Program overview

Long term Development Awards are an important component of the Australian Government’s development program. They support study at Australian tertiary institutions. Australia’s international development assistance in Bhutan aims to develop its human resources, which in turn is expected to help Bhutan reduce poverty and attain sustained development outcomes.

In Bhutan, long term Development Awards include the Australian Development Scholarships (ADS) and Australian Leadership Awards (ALA) Scholarships.  

ADS and ALA Scholarships in Bhutan are available to government employees as well as to employees from corporate, private and national NGOs to support study at Masters Level. 

Applications for the intake commencing academic year 2013
must be lodged by COB, 30th April 2012.

Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.  Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete their application online at https://oasis.ausaid.gov.au. For assistance, please contact the South Asia Scholarships Program (SASP) Office using the contact details provided below.

Applicant profiles

ADS Applicant Profile

ADS in Bhutan aim to strengthen human resource capacity in bilaterally agreed priority sectors. These scholarships provide opportunities for awardees to develop higher professional and technical knowledge and to build professional links with individuals and institutions in the region and Australia.  

ALA Scholarship Applicant Profile

ALA Scholarships aim to develop leadership, build partnerships and networks within the Asia-Pacific region, and address priority regional issues.  ALA and ADS scholarship applicants need to fill in the same application form. Top ranking ADS awardees will be recommended for ALA scholarship places, where they will participate in a Leadership for Development program. ALA scholarships will be awarded to those who demonstrate potential to assume leadership roles to influence social and economic policy reform and development outcomes in their own country and in the region.

For more information on ALA Scholarships please refer to the ALA Scholarships page:  www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/ala.cfm.

Priority sectors

ADS and ALAS Priority Sectors

ADS and ALA scholarships support study at Masters Level, either by coursework or coursework with a research component. In Bhutan, applicants will be segregated into two categories: 

• applicants from the public sector; and 
• applicants from corporate, private, national NGOs and autonomous agencies. 

Category 1: Applicants from the Public Sector

Category 2: Applicants from the Private and Corporate Sector

Eligibility criteria

General Eligibility Criteria

An applicant must:

• be a minimum of 18 years of age at the time of commencing the Scholarship;
• be a citizen of Bhutan;
• be resident in Bhutan;
• not be married or engaged to or be a de facto of a person who holds, or is eligible to hold, Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency, at any of the application, selection or mobilization phases or while on-scholarship in Australia;
• not be current serving military personnel;
• not be applying for another long-term AusAID scholarship unless they have returned to their home country and resided there for twice the length of the total time that they were in Australia (for example, a previous Scholar who has been on AusAID scholarship/s in Australia for four years will not be eligible to apply for another AusAID scholarship until they have been home for eight years);
• not hold or have held an Australian Government-funded scholarship (e.g. Endeavour Award) in the preceding two years, at the time of application;
• satisfy any specific criteria established by the applicant’s country and/or government of citizenship;
• be able to satisfy the admission requirements of the institution at which the Scholarship is to be undertaken (this may mean that a Scholarship offer will be withdrawn if the recipient cannot satisfy the institution’s admission requirements;
• be able to satisfy all requirements of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for an AusAID Student Visa 576 (this may mean that a Scholarship offer will be withdrawn if the recipient cannot satisfy the visa requirements).

