What can I study?

Australia Awards Scholarships offer citizens of Vanuatu the opportunity to undertake tertiary studies in Australia, or regionally in Fiji at the University of the South Pacific or Fiji National University, or in Papua New Guinea (PNG) at a recognised tertiary institution. Australia Awards Scholarships are offered at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Applications are invited in areas of study that align with the Vanuatu National Sustainable Development Plans and the skills gaps identified in Vanuatu’s National Human Resource Development Plan (NHRDP). Please check the Resources tab for more information.

The Governments of Vanuatu and Australia have agreed on the following priority fields of study and areas of specialisation:

Priority fields of study

The priority areas of study eligible for Vanuatu are:

Health (including allied health, nursing and midwifery, acute care, surgical, pathology, psychology, counselling)
Development studies (including gender, criminology, justice, governance, social work, community development)
Criminology and justice
Climate change and renewable energy (Disaster management)
Inclusive education and in the teaching of STEM – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
Food science and animal science
Finance/commerce, economics, public policy, international relations and public administration
Information technology, media communications and cyber security
Aviation management and aircraft engineering
Management of TVET institutions
Trade skills
Engineering and architecture
Agriculture
Urban and infrastructure planning (including WASH)

Applicants must research Australian universities and regional institutions to find courses that best fit their academic background, career and leadership ambitions, which will enable them to contribute meaningfully to Vanuatu’s development.

We recommend you consider the university location as well. Different cities have varying transport systems, climate, cost of living and availability of accommodation.

Below are the approved institutions to choose from. Australia Awards Scholarships provide citizens of Vanuatu with opportunities to obtain a tertiary qualification at the:

University of the South Pacific-Laucala Campus, Fiji: https://www.usp.ac.fj/

Or at the Fiji National University: https://www.fnu.ac.fj

Or in Papua New Guinea (PNG) at a recognised tertiary institution

Or from any University or TAFE in Australia that is available in the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) – https://cricos.education.gov.au/default.aspx