Studying with the backing of an external sponsor opens the door to a world-class education at the University of Melbourne. Our sponsored students come from across the globe and play an important role in the University’s vibrant, internationally diverse community. Here you’ll find everything you need to apply, manage your sponsorship and make the most of your time studying with us.
A sponsored student at the University of Melbourne is a student whose tuition is paid directly to the University by an external sponsor organisation — typically a foreign government agency, public institution, or recognised scholarship provider.
Sponsorship by family, friends, or employers doesn't fall within this definition.
There's also an important difference between sponsored students and University of Melbourne scholarship holders.
Hear from our sponsored students
Note that the information on this page does not apply to Australia Awards Scholarship recipients. Information and support for recipients of these scholarships can be found on the Students website and scholarships website.
Applying for a course at the University of Melbourne as a sponsored student involves the following steps. Expand each step to see what's involved.
Submit your University of Melbourne application through our online application portal.
In the application form, declare if you have (or expect to have) any external sponsorship arrangement relating to your study. Please ensure you fully complete this section, including the name of the relevant sponsorship body. This ensures your application is routed correctly and that your sponsorship is taken into account during assessment.
If sponsorship is already secured, please submit your financial guarantee letter.
All sponsored students must have a financial guarantee letter from their sponsor. This letter confirms your sponsor will pay your fees and what's included.
The letter must be on the sponsor's official letterhead, addressed to the University of Melbourne and include:
Upload your financial guarantee letter and any other supporting documents your sponsor or program requires. Uploading everything in one go helps us assess your application without follow-up requests.
If you are in the process of securing sponsorship, please submit your application, declaring you are expecting sponsorship and, once secured, please upload your financial guarantee letter to your application.
Note that without a verified financial guarantee letter your application will be put on hold.
Once we have everything we need, our admissions team will assess your application. We'll email you the outcome as soon as a decision is made.
You can track the status of your application online at any time. For an indication of how long assessment usually takes, see application turnaround times.
If your application is successful, we'll send you an offer letter with instructions on the next steps.
For information about accepting your offer, planning your course and completing your enrolment, visit the Students website.
Sponsor organisations are external bodies — such as national scholarship programs, government departments and other public institutions — that fund students to study at universities worldwide, including the University of Melbourne. Each sponsor has its own eligibility criteria, application process and funding conditions.
Instituto Trajetórias is a nonprofit initiative that promotes international mobility for Brazilian talent, connecting students with top-tier universities abroad and developing leaders committed to Brazil’s future.
The University of Melbourne has a longstanding partnership with COLFUTURO, welcoming 20-24 students from this program each year — the largest group among Australian universities.
The Lembaga Pengelola Dana Penidikan (LPDP), or Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education, is a scholarship program provided by the Ministry of Finance in the Republic of Indonesia. It provides scholarships to Indonesian students pursuing graduate coursework or research degrees at participating universities, including the University of Melbourne.
Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) or the Council of Trust for the People is an agency under the purview of Ministry of Rural and Regional Development established on 1 March 1966, as a corporate statutory body by an Act of Parliament as a result of the first Bumiputera Economic Congress in 1965.
FIDERH (Fund for Human Resource Development) provides tuition fee support to eligible Mexican students studying graduate coursework at the University of Melbourne.
BECAL (Programa Nacional de Becas de Postgrado en el Exterior) is Paraguay's national postgraduate scholarship program.
Full or partial English language program support may be available depending on individual offer packages.
Australia
Brunei Darussalam
Botswana
Chile
India
Indonesia
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Malaysia
Peru
Saudi Arabia
Thailand
United Arab Emirates
You'll receive and submit to the University an official letter from your sponsor. The letter confirms that an external organisation or third party will pay your tuition fees while you study at the University of Melbourne.
If you received the sponsorship letter after you commenced your study and you are currently enrolled as a University of Melbourne student, you can submit your financial guarantee letter via email to sa-sponsors@unimelb.edu.au for assessment. If approved, any fees for future semesters will be issued to your sponsor. If you require reimbursement for any fees you have already paid for previous semesters, you will need to obtain this from your sponsor directly.
Note that the information on this page does not apply to Australia Awards Scholarship recipients. Information and support for recipients of these scholarships can be found on the Students website and scholarships website.
A financial guarantee letter is an official letter from your sponsor confirming they'll pay your fees directly to the University upon receiving an invoice from the University. It must be on the sponsor's official letterhead, addressed to the University and include:
The University of Melbourne offers a wide range of support services for international students — including academic skills, careers, health and wellbeing, and student equity and disability services. Find out more about international student support.
All student visa applications are managed by the Australian Government. Visit the Department of Home Affairs website for current visa requirements and to apply.
Yes, but speak with your sponsor first. They may need to give written approval — and for a deferral, your sponsor will need to provide a letter of support before we can process it. A course change may also affect your sponsorship arrangement, so confirm any changes with them before requesting them.
Please submit additional requests as part of your application at admissions stage.
Requests for third party forms can be made via the Students website.
If you need to extend your studies, you'll usually need approval from your sponsor first. Visit our Students website for information about extending your student visa and requesting a new CoE.
A loan scheme is an arrangement between the recipient and the sponsor whereby funds are paid to the recipient.
In this case, the recipient, once approved for admission, will be responsible for paying their tuition fee, not the sponsor.
This does not apply for loan programs listed on our international loan program and financial aid pages that can be found on our Students website.
In most cases, no. If an external sponsor organisation (as defined above) is funding you, you can't hold a University of Melbourne scholarship at the same time.
See the Coursework scholarship terms and conditions for details.
If your sponsor's funding changes during your studies, contact our team as soon as possible. We can help you understand your options and what support is available.
Your financial guarantee letter sets out what your sponsor pays — typically tuition fees, and may include Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) and a living allowance. Once you've accepted your offer and submitted the letter, the University invoices your sponsor directly excluding your living allowance.
If your tuition fees are not paid in full by your sponsor, you will be required to pay the shortfall amount from your sponsor's payment. You may also need to cover other costs directly depending on your sponsor's terms. Check your letter to confirm what's covered for your specific arrangement.
Admissions, enrolment and other student enquiries
External sponsor organisations
If you have questions about our sponsored students or engaging with the University of Melbourne, email us at sponsor-oa@unimelb.edu.au