Country Specific Criteria

In addition, applicants

• Must have completed a tertiary level qualification at least equivalent to an Australian Bachelors Degree;
• Must have achieved a minimum academic IELTS overall score of 6.5 with no band less than 6.0; or a TOEFL paper-based test score of at least 580, or a TOEFL computer-based test score of at least 237, or a TOEFL internet-based score of at least 92. Scores must be valid till 1st January 2013; 
• Must provide an employer nomination letter from the Human Resource Officer (HRO) of the parent organization/agency. In addition to it, applicants from private/corporate sectors must also submit a nomination letter from the Department of Human Resources, Ministry of Labour and Human Resources (MoLHR);
• Must have at least 3 years (including probation period) of work experience in the chosen field of study for Bhutan Civil Service Exam (BCSE) select applicants, and must have at least 5 years (including probation period) of work experience in the chosen field of study for BCSE non-select applicants. Categorical relaxation of this criteria will be provided to applicants from certain professional background as specified under civil service rules and regulation of the government of Bhutan (Chapter 9: Clause 6.1.5); 
• Must meet all eligibility criteria specified under the Bhutan Civil Service Rules (BCSR) 2010, if the applicant is a civil servant;
• Must have atleast 3 years working experience if applicant is from the corporate or Private sector (Section 5.2.2.3 of the DHR Guidelines);
• Must meet all eligibility criteria specified in the “Guidelines for Human Resource Development (HRD) support to private and corporate sector” of the Department of Human Resources, MOLHR, if the applicant is from the private or corporate sector, including national NGOs and autonomous agencies that fall out of civil service jurisdiction;
• Must be a full-time employee of a government, corporate, private sector organization including National NGOs and autonomous agencies; and 
• Must meet admission and other specific requirements of the academic institutions - in Australia. It is the applicant’s responsibility to find out whether specific institutional requirements exist and if they qualify for the study program at the particular Australian Institution.

Awardees are required:

Participating Australian institutions

ADS and ALA Scholarship awardees are accepted widely by most universities and institutions in Australia. A list of the participating institutions for the intake commencing in 2013 is available at: 

http://www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/ads-institutions.cfm

Benefits and entitlements

ADS and ALA Scholarships are offered for the minimum period necessary for an individual to complete the academic program specified by the Australian higher education institution. 

The following benefits generally apply: 

• full tuition fees; 
• return air travel: payment of a single return, economy class airfare to and from Australia, via the most direct route; 
• an establishment allowance: a once only contribution towards expenses such as rental bonds, text books, additional medical insurance, excess baggage etc;
• contribution to Living Expenses (CLE):  a fortnightly contribution to basic living expenses;  
• Introductory Academic Program (IAP): a compulsory 4-6 week program on life and study in Australia conducted prior to commencing formal studies;
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for award holder only. This is for the duration of the award and covers basic hospital and medical costs, excluding pre-existing conditions;
• reunion airfare to unaccompanied AusAID Scholars (refer the scholarships handbook for eligibility); 
• costs associated with participating in the Leadership for Development Program for ALA scholars;
• supplementary Academic Support (Tutorial Assistance) to improve a student’s performance to ensure their academic success, if required; and
• for eligible research students only, a contribution to fieldwork costs may be available for one return economy class airfare via the most direct route to Bhutan or within Australia.

How to prepare

• Applicants must first check if they are eligible to apply for a scholarship. Eligibility criteria for ALA Scholarship and ADS are detailed above.
• Applicants should download the relevant Scholarship Handbook and read its contents carefully. Handbooks are available at: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/publications.cfm.
• When selecting a course, applicants must first check the participating institutes/universities listed at http://www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/ads-institutions.cfm. Applicants may then go to http://cricos.deewr.gov.au and to individual university websites to search for a suitable course. It is the responsibility of applicants to satisfy themselves about all aspects of study programs at the university/institution of their preference before submitting their preferences on the online application form. 

Applicants must ensure that:

• they apply for only one study program reflected against their agency/sector;
• they produce evidence of initial communication with their course supervisors at the universities that they have identified as their preferred choices if the study program is by research;
• they satisfy all enrolment requirements specified by a university, including English language proficiency requirements;
• the course will enable them to contribute to poverty alleviation and sustainable development  of Bhutan when completed and they return to the country.

Required documentation

All applicants must submit the following documents at the time of application.  Failure to do so will make an application ineligible. 

