Scholars reflect on their grant experiences
Four scholars share what they learnt through their grant and internship experiences
Professional Development Opportunities – Internship Round 2025
Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia provides Professional Development Opportunities for Australia Awards scholars to create valuable personal and professional connections while they are studying in Australia. These opportunities come in the form of grants and internship placements.
Any scholar can receive a maximum of one professional development activity (a grant or internship) per academic year, with a maximum of two during their entire Scholarship.
Applications for Professional Development Internship Round 2025 are now open.
What is the opportunity?
Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia will support recipients to undertake an internship at a suitable organisation, in order to enhance their Scholarship journey.
Internship placements must align with one or more of the following:
- activities that will complement the recipient’s studies in Australia
- activities that will help the recipient develop personal and professional networks and partnerships
- activities that will help the recipient make a difference in their life and for their country.
Each recipient will work closely with an internship service provider to create their own custom placement that aligns with their Development Impact and Linkages Plan. Each recipient’s internship will take place in the Australian state where they are studying and residing.
A limited number of internship opportunities are available. Not all applications will be successful.
Funding
If your application is successful, the cost of your internship placement will be covered by Australia Awards. It will be paid directly to the internship service provider, not to you.
Australia Awards may cover additional costs required to complete the placement (e.g. mandatory memberships, equipment, training courses or other required expenses) up to $300 in total. You must discuss this with the Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia team before making any commitment, otherwise the costs may not be covered.
Where possible, such additional expenses will be paid directly by Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia, preferably against an invoice. Alternatively, Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia may reimburse you when you provide a receipt. You may need to complete a fraud briefing before making a claim.
You should read DFAT’s Fraud and Corruption Policy Statement before applying. Misuse of funds will be treated in line with DFAT’s Fraud Control Toolkit.
To apply for an internship, you must:
- be currently studying in Australia on an Australia Awards Scholarship
- be a citizen of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan or Sri Lanka
- have completed at least one semester of coursework on your Scholarship
- have at least one full semester of coursework left to complete on your Scholarship
- be able to complete your internship placement at least one month before the end of your Scholarship
- submit a proposal on how an internship would align with your Development Impact and Linkages Plan
- provide written confirmation from your Student Contact Officer (or Course Adviser if you are a research student) that you are on track with your studies and that the internship will not adversely affect your study.
If you receive an internship, you must:
- complete all assessment tasks required by the internship service provider as soon as possible after receiving your acceptance offer
After two weeks, you will be sent a reminder and receive one additional week to complete your assessment. If you have not completed your assessment within three weeks of receiving your acceptance offer, Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia will offer your place to another applicant. - arrange all logistics associated with your internship placement
- ensure that the internship placement does not adversely affect your study commitments
- respond to requests from Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia for information about your internship for review or publicity purposes
- agree to submit a Completion Report within two weeks of completing the placement.
Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia will provide a template for the Completion Report to successful applicants. This will require you to write a brief summary of your internship and describe any short- and long-term impacts, challenges, and lessons learnt. You will be asked to include relevant photographs, and quotes if required.
During an internship, all obligations and regulations applicable to an Australia Awards scholar and an international student in Australia will continue to apply.
You will not be granted a visa extension to complete an internship. Any Professional Development Opportunities you undertake must be completed within your Scholarship period, together with your studies.
For Internship Round 2025, launching in November 2024, applications must be submitted by 1 December 2024. Successful applicants will be notified by early January 2025.
Assessment consists of two stages: initial written assessment and (if shortlisted) subsequent interview.
Stage 1: Your written application will be assessed against the following criteria:
- How would an internship enhance your skills, knowledge, competencies and/or professional connections?
- How would an internship support you to implement your Development Impact and Linkages Plan and achieve your goals upon returning home?
- How would an internship align with your course of study and extracurricular interests?
Stage 2: If your written application is shortlisted, you will be invited to a short online interview.
Before you apply, please carefully read all the information above.
To apply, you must register on Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia’s Online Events Application System.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing a link to activate your account. (If you do not receive this email within 10 minutes, check your spam or junk email folder. If you cannot find the confirmation email or have any questions regarding the Online Events Application System, please email support.portal@australiaawardssouthasiamongolia.org and provide the email address you used to register.)
Once your account is activated, log in and apply for an internship by completing the application form. The form can be saved so that you can return to it multiple times. Once you have completed the form, click the Submit button at the end. After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email.
For any questions, please contact us on engagement@australiaawardssouthasiamongolia.org
Submit your online application
Applicants must register, complete and submit their application online on the online application portal by 1 December 2024.