Griffith Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship: Get 50% Off Tuition Fees

The Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship is Griffith University’s flagship award for new international students in Australia. It pays 50 percent of your tuition fees, and it lasts for your whole degree, not just the first year. It is open to undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students who are citizens of a country other than Australia or New Zealand, so Nigerians qualify. You need strong previous results, with a minimum GPA of 6.0 on a 7 point scale or the equivalent, and you must already hold an offer to study. For Trimester 1 2027, applications close on 28 November 2026.

Quick Facts

Item	Detail
Deadline	28 November 2026 for students commencing Trimester 1 2027
Level	Undergraduate and postgraduate coursework
Host country and institution	Australia, Griffith University
Funding	50 percent of tuition fees, valid for your whole degree, subject to ongoing eligibility
Who can apply	New international students (not citizens of Australia or New Zealand) with a GPA of 6.0 or above on a 7 point scale or equivalent, who hold an offer to study

Who Is Eligible

To be eligible to apply, you must meet all of the following conditions:

• You are a citizen of a country other than Australia or New Zealand. Nigerian citizens qualify.
• You are a new, commencing student who has received an offer to study by the scholarship application closing date.
• You have a minimum GPA in your previous studies of 6.0 or above on a 7 point scale, or the equivalent in your own grading system.
• You satisfy all academic and English language entry requirements for your chosen undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program.
• You will be a full-time student starting in 2026 or 2027.
• You are an international fee paying student. If your fee status changes away from international fee paying, the scholarship is no longer available.

The scholarship is competitive and the number of awards is limited. Griffith states that when the limit for scholarship acceptances has been reached, applicants will be told that all available scholarships have been awarded and the scholarship is withdrawn, so meeting the criteria does not guarantee an award.

Some programs are excluded. The scholarship does not cover Higher Degree Research programs, online programs, non-award study, the Study Abroad Program, diploma programs, the Masters Qualifying Program, the MBA (program code 5158), English language programs at the Griffith English Language Institute, programs offered only part time, and programs delivered with a partner organisation onshore or offshore.

What the Scholarship Covers

The award covers 50 percent of your undergraduate or postgraduate coursework tuition fees for the full duration of your program, as long as you keep meeting the ongoing enrolment requirements. The course duration is the program length stated in your Letter of Offer for your first degree program, less any credit you receive for previous study.

Each deduction is applied before the census date of each trimester. You are responsible for paying the remaining balance of your fees, based on your enrolment, by the census date. The scholarship covers tuition fees only. It does not pay for living costs, accommodation or travel, and those costs remain yours to plan for.

Because the deduction repeats every trimester for the length of your degree, the total value grows with the length of your program. A student on a three year bachelor’s degree receives the 50 percent reduction across all three years, and a student on a two year master’s degree receives it across both years, in each case only while the ongoing requirements are met. Griffith also warns that the scholarship is competitive and numbers are limited. Once the limit for scholarship acceptances has been reached, the university will advise applicants that all available scholarships have been awarded and the scholarship is withdrawn for that intake. Applying early, with a complete application, is therefore a real advantage and not just a formality.

If this award is not the right fit, our guide to fully funded scholarships for Africans collects other major schemes open to Nigerian students, including some that cover living expenses as well as fees.

How to Apply

1. Apply to study an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program at Griffith University first. You cannot apply for the scholarship until you have your Letter of Offer, and you must have received that offer by the scholarship closing date.
2. Apply for the scholarship by the closing date for your commencing trimester. For Trimester 1 2027, that date is 28 November 2026. Your scholarship application needs to include your academic records and a personal statement.
3. Wait for the panel review. If you meet all the eligibility requirements, a university panel will review your application.
4. Receive your outcome. For Trimester 1 2027 applicants, Griffith will give outcomes by 11 December 2026. Trimester 1 itself starts on 1 March 2027.
5. Accept on time if you are successful. You need to accept both your program offer and the scholarship by the deadline. If you do not accept the scholarship by the date in your Scholarship Letter, it will be withdrawn.
6. Start full time and keep your grades up. Once you begin, the deduction is applied each trimester before the census date while you meet the ongoing requirements below.

Note that deferral is not permitted. You must be a commencing student in the trimester you applied for, so if your plans change, you cannot simply carry this scholarship to a later start date.

If you have questions as an international future student, Griffith lists a dedicated contact number, +61 7 3735 6425, on the official scholarship page.

