Australia Awards Scholarship Scholar Aisha from Indonesia Shares Her Journey of Securing a Fully Funded Master's at the Australian National University, Australia

Hello! I am Aisha from Bandung, Indonesia. I completed my master’s degree at the Australian National University in 2025, with a title of Master of Environmental Management and Development.

I have a background in the sustainable economic development field, where I built awareness of sustainability among micro, small, and medium enterprises and local governments. As I went deeper into the ESG world, I realised that a sustainable world requires strong public policy that protects both nature and the (small) people. This programme was right up the alley.

Australia Awards Scholarship Details

I was fortunate to be supported by the Australia Awards Scholarship (AAS) funded by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) throughout my master’s journey. As the longest-running foreign scholarship programme in Indonesia, the Australia Awards is a prestigious scheme that allows scholars to enrich both their academic and professional careers.

I would say the Australia Awards is a very generous scholarship. Their benefits include full tuition fees, settlement allowance, fortnightly stipend to cover living expenses, reunion airfare, supplementary academic support, and so much more. Not only financial support, but they also provide pre-departure training, professional development, and networking opportunities that enrich our experience.

Educational Background

Prior to work and my master’s degree, I received a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Universitas Katolik Parahyangan in Bandung, Indonesia. I graduated in 2020 with a GPA of 3.90/4.00, earning me recognition as one of the top graduates in my batch.

As you probably imagine, my bachelor’s degree is not directly related to my master’s degree field of study. Albeit so, it opened my interest in the world of development and societies. It also played a role in shaping my leadership, analytical, and critical-thinking skills, which have helped my academic and professional careers.

How Did You Find Information About Australia Awards Scholarship and the Australian National University?

My major source of information about the scholarship is their local website (for the Australia Awards, it means the Australia Awards Indonesia website. The AAS has its own website for each country). The Australia Awards Indonesia website has a very comprehensive explanation about the application process, the requirements, scholarship entitlements, and other detailed information you need about the scholarship. For the institutions, I also went through deep research about the universities and majors that suit my needs through their websites. I surfed through each university’s page and the courses they offered.

Did You Take Any Standardized Tests? If So, How Did You Prepare for Them?

I applied to the scholarship using the IELTS that I took one year prior. I learned and practiced independently using IELTS preparation books. It helped a lot in setting my expectations on what kind of questions are asked. I practiced answering writing prompts and compared my answer to the best answer. For the speaking part, I watched a lot of online videos of people taking the test and pretended that I was taking the test myself.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Australia Awards Scholarship?

I already set my intention to apply for the Australia Awards one year prior. Before applying, I reviewed the requirements and what the scholarship is looking for in candidates. This includes going through their websites, reading alumni testimonies, and watching Australia Awards scholars’ online videos on YouTube about their experience and tips on applying.

How is Your Experience at the Australian National University?

I felt genuinely supported by the academic and student support staff at the Australian National University, who were committed to ensuring we had the best possible study experience. Like other universities partnered with the AAS, ANU provided us with preparatory classes before the semester began, helping us adapt to university life. This was a really important and useful step, as many scholars had been away from formal academic study for an extended period. Throughout our time there, the university also offered academic consultations and well-being support whenever we needed them.

I studied at a public policy-focused college within the university, where many of the lecturers are leading experts on the Asia-Pacific region. This was particularly valuable for me as someone from Southeast Asia, as the discussions felt close to home and directly applicable to my country's context. Another distinct advantage of studying public policy at ANU is its location in the nation's capital, which gives students valuable opportunities to engage with policymakers through many workshops and discussions. Overall, studying at the ANU proved to be the right choice for me.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

One of the criteria the Australia Awards seeks from its candidates is the candidates’ potential future impact. How do we intend to use the experience (knowledge, skills, networks, etc.) that we will gain from the studies to address Indonesia’s development challenges? To answer that, it is important to know well the problems we are going to solve and how we are going to solve them. I made sure that I understand a specific development challenge that I encountered in my work, and how a master’s degree will help me contribute to the solution. I think it is also important not to be too generic about the challenge.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

What I would have done differently is that I would have prepared myself more for the scholarship. I would enrich myself with more professional experience, expose myself to more real-life cases of the challenge I’m interested in, and strengthen my portfolio. Although I have some exposure to the development challenge during my work, I did not really know inside-out about the problem. I think that being in the heart of the problem would strengthen my position.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

Make sure that you understand what qualities are sought by the scholarship from its scholars, including their expectations after the scholarship ends. See if it aligns with your portfolio and what you seek from the scholarship. Learn from other scholars’ experience (reading the stories on this website is a very useful start! *wink*). Reread and refine your essay and application until you feel satisfied. Having other people proofread for you is also helpful. Most importantly, do your best and never give up. Some people had to apply more than 2 to 3 times before they got accepted, and this proves that resilience gets you good results! I wish you the best of luck!