencement.
4. Value
   1. Award recipients will receive a 20 percent contribution of their tuition fee from the University for the duration of their course.
   2. No payment will be made directly to the student, the Award will be applied to the applicants' offer which will reduce the applicants’ overall tuition fee liability.
   3. No other amount is payable.
5. Ongoing eligibility
   1. To continue receipt of the Award, the recipient must have no outstanding fees.
   2. The Award is transferable to another major or degree offered at the University of Sydney but is not transferrable to another University. If a student transfers to another degree at the University of Sydney, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the Award has been transferred to their changed enrolment. If the Award has not been transferred, the student should immediately notify the Student Contact Centre. The Award cannot be retrospectively applied to the tuition fees for a given semester once the census date of that semester has passed.
6. Termination
   1. The Award will be terminated if the recipient:
      1. withdraws from an eligible course or fails to enrol;
      2. becomes a domestic student or obtains Australian Permanent Residency;
      3. commences part-time study without prior approval;
      4. fails to complete their course in the given timeframe indicated in their Certificate of Enrolment (CoE);
      5. is determined by the University to be guilty of serious misconduct, including, but not limited to, having provided false or misleading information as part of their application; or
      6. any other provision as indicated in these terms that would lead to termination.
7. Other requirements
   1. Award recipients may be invited to promote the program in which they are enrolled as well as represent the University of Sydney at student events, marketing events and corporate networking events. The costs of representing the University of Sydney at these functions will be met by the University of Sydney.