Other Start Dates in 2027

This post focuses on Trimester 1 2027 because that is the intake now open to Nigerian applicants. The same scholarship also has a later 2027 intake on the official page. For students commencing Trimester 2 2027, applications close on 10 April 2027, outcomes are given by 28 April 2027, and the trimester starts on 12 July 2027. The same eligibility rules apply, including the minimum GPA of 6.0 on a 7 point scale and the requirement to hold an offer by the closing date.

Documents to Prepare

• Your Letter of Offer from Griffith University for an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program.
• Your academic records from your previous studies, showing a GPA of 6.0 or above on a 7 point scale or the equivalent.
• A personal statement, which Griffith requires as part of the scholarship application.
• Evidence that you meet the academic and English language entry requirements for your chosen program. Griffith applies its normal admission requirements, including previous study results and English language proficiency.

Keeping the Scholarship: Ongoing Requirements

Winning the award is only the first step. To keep receiving the 50 percent deduction, you must:

• Stay enrolled full time and make progress in your studies, meet the requirements of your program, and meet your student visa requirements, unless credit prevents full-time enrolment.
• Pass all courses in each trimester and progress successfully into the next trimester.
• Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 5.5 on a 7 point scale, reviewed annually. For students who start in Trimester 1, the cumulative GPA is reviewed at the end of Trimester 2.
• Remain enrolled in the program named in your Letter of Offer from Griffith International Admissions.
• Understand that if you withdraw or cancel for any reason, the scholarship amount is non-refundable.

Griffith also expects scholarship recipients to be profiled in the university’s marketing activities.

Common Mistakes

• Applying for the scholarship before you have an offer. The offer must be in your hand by the closing date, so work backwards and apply to study well before 28 November 2026.
• Ignoring the GPA threshold. A GPA below 6.0 on a 7 point scale or its equivalent makes you ineligible, no matter how strong the rest of your application is.
• Applying for an excluded program, such as the MBA, an online program or a diploma. Check the exclusion list before you build your plans around this award.
• Assuming the scholarship covers everything. It covers half of tuition fees only. You still need a plan for the other half of your fees and for your living costs.
• Missing the acceptance deadline. If you do not accept by the date in your Scholarship Letter, the award is withdrawn.
• Letting your grades slip after you arrive. You must pass every course and hold a cumulative GPA of at least 5.5 to keep the deduction coming.
• Trying to defer. Deferral of this scholarship is not permitted.

Key Takeaways

• The scholarship pays 50 percent of tuition fees for the whole degree, for undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students at Griffith University in Australia.
• You need citizenship of a country other than Australia or New Zealand, a GPA of at least 6.0 on a 7 point scale or equivalent, and an offer to study in hand by the closing date.
• For Trimester 1 2027, apply by 28 November 2026. Outcomes arrive by 11 December 2026, and the trimester starts on 1 March 2027.
• The award is competitive and limited in number, and it covers tuition only, so budget for the remaining fees and your living costs.
• To keep it, pass all your courses, study full time, and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 5.5.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Griffith Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship pay? It covers 50 percent of your tuition fees for the duration of your undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program, applied before the census date each trimester, as long as you meet the ongoing requirements. It does not cover living costs, and you pay the remaining fees yourself.

Can Nigerians apply for the Griffith Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship? Yes. Eligibility requires citizenship of a country other than Australia or New Zealand, which includes Nigeria. You also need a minimum GPA of 6.0 on a 7 point scale or the equivalent, an offer to study at Griffith, and full-time enrolment.

What is the deadline for Trimester 1 2027? You must apply by 28 November 2026. Griffith will give outcomes by 11 December 2026, and Trimester 1 2027 starts on 1 March 2027. You must already hold your Letter of Offer by the closing date, so apply to study first.

Do I need an offer from Griffith before applying for the scholarship? Yes. You must be a new, commencing student who has received an offer to study by the scholarship application closing date. The scholarship application itself must include your academic records and a personal statement.

Which programs are excluded from the scholarship? Excluded programs include Higher Degree Research, online programs, diploma programs, the Masters Qualifying Program, the MBA (program code 5158), English language programs at the Griffith English Language Institute, programs offered only part time, and programs delivered with a partner organisation.

Can I lose the scholarship after I start my degree? Yes. You must pass all courses each trimester, study full time, meet your visa requirements, and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 5.5 on a 7 point scale. Deferral is not permitted, and if you withdraw or cancel, the scholarship amount is non-refundable.

Last updated: 7 November 2026

Apply through the official Griffith University page: Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship