Solomon Islands Australia Awards Scholarship 2022/23 - Online Application Form and Information

This is the online application information kit written to assist eligible applicants to complete a competitive application for an Australia Awards Scholarship. Please go ahead and read this information carefully to get more details. You can even consult the Australia Awards Policy Handbook as well as the Solomon Islands Country Profile for more information. If you have any further questions or require additional assistance, please email: australiaawards-solomonislands@sirf.com.sb. According to the awarders, they try their possible best to respond within two working days.

Meanwhile, it is important that your application form that you fill is complete, accurate, and true. This must be put into consideration if it is to be among the Australia Awards Scholarship. We advise you not to leave your form until the last minute to complete the application form. This is because it requires all your detailed information as well as supporting documents. Note that the 3-month period between the Opening Date and Closing Date for Australia scholarship applications is in acknowledgement of this. Find Your Dream Job Here to Launch Your Career – Future starts today.

Generally, the Australia Awards Scholarships online information system, popularly known as OASIS, enables you to enter and leave your application form until it is complete. Notwithstanding, you are to simply submit the application form before the Application Closing Date, 31 May 2022. But, OASIS will not give you full access or submit the form after this date. On the long run, the application form is available at https://oasis.dfat.gov.au. Note that a list of Frequently Asked Questions is available on this page.

Eligibility criteria

Now, lets look at the eligibility. In order for you to be eligible for an Australia Awards Scholarship, he/she must meet ALL the Eligibility Criteria outlined below. That is; General Eligibility Criteria and Eligibility Criteria for Solomon Islands. Invariably, if you do not meet all the Eligibility Criteria your application will not be considered.

General Eligibility Criteria

The Australian Government offers Australia Awards Scholarships in around 45 countries, including

Solomon Islands. Applicants from all countries must meet the following Eligibility Criteria:

Applicants must be a minimum of 18 years of age on 1 February of the year of commencing the scholarship;
You are to be a citizen of a participating country (as listed on the Australia Awards website) and be residing in and applying for the scholarship from their country of citizenship;
If you are not a citizen of Australia, hold permanent residency in Australia or be applying for a visa to live in Australia permanently;
You are not be married to, engaged to, or a de facto of a person who holds, or is eligible to hold, Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency, at any time during the application, selection, or mobilisation phases; not be current serving military personnel;
not have previously received a long-term Australia Award unless they have resided outside of Australia for twice the length of the total time that they were in Australia (for example, a previous awardee who has been on an Australia Awards Scholarship in Australia for four years will not be eligible to apply for another Australia Awards Scholarship until they have resided outside Australia for eight years);
not hold convictions or currently under investigation of criminal activities including those relating to Child Protection and Preventing Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH);
have satisfied any specific criteria established by the Country Program Area or the government of the applicant’s country of citizenship (e.g. having worked a certain number of years in an appropriate sector);
be able to satisfy the admission requirements of the institution at which the award is to be undertaken (this may mean that Program Areas will need to withdraw an award offer if the recipient cannot satisfy the institution’s admission requirements. This may not be known until Program Areas request a placement at selected institutions); be able to satisfy all requirements of the Department of Home Affairs to hold a Student Visa (subclass 500). This may mean that the Program Area will need to withdraw an award offer if the recipient cannot satisfy the visa requirements;
Students are not be applying for a scholarship for a course of study at an academic level lesser than they have already achieved (e.g. be applying for a Master’s Degree level scholarship when they already hold a PhD); and
All applicants must inform the Australia Awards Program of any connection or relationship to staff employed at Program Areas (including locally engaged staff at post) or with managing contractors so that the application may be properly and transparently managed. This does not deem you ineligible for a scholarship.

Additional Eligibility Criteria for Solomon Island applicants

Most countries have additional Eligibility Criteria for an Australia Awards Scholarship. For Solomon Islands, applicants:

must have completed Form 6 and have an aggregate score higher than 11;
may apply while completing Form 7 in 2021. Final Form 7 results must be submitted once received;
must not hold an equivalent qualification or higher qualification at time of application, or commencement of award;
must not be serving an existing scholarship bond with Solomon Island Government (SIG) or any other government e.g. requirement to remain in Solomon Islands for a specified
period of time; and
may seek an exemption from General Eligibility Criterion ii) that applicants cannot apply
from outside Solomon Islands, due to current travel restrictions imposed by COVID-19 responses. DFAT will consider exemptions on a case-by-case basis if the request is made and approved before lodging an application.

