The University of Sydney awards its Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships (VCIS) automatically to high-achieving international students who hold an unconditional offer – there is no separate application form, no essay and no interview. The award is worth up to A$60,000 and is offered in five amounts, so the stronger your admission file, the larger the award.
The next close date is 16 November 2026, for Semester 1 of the 2027 academic year. Indian students qualify because the scheme is open to all international students, undergraduate and coursework master’s alike. Because selection happens at the offer round and not after it, the practical deadline is the date by which your unconditional offer has to be in hand.
Sydney VCIS 2027 at a glance
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | The University of Sydney – Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships Scheme (VCIS) |
| Last date to apply | 16 November 2026 (Semester 1, 2027, Round 3 close date) – no application form, you are assessed on the unconditional offer you hold by that date |
| Official website | sydney.edu.au – Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships Scheme |
How much the VCIS pays
Five amounts are offered and your rank against the selection criteria decides which one you receive:
- A$60,000 payable for one year, in two equal instalments, one per semester
- A$40,000 payable for one year, in two equal instalments, one per semester
- A$20,000 payable for one semester
- A$10,000 payable for one semester
- A$5,000 payable for one semester
The university notes that the availability of some amounts may be limited to specified cohorts, and that the scholarship is offered subject to the availability of funds. Payment is released on or after the census date of the semester, so the money lands after you have enrolled and started classes rather than before you arrive.
Who is eligible for the Sydney VCIS
- You must be an international student as defined in the Higher Education Support Act 2003 – Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents are excluded
- You must have applied for, but not yet commenced, a bachelor’s degree or a coursework master’s degree that is a CRICOS-registered award programme usually delivered onshore at the University of Sydney
- You must hold an unconditional offer of admission by the close date of the round you are being considered in
- Students commencing a second degree at Sydney are eligible, provided they have not previously held the VCIS
- Recipients of scholarships provided by the Australian Government are not eligible
There is no age limit, no separate English test for the scholarship and no bond. The award is a fee scholarship, so it reduces what you owe the university rather than paying you a stipend for living costs.
How selection works
Every eligible applicant who holds an unconditional offer by a close date is automatically considered – you do not submit anything for the scholarship itself. Selection is on academic merit as assessed from your application for admission to the coursework degree, and the award is made on the nomination of a selection committee drawn from Sydney Future Students and the Admissions Office.
- The scholarship is awarded once, at commencement of the coursework degree, and is not renewable in later years
- To keep receiving a scholarship split into two payments you must maintain a minimum semester average mark (SAM) of 65 and have no outstanding fees
- If you go on exchange you need a Satisfied Requirements (SR) grade to receive your next payment
- The scholarship can move with you to another major, degree or faculty, but not to another university
- Deferral or suspension is not permitted except in exceptional circumstances
- Recipients may be invited to represent the university at student and marketing events, with costs met by Sydney
Close dates for the 2027 intakes
Rounds are tied to the semester you are starting, not to a single annual deadline. The dates published on the official page are:
- Semester 1, 2027 – Round 1: 17 August 2026; Round 2: 5 October 2026; Round 3: 16 November 2026
- Semester 2, 2027 – Round 1: 15 February 2027; Round 2: 22 March 2027; Round 3: 3 May 2027
A further Semester 1 round is run for International Baccalaureate graduates after the 16 December 2026 results are released, and for international UAC students after the 23 December 2026 offer round. If your offer arrives after a close date, you are considered in the next round instead – which is why applying for admission early matters more than polishing anything else.
Rules that cap or cancel the award
- If you also hold the Sydney International Student Award, your VCIS is capped at a maximum of A$40,000
- Accepting another University of Sydney-administered scholarship worth more than A$20,000 per annum terminates the VCIS – the threshold rose from A$10,000 for students commencing from 2026 intakes
- The scholarship is terminated if you withdraw or fail to enrol, become a domestic student, move to part-time study without approval, fail to maintain satisfactory academic performance, or do not resume study after approved leave
- Serious misconduct, including false or misleading information in the scholarship process, also terminates it and can lead to the paid amount being reclaimed
- No other amount is payable beyond the value of the tier you are awarded
What Indian applicants should do
- Shortlist CRICOS-registered coursework degrees at Sydney – a bachelor’s degree or a coursework master’s – and check the intake that matches the round you are targeting
- Apply for admission as early as possible so the unconditional offer arrives before 16 November 2026 for Semester 1, 2027
- Clear every condition on the offer (documents, English requirements, financial evidence) because a conditional offer does not enter the scholarship round
- Do not wait for a scholarship form – there is none; the admission file itself is the scholarship application
- Accept the unconditional offer by the deadline attached to your scholarship offer round, or the scholarship offer is rescinded
- Budget for the gap: the VCIS is a fee scholarship, so living costs, travel and visa expenses stay yours unless you also win another award
Frequently asked questions
No. The official page states that no application is required and that all eligible students who have secured an unconditional offer of admission by the relevant closing date are automatically considered.
The published Round 3 close date is 16 November 2026. Round 1 closed on 17 August 2026, Round 2 on 5 October 2026, and a further round runs for International Baccalaureate graduates after 16 December 2026 results and for international UAC students after the 23 December 2026 offer round.
Up to A$60,000. The five amounts are A$60,000 and A$40,000 for one year paid in two instalments, and A$20,000, A$10,000 or A$5,000 for one semester, ranked against the selection criteria.
Yes. The scheme is open to international students as defined in the Higher Education Support Act 2003, which includes Indian citizens, provided they have applied for a CRICOS-registered coursework degree and hold an unconditional offer by the close date. Australian citizens and permanent residents are excluded.
No. The scholarship is awarded once, at commencement of the coursework degree, and is not renewable for the following years. A split payment continues only while you keep a semester average mark of 65 and have no outstanding fees.
Only up to a point. If you also hold the Sydney International Student Award the VCIS is capped at A$40,000, and accepting another University of Sydney-administered scholarship worth more than A$20,000 per annum terminates the VCIS.
It is a fee scholarship: the amount is credited against your tuition and, for the semester-based tiers, paid to you after the census date. Living costs, airfare and visa charges are not covered by the award.
Official links
- Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships Scheme – official award page and terms and conditions
- University of Sydney – general international postgraduate coursework scholarships
- University of Sydney – all international student scholarships
Also read: study abroad scholarships, international scholarships and post graduation scholarships for other awards open to Indian students this cycle.
Related scholarship posts:
- University of Sydney RTP Stipend Scholarship
- UNSW International Student Award
- Auckland International Student Excellence Scholarship