• Nationality identity card;
• Birth certificate;
• A copy of the ordinary passport (Official or Diplomatic passport will not be accepted);
• Tertiary degree certificates and copies of any additional awards;
• Full academic transcripts showing grades for all secondary and university-level subjects/units attempted. A semester-wise transcripts should be provided and consolidated transcript will not be accepted; 
• IELTS or TOEFL certificates must be valid at the time of application, and remain valid until 1st January 2013;
• Employer nomination letter from parent/working agency for civil servants as well as applicants from the Corporate and Private sectors. Employer nomination letter templates can be downloaded from the following links:
• Nomination letter template for civil servants Bhutan
• Nomination letter template for private and corporate
• Applicants from corporate and private sectors must get additional nomination letter from the Department of Human Resources, Ministry of Labour and Human Resources. Please visit www.molhr.gov.bt for more details;
• Scanned copy of passport sized photograph;

In addition:

• Referee reports: at least two original referee reports in English. If a referee report is not in English, a translation of the original reference is required. References should come from employers, senior colleagues or academics familiar with the applicant’s academic, professional skills and achievements. Referee reports from family members or spouses are not acceptable. Templates can be downloaded from the links below:
• Referee report template [PDF 118kb]
• Referee report template [Word 163kb]
Applicants seeking to undertake a Masters by research or Masters by coursework with a research component must provide two academic referee reports along with one professional reference;   
• Evidence of communication from program supervisor, indicating the institution’s willingness to support the applicant’s research study program (for Research Applicants);
• Certificates of special achievements or merit (if any); and 
• Police clearance certificate or security clearance certificate.

The following table shows which documents need to be notarised:

How to apply

1. A common application form is used for both scholarships. The online application form is accessible at https://oasis.ausaid.gov.au. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit applications online. Those wish to apply in hard copy are requested to contact the SASP office well in advance of the application deadline. Hardcopy application forms can be obtained from the SASP office in Thimphu.
2. Government, Corporate and Private Sector employees eligible to apply for ADS and ALAS must select only one of the courses listed under the priority sector.  ADS applicants will also be considered for ALA Scholarship. All applicants are requested to complete all sections of the application form.
3. The Supporting Statement section of the application form is particularly important. Applicants must provide strong arguments to demonstrate their suitability for a scholarship. 
4. Applicants who wish to pursue studies by research (including Masters by research, or Masters by coursework with a research component) must complete the Research Proposal Details section. 
5. Applicants must complete the English Language Proficiency section in full, including their scores.  Applicants must attach a valid copy of their IELTS or TOEFL certificate.  
6. Scanned copies of supporting documents must be uploaded to the online application form. Applicants lodging hard copy applications must provide 3 copies of the application form with notarized copies of the relevant supporting documents attached to each of them. 
7. For more information on ADS and ALAS, first read the FAQs and then contact the SASP office using the contact details below.  For more information on ALAS, first refer to the FAQs and then write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/ala.cfm. 
8. Hardcopy applications must be received by the SASP office at the address provided below no later than COB on 30th April 2012:

South Asia Scholarship Program (SASP)
Upper Motithang
P.O. Box: 1522
Thimphu 11001: Bhutan

Scholarship management process

The selection process is open and transparent. The 9 key steps in the processes are:

1. Intake opens – 1st February 2012
2. Submit online or postal applications with necessary supporting documents
3. Intake closes at 5.00 pm  30th April 2012
4. Compliance checks
5. Short listing, interview, ranking of applications and offer of scholarships
6. SASP seeks university placement
7. Immigration / visa and health clearances 
8. Pre-departure briefing and mobilization
9. In-Australia support

Useful links

• To search for information about Australian Educational Institutions and courses - CRICOS: http://cricos.dest.gov.au
  
• For information about Visas - Department of Immigration and Citizenship: http://www.immi.gov.au
• For advice on studying in Australia: http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au
  
• Information on Australian quarantine: http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis
  

Contact us

South Asia Scholarships Program (SASP)
Upper Motithang
P.O. Box: 1522
Thimphu 11001: Bhutan
T (975)-2-331845, F (975)-2-334793,
M (975) 17117224/17117225/17113243
Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it