UQ International Excellence Scholarship 2027: 25% Off Tuition for Your Degree

If you are planning to study at the University of Queensland in 2027, the UQ International Excellence Scholarship is the first award to check. It gives high achieving international students a 25% reduction in tuition fees, applied every semester for the duration of your program. There is no separate scholarship application. When you apply for a degree at UQ, you are automatically assessed, and if you are successful, you are told about the award together with your offer. For Semester 1, 2027, the international application closing date is Monday 30 November 2026. This is a partial award, not a fully funded tuition grant.

What the scholarship is worth

The University of Queensland states the award as a 25% reduction in tuition fees per semester, and the official 2027 terms and conditions describe it as a 25% tuition fee reduction per year for the duration of the enrolled coursework program. The reduction is applied before the tuition fees due date each semester, so you see the discount on your invoice, not as a refund after you have paid in full.

Because the award runs for the duration of your program, its total value depends on how long your degree is. A three year bachelor degree gets the 25% cut across all six semesters, and a two year coursework master degree gets it across all four semesters. There is no fixed cash amount, and the number awarded may vary.

Who is eligible?

The official terms and conditions set out the conditions clearly. You are eligible if you:

• Are an international student, which UQ defines as a student who is not an Australian citizen, not a New Zealand citizen, and not an Australian permanent resident.
• Have applied to study full time at UQ, commencing in 2027, in an eligible undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program of at least 16 units.
• Have satisfied all the conditions of your program offer, including the program entry rank and English language proficiency requirements.
• Have achieved a competitive score, as determined by the university, among the pool of offer holders for programs in your commencement semester.
• Have not received another scholarship, tuition fee reduction or rebate from UQ, with the exception of the UQ English Language Scholarship.
• Have not received a full scholarship or sponsorship from another organisation. Applicants with a partial scholarship or sponsorship may still be considered, at the university's discretion.

On nationality, the position is straightforward. There is no country list for this scholarship. It is open to international students of any nationality, so Nigerian applicants are eligible under the general international rule.

Which programs are covered, and which are not

The scholarship covers all study areas and both levels of study, undergraduate and postgraduate coursework, as long as your program is a full time coursework program of at least 16 units commencing in 2027. Whether you are applying for engineering, business, science, arts, law, information technology or agriculture, your program is likely to be covered.

There is, however, a list of excluded programs in the official terms and conditions. The excluded programs are mainly in health and medicine, plus the MBA and psychology: medicine and dentistry, nursing and midwifery, physiotherapy and related health degrees, psychology, veterinary science, and the Master of Business Administration, along with several health masters. Check the full excluded list in the official terms and conditions before you apply. If your program is not on the excluded list, and it is a full time coursework program of at least 16 units starting in 2027, it is a relevant program for this scholarship.

How selection works

There is no scholarship form, no essay and no interview. Selection is based on your academic merit, measured by your entry rank and how your score compares with other offer holders for programs in your commencement semester. Your grades decide the outcome, because the university ranks applicants within each commencement semester pool.

You will be notified if you have been offered the scholarship at the point of receiving your unconditional offer for your program, or once you have satisfied all the conditions of a conditional offer. The award is offered for the program and the commencement semester named in your offer letter, so the scholarship and your degree start together. One step is easy to miss. Your scholarship is only confirmed when you accept your UQ program offer and pay your tuition deposit. Accept the offer and pay the deposit by the deadline stated in your offer, or the award can be withdrawn.

Unlike a graduate assistantship stipend, which pays you for work after you enrol, this award is decided before you start.

Key dates for 2027 entry

There is no separate scholarship deadline, because there is no separate scholarship application. The date that controls everything is UQ's international application closing date for your intake. Apply for your degree before that date, and your automatic scholarship assessment follows from your admission application.

• Monday 30 November 2026: international applications close for Semester 1, 2027, the main February intake. Semester 1 teaching starts on Monday 22 February 2027.
• Monday 31 May 2027: international applications close for Semester 2, 2027, the July intake. Semester 2 teaching starts on Monday 26 July 2027.

Apply well before the closing date. You need an unconditional offer, or all conditions of a conditional offer satisfied, before the scholarship can be confirmed. You also need time for your student visa, your Overseas Student Health Cover and your travel arrangements.