English language requirements

Australian institutions will require you to meet a minimum level of spoken and written English before you will be offered a placement at the institution. English language testing will be arranged by the Australia Awards Program in Honiara, for those applicants identified to receive a scholarship and for those identified as a reserve should a scholarship become available.

English language scores are not negotiable. All applicants must meet the following requirements:

i. an Academic IELTS result with an overall score of at least 6.5, with no band less than 6.0, or
ii. an internet-based TOEFL score of at least 84, with a minimum of 21 in all subtests, or
iii. PTE Academic overall score of 58 with no communicative skill score less than 50.

Successful applicants and reserves (those identified to receive a scholarship should one become available) are therefore required to undertake an English language test. Accepted English language tests are:

International English Language Testing System Academic (IELTS)
Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test (TOEFL-iBT), or
Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic).

Levels of study and priority fields

Australia Awards Scholarships are available for undergraduate and postgraduate study in Australia. (Awards are not available for vocational education and training, Diploma, or Graduate Diploma studies). Applications are encouraged across a broad range of priority fields of study for the development of Solomon Islands:

Health (postgraduate only): including Health Informatics; Pharmacy; Mental Health; Epidemiology; Remote Medicine; Obstetrics; Midwifery; Paediatric Medicine/Nursing; Emergency Medicine/Nursing; Intensive Care Nursing; Public Health; and Health Policy and/or Administration;
Education (postgraduate only): including but not limited to school leadership and management; Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET); and training for teachers;
Development studies: including Gender Equality;
Environment: including Disaster Risk Reduction and Adaptation; Climate Change; Climate Finance / Economics; Conservation; Waste Management; Water Management; and Environment and Resource Economics;
Economic Growth: including Economics; Supply Chain Management; Business Studies; Accounting; Information Technology; Tourism and Hospitality; Marketing and Public Relations; and Art and History Curating;
Counselling and Social Work: including child protection;
Infrastructure: Engineering (including biomedical, civil, water, sanitation, electrical, maritime, biomedical, construction and mining); Surveying; Building and Construction; Urban Planning; Architecture; and Landscape Design;
Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry and Veterinary Science; and
Governance: including Statistics; Public Sector Reform; Public Financial Management; Procurement; and Contract Management.

Completing the Solomon Islands Australia Awards Scholarships application form

Before completing the application form you must read the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook (at http://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/australia-awards-scholarships-policyhandbook) and the Solomon Islands Country Profile (at Solomon Islands – information for Australia Awards intake commencing 2022. The file is PDF 200 KB.

You must complete all questions in the application form. Read the questions carefully and ensure that you have provided responses to the full question. An incomplete application will not be considered.

Should a question include * you will not be able to proceed to the next section of the application form without completing that question (* indicates a mandatory field). You can save and leave the online application form while you seek additional information.

Supporting documents

You are required to supply documents to support your scholarship application. They are:

i. a certified copy of original formal degree graduation certificate (i.e. testamur) and, if not in English, a certified translation of the degree;
ii. a certified copy of original formal degree graduation certificate and academic transcript/s from Form 6 and Form 7 if completed, as well as from university if completed – including GPA, grading scale, and explanatory page and, if not in English, a certified translation copy of the transcript/s;
iii. a certified copy of a citizenship document (e.g. passport);
iv. a certified copy of original birth certificate and, if not in English, a certified translation;
v. a curriculum vitae (CV) briefly detailing work history and responsibilities (and research experience, if relevant to the application);
vi. two referee reports less than six months old: at least one academic referee report and at least one other referee report (e.g. a work supervisor). Master’s Degree by Research or PhD applicants should provide two academic referee reports. A template for the preferred format of a referee report is available at http://dfat.gov.au/people-topeople/australia-awards/pages/how-to-apply-for-an-australia-awards-scholarship.aspx;
vii. a certified copy of original English language test (IELTS OR TOEFL OR PTE) results certificate valid until 1 January of the year in which the studies will commence. (For example, as results are normally valid for two years, the test date would need to have been taken after 1 January 2022 for an application for a scholarship to commence studies in 2023);
viii. PhD candidates only – evidence (e.g. letter or email communication) that the applicant has received in-principle support for their research topic from a potential supervisor; and
ix. PhD candidates only – if an Australia Awards Scholarship is awarded, an additional research proposal for Program Areas to submit to institutions.

Certification of documents

Documents accompanying a scholarship application that require certification must be certified in accordance with the requirements below. The original document has been sighted and the copy has been sworn to be a true copy of the original by an authorised person at one of the following:

i. the official records department of the institution that originally issued the document/s,
or;
ii. an Australian overseas diplomatic mission; or
iii. a Notary Public.

The authorised person must:

i. write ‘This is a certified true copy of the original document as sighted by me’; and
ii. sign and print his/her name, address, contact telephone number, profession or occupation or organisation and the date verified; and
iii. include the official stamp or seal of the verifier’s organisation on the copy, if the organisation has such a stamp.

Application form questions

1. Personal details

The details that you provide here must match your passport, birth certificate, or other official
documents you provide for identification.

2. Contact details

Make sure your contact details are correct and advise the Australia Awards Program in Solomon
Islands of any changes, otherwise they will not be able to contact you if your application
proceeds.

3. Spouse details and 4. Children details

This information must be provided regardless of whether your spouse and children will be accompanying you to Australia.
Spouse is defined as your husband, wife, or de facto partner. Children are those children or stepchildren under 18 years of age; and are not married or engaged to be married, or in a de facto relationship. The Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook and other information sources will refer to them as your dependants.
Please note there is no additional scholarship funding if you choose to bring your spouse and/or children with you.

5. Emergency contact details

This is a family member or friend that should be contacted in case of an emergency while you are
on scholarship.

6. Previous scholarships

Only enter details of scholarships or fellowships that supported tertiary-level studies. This is important information in the assessment of your application. If you have previously held a long-term Australian Government scholarship you will be required to have been outside Australia twice the duration of your scholarship (e.g. if you studied in Australia for four years, you must have been living outside Australia for eight years).

7. Other scholarship applications

Provide details of other scholarships that you will be applying for this year. This information will not disadvantage your application for an Australia Awards Scholarship. Have you previously applied for a DFAT (or AusAID) scholarship but were unsuccessful? Please state the years in which you did apply and whether you were interviewed as part of that application process.

8. Proposed study

Scholarships are for undergraduate or postgraduate study at university level (not technical and vocational education-level study).

You are asked to provide two course preferences on your application form.
Choose a field of study from the list of priority fields above.

You are not required to have course placement (enrolment) confirmed by the education institution at the time of application. However, you should have undertaken extensive research to determine what course and education institution best suits your study needs. This is an important component of the assessment of your application for a scholarship. You are encouraged to put forward different education institutions for each preference.

How to find information about where to study

There are 43 universities in Australia, most of which participate in the Australia Awards Scholarships program. Selecting an education institution that is best for you takes careful consideration. Participating institutions can be found at https://www.dfat.gov.au/aboutus/publications/Pages/australia-awards-participating-institutions

Information about living and studying in Australia can be found at: www.studyinaustralia.gov.au. This is an Australian Government website that provides links to each education institution and the courses it offers, and an email address for enquiries. It also provides useful information about how to enrol, accommodation etc.

Should your application be successful, you will receive further assistance to finalise your study program in Australia.

Postgraduate research proposals

The application form requires applicants wishing to undertake a postgraduate Master’s Degree by Research or a PhD to provide well established project outlines. An under-developed and vague research project will disadvantage your application. (Please note that the requirement for a research proposal does not apply to applicants for undergraduate or postgraduate coursework degrees.)

You must keep within the word limit. Be prepared to discuss your research project at interview.

Finding a PhD supervisor

A suitable supervisor is someone whose field of research and area of specialisation are similar to yours. Australian universities require you to identify a supervisor prior to applying for admission to the university.

