Near-perfect scores required for Australian university scholarships

Australian universities typically admit students in February and July.

An entrant's profile includes their GPA in 12th grade and IELTS score, typically of at least 6.0 out of 9.0.

Several schools offer scholarships of at least 20% of the tuition to attract top students.

But their GPA would need to be high to secure such a scholarship, according to Andy Pham, senior manager for the Mekong region at the Australian National University (ANU).

ANU earmarks over 200 scholarships every year for international students.

For Vietnamese students it offers scholarships of 50% for bachelor's degrees for students from 92 high schools highly regarded by ANU.

Pham said: "Last year students only needed a GPA of 9.4/10. But after that the GPA threshold has increased to 9.5-9.7 due to many excellent applications."

Schools normally only look at students’ GPA, and do not expect extracurricular activities, essays, interviews, or SAT/ACT scores.

Australia’s top school, the University of Melbourne, also looks only at scores, specifically GPA and SAT, to offer scholarships.

Lam Minh Khoa, an admission officer in Vietnam, said a GPA of at least 9.8 and an SAT score of at least 1550/1600 would normally secure a 50% scholarship.

"Scores would need to be virtually perfect, like a GPA of 9.9 and an SAT score of 1600, to secure a 100% scholarship."

No Vietnamese student managed such a feat last year.

Certain schools have extra criteria for scholarships.

For example, the University of Technology Sydney also takes into account one’s leadership skills, social responsibility and practical values through their past projects and activities.

Nguyen Nhat Hung, who manages admissions in Vietnam, said a 50% scholarship is offered to only a student with an A-level (minimum of three B scores) or IB (at least 33 points).

Those looking for a 100% scholarship would need a GPA of at least 8.5, but even with such a score the chance of securing a full scholarship is slim, he said.

Since the GPAs of Vietnamese students are typically very high, schools then look for academic awards and projects to offer scholarships, he said.

Deakin University interviews students looking for scholarships of at least 50%.

Thu Nguyen Vo, admission director for Vietnam and Cambodia, said students who manage to be interviewed typically have GPAs of at least 9.5.

More and more Vietnamese students have been securing scholarships since 2020, and they should aim for high-value scholarships since those who do not qualify would automatically be considered for lower ones, she said.

Certain schools, like the University of Sydney, have no minimum GPA requirements.

Australia is one of the top overseas destinations for Vietnamese students.

As of January over 27,000 of them were studying there, the fifth highest number of students from any country.