Australia Awards Scholarships Scholar Stefanus Eduard Adrian from Indonesia Shares His Journey of Securing a Fully Funded Master's at the University of Sydney, Australia

My name is Stefanus Eduard Adrian, and I come from Jakarta, Indonesia. I have always been passionate about technology, especially building IT systems and how they can be leveraged by society. I am also always eager to broaden my knowledge and perspectives in the IT industry from both technical and management perspectives. Therefore, I decided to pursue a Master of Information Technology and Master of Information Technology Management combined degree with specialisation in cybersecurity at the University of Sydney. I completed this combined degree in 2024 with a research pathway project titled Microservices Authorisation Using Knowledge Graph.

Australia Awards Scholarships Details

I was honoured to complete the degree with the support of the Australia Awards Scholarships (AAS), which was awarded back in 2021. The AAS itself is a prestigious full scholarship by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The scholarship is very generous as it covers full tuition fees, contribution to living expenses in the form of fortnightly stipends, and many other necessities from pre-departure training to homeward airfare.

Educational Background

Before I pursued my master’s degree, I had already completed my Bachelor of Computer Science in 2018 from Binus University, which is a private university with the main campus located in Jakarta, Indonesia. I was grateful to achieve a GPA of 3.87 out of 4.00, distinguished by Magna Cum Laude.

I would say that my bachelor’s degree is a strong foundation that prepared me to be a professional in the IT industry. It taught me many essential computer science foundations that shape the technical skills that I now possess. Moreover, it also empowered me to even commence my first job before I was later admitted to this degree. In addition, it also definitely helped me substantially to understand more advanced concepts that were taught in my master’s degree.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the University of Sydney?

How Did You Find Information About Australia Awards Scholarships and the University of Sydney?

When it comes to finding information about scholarships, I would first check what kind of scholarships are offered for the specific degree that I aim for. This would initially bring me to the university’s page for that degree, and oftentimes, there is a list of scholarships offered for this degree. I would then check the official websites of the scholarships. In the case of AAS, I checked the official website of Australia Awards in Indonesia, as it is tailored for applicants from Indonesia.

As for finding information related to the universities, I would also first check the official website of the universities. The official website of the University of Sydney provides comprehensive information needed by prospective and current students. Moreover, I also checked a number of universities’ ranking websites, such as the QS World University Rankings, to gain additional information regarding the prospective universities.

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

Yes, I took an IELTS Academic test around 4 months prior to lodging my AAS application. I initially prepared myself by immersing myself in an English environment, such as by listening to English podcasts, reading news in English, watching English movies without subtitles, and so on. On top of that, I also analysed the test format carefully and practiced for each component from various websites that offer specific practices. I found this approach useful to get myself prepared during the test day.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the Australia Awards Scholarships?

Preparing to apply for the scholarship involved a number of steps. First of all, I checked the general requirements to apply for the scholarship to ensure I was eligible to apply for one. Secondly, I checked the specific requirements for the master’s degree level such as the English language proficiency requirement. Thirdly, I started gathering the required documents for lodging the application including filling out the application forms and writing compulsory essays as part of the application. Fourthly, when it came time to take a compulsory IELTS mock test, I prepared myself by practicing more IELTS-style questions. Lastly, for the Joint Selection Team (JST) academic interview, I browsed the internet to gain insights into what kind of questions are possible to be asked by the interviewers based on awardees from previous intakes. I was grateful for the time and effort that I had spent, as it made me successful in securing the scholarship on the first attempt.

How is (was) Your Experience at the University of Sydney?

I had a pleasant experience studying at the University of Sydney. The course that I took equips me with both theoretical and practical knowledge for my professional goals. Moreover, I was able to collaborate with fellow students, especially for group projects, which made me realise that teamwork is more important than ever in the IT industry. In addition, the university also offers a number of exceptional facilities and services to support its students, such as the various study spaces to choose from. On top of that, the university also regularly holds noteworthy events and day trips dedicated to their students, for which I once got a chance to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge for free.

What Did You Pursue After the Australia Awards Scholarships?

I got a chance to continue working as an IT professional at a higher position right after the completion of the scholarship. I strive to apply the knowledge that I gained from the scholarship from both technical and management perspectives. Moving forward from what I have been doing in my professional career, I aim to keep expanding my skills within the IT industry by contributing to many more impactful IT projects.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I believe there are some factors that made my application stand out. I would say the first one is due to the fact that my educational background and professional experience align with what I strive to achieve with the scholarship itself. This makes an alignment between the past and present experience with the future goals to convince the Joint Selection Team that I can make contributions in my field. The second one, in my opinion, is the tangible impact that I plan to make once I have finished my studies. This is especially important to align with the priority field of study from one of the focus areas that the scholarships are targeted for. As for the last one, I would say framing my essays to be more personal with my circumstances also played a crucial factor instead of just giving generic answers. For instance, instead of just mentioning the university ranking as a consideration to choose a particular university, I mentioned how the course offered by the university could enable me to achieve my professional goals, especially with the support of the scholarship.

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

If I had to go through the process again, then I would have started the application process earlier. I believe that would have made my application better overall, especially from the essay perspective. Therefore, I would have better reflected my professional goals in the application.

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

There are a number of things for those looking to apply for this kind of scholarship. First things first, it is always a good idea to double-check the requirements of this scholarship for the current intake year and fulfill them accordingly, as there might be slight changes in requirements from time to time. Second, it is important to make the most out of your essays as those reflect who you are and could potentially give you an edge compared to other applicants. Third, spare enough time to prepare for the application, as every aspect of the application could be a deciding factor whether you are to be awarded the scholarship or not. Lastly, never be afraid to start the application process and submit the application as you might be the next scholarship awardee and even be successful during the first attempt.