Australia’s prestigious John Monash Scholarship, which enables outstanding Australians to pursue postgraduate studies at the world’s best universities, has opened today for 2027 applicants, calling on the nation’s best and brightest to apply.
Founded in 2001 with strong support from Former Prime Minister John Howard OM AC, the General Sir John Monash Foundation’s mission is to globally empower the next generation of Australian leaders and deliver impact for the nation. The program has now provided 300 scholarships to Australian students across 21 fields of expertise, spanning engineering to medical breakthroughs to climate solutions.
Chief Executive Officer of the General Sir John Monash Foundation, Ross Youngman, said successful applicants can be of any age, study in any field, at any international university, anywhere in the world.
“John Monash Scholars are exceptional individuals who embody the values of General Sir John Monash, including a commitment to rigorous education, leadership and service in the national interest,” Mr Youngman said.
“Last year, the Foundation received a record 360 applications and recently announced 18 exceptional Australians as the 2026 John Monash Scholars.
“This year we are aiming for a similar result, and are looking to ensure more talented Australians have the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
2026 John and Anna Belfer Trust John Monash Scholar, Jordan O’Reilly OAM, is the founder of disability support organisation HireUp. He will undertake postgraduate study in public administration at Harvard University, building on his work to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of disability policy in Australia.
“Through my work with Hireup, I’ve seen both the potential of the NDIS and the challenges in delivering it well at scale,” Mr O’Reilly said.
“This study will help me develop practical ideas for how technology, data and better system design can improve outcomes for Australians with disability, including simpler, more effective ways to manage and deliver support.”
Reflecting on the scholarship, Mr O’Reilly said its impact extends well beyond the period of study.
“It connects you to a network of Australians working on the most interesting and complex problems across every sector. The community has already become a source of support and inspiration for me.”
To date, HireUp has supported more than more than 30,000 Australians across the NDIS and aged care, delivering over 21 million hours of support.
The John Monash Foundation provides funding with flexibility, supporting tuition, living expenses and related costs, as well as travel support.
Unlike other prestigious global scholarships like the Rhodes Scholarship (University of Oxford) and the Fulbright Scholarship (US universities), the John Monash Scholarship is designed by Australians and for Australia. It enables Australian citizens to attend any international university of their choice, across any field, supporting a breadth of specialisations aligned to the nation’s future needs.
The following stipends apply:
• One-year master’s degree – $100,000
• Two-year master’s degree – $200,000
• Three-year PhD or DPhil – $300,000
“With a continued $100,000 stipend, up from $80,000 in 2024, the Scholarship recognises increased cost-of-living pressures faced by John Monash Scholars when studying overseas. It also ensures that the John Monash Scholarship remains one of the nation’s most valuable awards for graduates of Australian universities,” Mr Youngman said.
“It represents a national reservoir of talent, sustained by the active support of society. The program’s continued success is enabled by the generosity of contributors drawn from government, industry, academia and the wider community.”
Scholars are supported during and after their studies with lifelong leadership development via the John Monash Foundation Leadership Academy, which provides leadership training, mentoring and career guidance, as well as delivering symposia and major scholar-led events.
The scholarship application process closes on 30 June 2026 and is for students studying in 2027.
For more information or to prepare an application, go to How to apply.