A record number of La Trobe University students have been awarded New Colombo Plan scholarships, with 10 recipients given the valuable opportunity to continue their studies overseas.
In addition, La Trobe has secured $1,031,400 to support 92 students under the Mobility and Semester Program grants, a huge increase on the $149,600 received last year.
The New Colombo Plan Scholarship, funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), is widely regarded as Australia's most generous and prestigious scholarship for undergraduate students.
The Government this year doubled the number of scholarship recipients, and plans to continue expanding the New Colombo Plan by offering even more in the coming years.
Recipients are selected through a rigorous, multi-stage application process, reflecting their academic excellence, ambition and genuine interest in the Indo-Pacific region.
The 2026 scholars represent a diverse range of disciplines and will undertake studies, internships, and mentorships in Malaysia, Thailand and Japan.
La Trobe University Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President, Future Growth, Dr Stacey Farraway said the number of La Trobe students awarded scholarships was double the previous year, which reflected the exceptional calibre of the University's students and its commitment to global engagement.
"This is an excellent result for La Trobe students and highlights the success of the University's strategic focus on meaningful global engagement and expanding opportunities for students," Dr Farraway said.
"Our New Colombo Plan Scholars will gain real-world experience, language capability and intercultural skills highly valued by employers, supporting La Trobe's commitment to developing career-ready graduates."
Brett Smith, from the Learning Abroad team which manages the New Colombo Plan Scholarship Program at La Trobe, said the fantastic result was a credit to the students, who are bright and ambitious with a clear commitment to engaging meaningfully with the Indo-Pacific and giving back to their communities on return.
"The New Colombo Plan Scholarship opens doors to language study, professional experience and networks in the region that can genuinely influence the direction of their future studies and careers," Brett said.
"These outcomes also reflect the dedication of La Trobe's Learning Abroad team and academic champions, whose behind-the-scenes guidance and advocacy play a critical role in supporting students through this highly competitive process."
The successful scholarship students, their destinations and fields of study are:
- Malaysia (University of Malaya):
- Rhys Barwise (Wildlife & Conservation Biology)
- Sara Ali (Law/Commerce)
- Nicholas Walsh (Law/Global Studies)
- Thailand (Chulalongkorn University):
- Justin Johnston (Education)
- Tori Foster (Law/Arts)
- Japan:
- Sophia University: Asia McLaughlin (Law/Arts), Alison Tucker (Media & Communication)
- Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University: Elley Chapman (Law/Global Studies)
- Hokkaido University: Giselle Quill-Tot (Animal & Veterinary Biosciences)
- University of Tokyo: Maddison Reynolds (Law/Global Studies)
