Australia Awards
Australia Awards Papua New Guinea are designed to promote knowledge and leadership, and enduring ties between Australia and Papua New Guinea. Our goal is to contribute to building a qualified workforce, filling critical human resource gaps, and supporting good leadership in Papua New Guinea, thereby assisting with addressing the nation’s economic and development challenges.
Australia Awards Papua New Guinea offers three study options:
- Australia Awards Scholarships for Papua New Guineans to study primarily postgraduate courses in Australia;
- Australia Awards In-PNG Scholarships for Papua New Guineans to study in PNG to meet critical workforce gaps; and
- Australia Awards Short Course Awards for Papua New Guineans to undertake short-term professional development study in Australia.

Australia Awards
Australia Awards Scholarships aim to contribute to the development needs of Australia’s partner countries. The opportunities provided develop the skills and knowledge of individuals to drive change and contribute to development in their own countries.
Equal opportunity
Australia Awards are merit-based scholarships. We are committed to ensuring an equal representation of women and men and that persons with disability and people living and working in rural areas are provided fair access to pursuing further studies under an Australia Award.
PNG priority sectors
Every year, both the Governments of Australia and Papua New Guinea agree on priority sectors that will target key development areas in PNG these include: agriculture, education, governance, health, law and justice, and transport and infrastructure.
Australia Awards PNG Stories
Ismael Sunga’s career expansion.
“The impact my Australia Award had for my work is huge. I can now confidently perform my work and at the same time impart knowledge and skills to other colleagues. I encourage other public officials to apply for Australia Awards,” says Ismael Sunga, Assistant Secretary for Extractive Industries in the PNG Department of Treasury and Australia Awards alumni.
Nurse’s greatest achievement gaining a tertiary education
“My dream is to become a doctor. It has been, ever since I was a child. However, getting into nursing college was an opportunity and I am glad I chose nursing,” says Yolanda Som, Australia Awards PNG alumna.
Yolanda and more than 40 Papua New Guineans have been supported by Newcrest Mining Limited through the Australia Awards In-PNG Scholarships to study nursing and midwifery since 2017
PNG plant scientist participates in International Symposium
“The symposium was an eye-opener for me as I learned that several plant diseases in PNG such as the Bogia Coconut Syndrome and Banana Wilt Associated Phytoplasma are vectored by hemipterans,” says Noah Saruwa, Agriculture Scientist, and Australia Awards awardee.What’s...