What the award does not cover

This international student financial aid is a partial award, and its limits are clear. It reduces your tuition fees by 25%. It does not pay your living costs, accommodation, food, books, Overseas Student Health Cover, travel or visa costs. You must still fund the remaining 75% of your tuition fees yourself, plus all of those living and travel costs, for every year of your degree.

You must also maintain satisfactory academic progress and remain enrolled full time, normally 8 units per semester. Deferring your commencement or changing your program means your eligibility is re-evaluated, and you may lose the award, especially if your new program is on the excluded list. The university may terminate the scholarship if you do not enrol, commit serious misconduct, or fail to maintain satisfactory academic progress.

How to apply: step by step

1. Choose an eligible program. Pick a full time undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program of at least 16 units, commencing in Semester 1 or Semester 2, 2027. Check that your program is not on the excluded list.
2. Check the entry requirements. Read the program page for the entry rank, subject prerequisites and English language requirements, which vary by program.
3. Prepare your documents. Have your academic transcripts and certificates, English test results and passport ready. If your documents are not in English, you will need certified translations.
4. Apply for admission through UQ Apply. Submit your program application through the UQ online application portal, apply.uq.edu.au, well before the closing date for your intake. UQ charges a non-refundable AUD 150 application fee for each program application.
5. Meet your offer conditions. If you receive a conditional offer, satisfy every condition quickly. Your scholarship is notified with your unconditional offer.
6. Accept your offer and pay the deposit. Accept your program offer and pay your tuition deposit by the deadline in your offer letter. This is the step that confirms your scholarship.
7. Arrange your visa and health cover. Apply for your Australian student visa, arrange Overseas Student Health Cover, and confirm your funds for the costs the award does not cover.

Common mistakes that cost applicants the award

• Applying for an excluded program. The MBA, medicine, dentistry, nursing, physiotherapy and psychology programs on the excluded list cannot receive this scholarship. Check the list first.
• Waiting for a scholarship form. There is none. Your degree application is your scholarship application, so waiting for a separate form means missing the admission closing date.
• Missing the admission closing date. Monday 30 November 2026 is the closing date for Semester 1, 2027. A late application means no offer, and no offer means no scholarship.
• Forgetting the deposit. You must accept your offer and pay your tuition deposit for the scholarship to be confirmed.
• Assuming the award covers living costs. It is a 25% tuition reduction only. Budget separately for accommodation, food, health cover, travel and visa costs.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a separate application for the UQ International Excellence Scholarship 2027?

No. You are automatically assessed when you apply for an eligible full time undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program at UQ commencing in 2027. You are notified about the scholarship together with your unconditional offer, or once you have satisfied all the conditions of a conditional offer.

Can Nigerian students apply for the UQ International Excellence Scholarship 2027?

Yes. The scholarship is open to international students of any nationality, with no country list in the official terms. Nigerian applicants are eligible under the general international rule, on the same terms as any other international applicant, provided they meet the academic and English requirements.

Is the UQ International Excellence Scholarship fully funded?

No. It is a partial, merit based award. It reduces your tuition fees by 25% for the duration of your program. It does not cover the remaining 75% of tuition, or your living costs, accommodation, health cover, travel or visa costs.

When is the deadline for the UQ International Excellence Scholarship 2027?

There is no separate scholarship deadline. The controlling dates are UQ's international application closing dates: Monday 30 November 2026 for Semester 1, 2027, and Monday 31 May 2027 for Semester 2, 2027. Apply for your degree before the closing date for your intake, and your scholarship assessment follows automatically.

Final thoughts: apply early, and check the official page

The UQ International Excellence Scholarship is one of the most straightforward high value awards in Australia. There is no essay, no interview and no separate form. Your admission application does the work, and the 25% reduction runs for the whole of your degree, not just the first year. Everything depends on applying for an eligible program before the closing date, meeting your offer conditions, and accepting your offer with the deposit paid.

If you are aiming for Semester 1, 2027, Monday 30 November 2026 is the date to work towards. Choose your program now, check it is not on the excluded list, and submit your application through UQ Apply in good time. Confirm the current details on the official University of Queensland UQ International Excellence Scholarship page before you submit.

Sources: University of Queensland, UQ International Excellence Scholarship, official scholarship page; University of Queensland, UQ International Excellence Scholarship Terms and Conditions 2027, official PDF.