To find a supervisor in your area of research:

Check university websites for academic profiles or a search tool to identify researchers
Use search engines or databases for academics e.g. https://researchdata.edu.au/ or Microsoft Academic https://academic.microsoft.com/home
Conduct a literature search in your area of research interest
Ask friends, colleagues, and academics with whom you have previously studied.

Once you have identified a suitable supervisor, email them providing:

a brief description of your research proposal
the reasons why you want to work with them and how their interests align with your own
proof of your academic achievements
your availability to start
details of the Australia Awards Scholarship

Once you have reached agreement with a supervisor, you can commence formal enrolment procedures with the university. You will need to have developed a full research description to apply for admission.

9. Qualifications

Start with the highest qualification you have obtained (even if it has not yet been completed), provide information about all qualifications you have undertaken, including incomplete studies. You must provide a Certified Copy of all official transcripts of all courses listed (including those not completed). See advice above on what is required to certify a document. Check that you have completed all required details of every qualification listed.

10. English language details

This section requires information about your level of English language proficiency. As outlined in English Language Requirements (p. 3), shortlisted applicants will be required to undertake an English language test before being offered an Australia Awards Scholarship.

11. Computer literacy and 12. Computer Training

These sections are to assist Australian institutions to determine how much additional computer training you will require to successfully complete your study program. It is not part of the assessment process.

13. Current employment
Current employment includes work experience and voluntary work, as well as paid employment. It is important to clearly outline how your proposed education qualification will assist your workplace when you return (if you are returning to the same workplace) or what your plans are when you complete your studies and return to Solomon Islands. Your responses to these questions form part of the assessment process.

14. Previous relevant employment

Previous employment includes work experience and voluntary work, as well as paid employment. Only complete this section if the employment, work experience, or voluntary work relates to your study program. Give this careful consideration as it will demonstrate leadership qualities, community-mindedness or other qualities that would support your application.

15. Supporting statement

This is an important component of the assessment process. Take time and care in completing this section and ensure you have answered every question comprehensively (but noting the 400-word limit per question).

Questions 1 and 2 demonstrates whether you have considered carefully what you want to study and why it is important to you. Australia Awards Scholars are expected to become leaders in their field, organisation, or
community when they return to Solomon Islands.
Question 3 asks you about your knowledge and experience of leadership. It does not necessarily have to be in a formal workplace but a situation where your leadership made a difference.
Question 4 is to assess whether you have considered how the scholarship might benefit you, your organisation, or your community and how you might do that on your return to Solomon Islands. Frank discussion about possible constraints demonstrates that this has been closely considered by you. The Australian Aid Program has development priorities.
Question 5 asks what development theme your proposed study program would best sit within
Question 6 asks you to identify any connection or relationship you may have to DFAT staff or the Australia Awards Program staff at Cardno. This does not exclude your application, it enables DFAT to take the necessary steps to ensure a fair and transparent selection process.
Question 7 expects you to answer honestly whether you are subject to any criminal or civil proceedings currently awaiting legal action.
Question 8 asks whether you have been convicted of any offence in any country.
Question 9 asks whether you have a disability (physical or mental). This question is to ensure that the necessary support is provided to you through the application process and while on scholarship. DFAT encourages applications from people with a disability who are eligible for a scholarship.

16. Professional membership

You are asked to list those associations or organisations with which you have membership. Membership of relevant organisations may strengthen your application.

17. Communication

This section is to help DFAT to identify the best way to promote Australia Awards Scholarships in Solomon Islands so that we have a broader outreach to the community.

18. Checklist of documentary evidence

Please use the check list provided, ticking the square if you have attached the required document. An incomplete application form or missing supporting documents will not be considered. Missing documents will not be followed up with the applicant.

Australia Awards Scholarship Online Application Form and Information

Australia Awards Scholarships are available for undergraduate and postgraduate study in Australia. (Awards are not available for Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Diploma or Graduate Diploma studies).

Applicants from the Solomon Islands must select a course from one of the priority fields of study identified by the Australian Government. They are listed in the Solomon Islands Country Profile at: Solomon Islands – information for Australia Awards intake commencing 2022. The file is PDF 200 KB available at https://dfat.gov.au.