Applications Open for DFAT New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant Program!

Deadline: 19 May 2017

The Australian Government Department of Foreign and Trade (DFAT) is seeking applications for its “New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant” with an aim to lift knowledge of the Indo-Pacific in Australia by supporting Australian undergraduates to study and undertake Internships in the region.

Program Objectives

The New Colombo Plan aims to:

deepen Australia’s people-to-people and institutional relationships with the region, through the engagement of students, universities, businesses and other stakeholder networks in the Program
establish study in the Indo-Pacific as a rite of passage for Australian undergraduate students, and an endeavour that is highly valued by the Australian community
increase the number of work-ready Australian graduates with regional experience

Funding Information

The Australian Government made an initial commitment of $100 million of funding for the New Colombo Plan over five years.

Eligibility Criteria

Australian Universities:
- Applications for funding will be accepted from all Australian Universities (defined as a higher education provider under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 in a provider category that permits the use of the word “university”) and consortia of Australian Universities.
Consortium Applications:
- The Australian Government encourages consortia applications, particularly where they enable Australian Universities to support student mobility to the region that would have otherwise not occurred.
- A Consortium must nominate one Australian University as the Lead Applicant and the Consortium must submit the application in the Lead Applicant’s name.
- That Australian University will be accountable for meeting the legal and reporting requirements on behalf of the Consortium.
- Applicants must not apply for funding for the same Mobility Project(s) through individual and consortia applications.
A Student participating in a Mobility Project must:
- be an Australian citizen. Students cannot receive a Student Grant to undertake a Mobility Project in a Host Location in which they have dual citizenship or residency rights
- be enrolled in an on-shore campus of an Australian University throughout the duration of the Mobility Project
- be undertaking a Bachelor Degree (Level 7) or Bachelor Honours Degree (Level 8), as defined by the Australian Qualifications Framework4 at the commencement of their Mobility Project
- be between 18 and 28 years of age at the commencement of their Mobility Project
- not have already commenced a period of overseas study in the same Host Location as the Mobility Project
- not receive more than one short-term and one Semester grant (with or without an internship) during their Australian course of study