JCU Global Experience New Colombo Plan Scholarship

New Colombo Plan Scholarship

The New Colombo Plan (NCP) is an Australian Government initiative that provides opportunities for Australian undergraduate students, between 18 and 30 years of age (inclusive), to undertake study, participate in Internship/Mentorship opportunities and receive language training in an eligible Host Location in the Indo-Pacific region.

After a competitive nomination process, JCU will nominate up to 10 outstanding students per intake.

Eligible students must demonstrate their significant contributions to the community, proven resilience, and articulate they will contribute to the NCP goals personally through a robust scholarship program. Students must also be Australian citizens aged between 18 and 28 with a strong GPA (minimum 70%) who will have completed 24 credit points of their undergraduate degree when the scholarship program commences.

What are the New Colombo Plan Scholarships?

2019 Scholars and NCP alumni answer the question.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The 2023 New Colombo Plan Scholarship nomination round is closed.

The NCP Scholarship Program provides around 120 Scholarships annually to a diverse range of Australian undergraduates studying a range of disciplines in up to 40 Indo-Pacific locations. The Program encourages students to participate in community engagement and advocacy in relation to the New Colombo Plan. The maximum duration of a Scholarship Program is 19 months. All program components must be completed within this time period.

April - JCU will call for expressions of interest. If you are eligible, you will receive an email offering you the opportunity to express interest in the scholarship.

May - Expressions of interest will be assessed and ranked.

June - Shortlisted candidates will be offered an interview at JCU.

July - JCU will nominate up to 10 students to the Australian Government for an Australia-wide shortlist.

August - Nominated students will be offered the opportunity to submit an NCP Scholarship application to the Australian Government. Global Experience team provides support for application development and linkages to NCP alumni.

September - The Australian Government will invite a select number of applicants from across Australia to attend an interview in Canberra. Global Experience team will provide support for interview preparation.

October - Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application/interview.

January Following year - Successful Scholars leave for their Scholarship Programs

The 2022 Scholarship round provides the following benefits:

  • Tuition Fees Study component tuition - Up to $10,000 per semester, or $6,666 per trimester
  • Full-time language training fees - Up to $10,000 (6 months)
  • Full-time language training fees - Up to $1,500 (1 month)
  • Part-time language training fees - Up to $1,500

Allowances:

  • Travel allowance - $2,500 paid to the Scholar ($1,250 on travel to the Host Location
  • $1,250 on return to Australia at the end of the Scholarship Term) to contribute to costs associated with the Scholar’s eligible travel to and from the Host Location.
  • An Establishment Allowance - $2,500 paid to the Scholar to contribute to the costs associated with the Scholar settling in at their Host Location.
  • A Scholarship Allowance - up to $2,500 monthly stipend to contribute to the Scholar’s basic living costs in their Host Location.
  • A Mental Health Allowance - up to $1,000 paid to the Scholar as a reimbursement to contribute to the cost of providers of Mental Health Services.

Other benefits:

  • Insurance
  • Allocation of a case manager
  • Private sector sponsorship

To be eligible to apply for a JCU nomination, you must be an Australian citizen, have a strong GPA (minimum 70%), be in at least your second year of undergraduate studies when the scholarship commences, and aged between 18 and 28. For more information go to the DFAT website.

In 2022, there are 40 potentially eligible host locations for New Colombo Plan supported study across the Indo-Pacific region.

In alphabetical order these host locations are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

You must study approved subjects for credit against your degree at a university in one of the above locations.

Contact the Global Experience Office to find out how you can apply for a JCU nomination.

Ryan Maher awarded 2022 New Colombo Plan Scholarship

Ryan Maher

As a leading innovator in renewable energy technologies, Japan is the ideal destination for James Cook University’s Bachelor of Engineering - Bachelor of Information Technology Student, Ryan Maher, who was awarded the prestigious 2022 New Colombo Plan Scholarship.

Combining his electrical engineering and IT skills, Ryan Maher will focus on current and emerging renewable energy technologies suitable for regional Australia when he undertakes his scholarship program in Japan.

“I aim to build relationships and create connections with industry and researchers involved in the cutting edge of innovation for the renewable energy technologies necessary to combat climate change,” said Ryan.

Ryan will undertake extensive Japanese language training and complete a semester of study at the Shibaura Institute of Technology in Tokyo before completing an internship to gain insights into how companies can manage large-scale electricity production and distribution while making it affordable, efficient and profitable.

Ryan will join recent 2021 New Colombo Plan Scholars, Garrett Swearingen, Tarryn O’Leary, Lauren Huet and Simona Hamilton in representing the New Colombo Plan, Australia and James Cook University as they head overseas to complete their scholarship programs.

The New Colombo Plan is a signature initiative of the Australian Government that connects undergraduate students and alumni with leaders in government, business and civil society in the Indo-Pacific through study and internships in the region.

JCU Students Awarded a Record Number of NCP Scholarships in 2021

2021 JCU NCP Scholars

A record number of JCU students were awarded the prestigious 2021 NCP Scholarship this year. They will take up exciting opportunities in the Indo-Pacific in 2021-2022—immersing themselves in Indo-Pacific cultures, learning languages, furthering their studies and gaining work experience. Students will study and live in Fiji, India, Sri Lanka, Japan and Papua New Guinea.

The 2021 JCU NCP Scholars are:

Lauren Huet - Bachelor of Science (India)

Tarryn O'Leary - Bachelor of Science /Bachelor of Arts (Fiji & Papua New Guinea)

Simona Hamilton - Bachelor of Marine Science (Fiji & Japan)

Garrett Swearingen - Bachelor of Environmental Practice (Fiji & Sri Lanka)

2020 NCP Scholars  named as JCU's Dennae Smith and Lewis Batic

2020 JCU NCP Scholars

2020 NCP Scholarship recipients JCU Business/Law student Dennae Smith (Singapore) and JCU Engineering student Lewis Batic (Japan and Nepal) with Clare Walsh, Deputy Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the Awards ceremony in Canberra, November 2019.

2019 NCP Scholarship recipient JCU Cairns student Genevieve Ritchie

2019 JCU NCP Scholars

2019 NCP Scholarship recipient JCU Business/Psychological Science student Genevieve Ritchie (Vietnam) with former Minister for Foreign Affairs Julia Bishop at the Awards ceremony in Canberra in November 2018.

Part 1 - Why should you apply for a New Colombo Plan scholarship?

2019 Scholars and NCP alumni answer the question.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Part 2 - Why should you apply for a New Colombo Plan scholarship?

2019 Scholars answer the question.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade