First what should I do?
Before everything you have to choose the right course and University / College in UK. It should be based on your future aspects & how to develop your career. The course and it duration must match your career and financial capability. The British Council also conducts presentations on every Saturday 10.00am on choosing a suitable course for you. Contact British Council
Customer Services Officer
Education Services
British Council
49 Alfred House Gardens,
Colombo 3, Sri Lanka

Once the relevant university has accepted your offer of a study place and met the conditions of your offer, they will send you an unconditional letter which confirms your study place and course. You will need this document to apply for your study visa.

How to apply?

Step 1:
Be familiar with the information on your visa category. The Tier 4 (General) category is for adult students who want to come to or remain in the UK for post-16 education.

Step 2:
Complete your visa application form. You can now download the application form by following the link at the below of this article. You should print your completed visa application form on good quality paper and ensure that the information does extend beyond the margins on the paper. Make sure application filling is done in English and sign it. Ensure that you complete all the sections correctly. If you make a mistake in filling in any of the sections you will need to make the change on the form and sign against it.

Step 3:
Prepare your documents. You should submit the following
• A valid passport or refugee travel document that contains at least 1 blank page on both sides so the visa can be inserted.
• Your completed and signed visa application form
• Supporting documents relevant to the category you are applying for with copy of each original document.
• 1 recent passport-sized (45mm high x 35mm wide) colour photograph of yourself.

You must provide original documents with a photocopy for each original supporting document you are submitting. You should provide translations of any supporting documents that are not in English and translated documents need to be submitted with the original document for verification.

Step 4:
Pay your visa application fee. In Sri Lanka UK Boarder Agency is responsible for visa application and review process working together with British High Commission Sri Lanka. However you have to apply through VFS Global which is a commercial company working for UK Boarder Agency and British High Commission. You have to pay a fee of Rs 35820/- for application process.

Step 5:
Visit the visa application centre. All visa applicants (apart from exempt categories and children under 5 years) must present in person at the visa application centre to submit their biometric data (eg: finger print etc,.) To make an appointment with VFS Global you can send an email request between 08:00 am and 03:00 pm Monday to Friday to ukstudentcolombo@vfshelpline.com . You will receive a response to your request within 3 working days. You will be allocated the first available appointment.

Step 6:
Wait for a decision on your visa application. Roughly it will take 30-60 days. However visa applications are assessed individually and processing times may vary. You can also use the free ‘track your application’ facility on VFS Global website to find out the progress of your visa application, or use the SMS text service (fee payable) to receive texts about the progress of your visa application.

Step 7:
Collect the decision on your visa. You can collect the decision on your visa and documents from the visa application centre.
VFS Global
Level 5, Access Towers, 278 Union Place, Colombo 2, Sri Lanka. 011 539 0698

Finally if you are issued a visa, please check it to make sure that:

• Your personal details are correct
• It correctly states the purpose for which you want to come to the UK, and
• It is valid for the date on which you want to travel. (You can ask for it to be post-dated for up to three months if you do not plan to travel immediately).

If you think there is anything wrong with your visa, please contact the visa application centre immediately.
Wish you all the very best for your visa application process!

Application Form

Related Posts:
Study Abroad – UK| USA | India
IELTS, TOEFL, GRE

For those who are interested in volunteering in the developing world in your college summer break, gap year, career break or volunteer vacation, there are many interesting oppertunities available in Sri Lanka. As Sri Lanka is a small country, it provides many opportunities in a small space. These projects include English teaching, conservation activities (wild elephants, sea turtles), journalism, health care and other community work.
Following web sites provide information on gap year projects:
Gap Guru
Projects Abroad
Volunteers Abroad

Related Posts:
Study in UK
Study in USA
Study in India
Things to consider in selecting Medical Degrees abroad

IELTS

‘International English Language Testing System’ or commonly known as IELTS is an international standardized test of English language proficiency. It is jointly managed by University of Cambridge- ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Pvt Ltd. This testing service was established in 1989. IELTS is accepted by most Australian, British, Canadian, Irish, New Zealand and South African academic institutions. It is also a requirement for immigration to Australia and Canada.
There are two versions of the IELTS such as:
• The Academic Version
• The General Training Version
The Academic version is specially intended for students who want to enroll in universities and other institutions of higher education. It also required for professionals such as medical doctors and engineers who want to study or practice in an English-speaking country. The General Training Version is designed for those planning migrate or to gain work experience. An IELTS result is valid for two years.
All candidates must complete four Modules – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking to obtain a band score, which is the IELTS result. IELTS result is based on a nine-band scale, with each band corresponding to a specified competence in English. Eg: 9=Expert User, 6=Competent User, 5=Modest User, 1= Non User. Most universities require a IELTS band of 5.5 to 7.0.
IELTS is taken every year in 500 locations across 121 countries, and is one of the fastest growing English language tests in the world. The number of candidates has grown from about 80,000 in 1999 to over 1,200,000 in 2009. There are up to 48 test dates available per year. There is no time limitation for applicants to re-sit for the test.

TOEFEL

‘Test of English as a Foreign Language’ or commonly known as TOEFEL is an international exam evaluates the ability of an individual to use and understand English in an academic setting. If you are planning to study in United States or Canada its mandatory to take TOEFEL exam. It is an admission requirement for non-native English speakers at many English-speaking colleges and universities in States.
There are two formats of the test such as:
• Internet-Based test
• Paper-Based test
The Internet-based test was introduced in 2005, which has progressively replaced both the computer-based (CBT) and paper-based (PBT) tests. Candidates can take the test within one to four weeks after booking. The four-hour test consists of four sections, each measuring one of the basic language skills and all tasks focus on language used in an academic, higher-education environment. The four sections are reading, writing, listening and speaking. The Internet-Based version of the TOEFL test is scored on a scale of 0 to 120 points. Each of the four sections (Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing) receives a scaled score from 0 to 30. The scaled scores from the four sections are added together to determine the total score.
Paper based test is conducted in the areas where the internet-based test is not available. Tests are administered on fixed dates 6 times each year. The test is 3 hours long and all test sections can be taken on the same day. The final PBT score ranges between 310 and 677 and is based on three sub scores: Listening (31–68), Structure (31–68), and Reading (31–67).

SAT
‘Scholastic Aptitude Test’ or commonly known as SAT is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. It’s one of the oldest aptitude tests in the world. The current SAT Reasoning Test, introduced in 2005, takes three hours and forty-five minutes, and costs $45 in US and $71 internationally.
SAT consists of three major sections: Critical Reading, Mathematics, and Writing. Test scores range from 600 to 2400, combining test results from three 800-point sections (math, critical reading, and writing). Most of the questions on the SAT, except for the essay and the grid-in math responses, are multiple choices. The SAT is offered seven times a year in the United States and other countries.

GRE
‘Graduate Record Examination’ or commonly known as GRE is a commercially-run standardized test that is an admission requirement for many graduate schools in the United States and in other English speaking countries. The exam measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills that are not related to any specific field of study. In the United States, Canada, and many other countries, the GRE General Test is offered as a computer-based exam
The exam consists of four sections. The first section is a writing section, while the other three are multiple-choice style. They are
• Verbal section
• Quantitative section
• Analytical writing section
Test takers do not know which of the three multiple-choice sections the experimental section is. The entire test procedure takes about 4 hours. candidate can miss one or more questions on a multiple-choice section and still receive a perfect score of 800. Likewise, even if no question is answered correctly, 200 is the lowest score possible.

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• Manipal University degree programme, India
• Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM)
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA-UK)
• Institute of Personal Management (IPM)
• Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura(PIM)
• Royal Institute of Colombo(RIC)
• Informatics Institute of Technology (IIT)

General requirements for applying Student Loans

The applicants should be citizens of Sri Lanka. Applicants should provide a confirmation letter/ an eligibility letter or registration documents from the relevant institute. For all courses other than Manipal University Degree Programme, Sampath Bank only finance 75% of total cost. Applicants have to bear the rest 25%. It is also required to successful completion of 1^st semester/ 1^st level of the course in order to eligible for total loan amount. You should also provide documentary evidence on repayment capacity together with two guarantors. When the applicant is not employed or the income drawn is not sufficient to meet the installment, parents / guardian  can be the co bearers of the loan. Applicants have to provide salary particulars or income tax documents of parents or the student himself. The current interest rate for Educational Student loans is 22% p.a.

Manipal University degree programme, India

It is open for all students who are eligible to follow the MBA / MSc IT in University of Manipal Sri Lanka branch. Sampath Bank provides 100% of course fee and registration fee also. Repayment period is 4 years.

Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM)

All registered and new students who are eligible to follow SLIM / MBA programme can apply for this loan scheme. Applicants should be below 50 years of age. Maximum loan amount would be Rs 400,000. There’s a 3 year repayment period available.

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA-UK)

All registered and new students who are eligible to follow CIMA examinations can apply for this loan. Loans are provided for registration fee, subscription fee, exam fees and tuition fees. Applicants have 5 year payback period.

Institute of Personal Management (IPM)

All registered and new students who wish to apply for Master of Management in HR offered by the Institute of Personal Management (IPM) in collaboration with University of Southern Queensland (USQ), Australia and Diploma in Professional studies in HRM by IPM can apply for this loan programme. For Masters maximum loan amount would be Rs500,000/- with a repayment period of 3 years and for professional studies Rs80,000/- with 2 year repayment period. Applicants shoud have a savings or current account with Sampath Bank.

Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura (PIM)

All students who are eligible to follow MBA Programmes at the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) affiliated to the University of Sri – Jayewardenepura are eligible for this loan scheme. Applicants should be less than 50 years of age and have to provide details of initial payments to the institute. Repayment period is 3 years. They should also have a savings or current account with Sampath Bank.

Royal Institute of Colombo(RIC)

Students who are eligible for degree programmes of royal Institute can apply for this loan. The amount could go up to a maximum of 75% of the total course fee or Rs300,000.00 whichever is lower. Repayment period is 3 years.

Informatics Institute of Technology (IIT)

Applicants should be eligible to follow a degree programme of IIT and shoul provide confirmation documents from the institute. The amount could go up to a maximum of 75% of the total course fee or Rs300,000.00 whichever is lower. However this can go up to Rs1,000,000/- if applicant mortgage the loan against a property. Repayment period is 3-5 years.

For further information on Educational Student Loans you can contact Sampath Bank on 011-2303050 or visit your nearest branch.
‘

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• Courses
• Universities
• Student Jobs
• Careers
• Higher Education

The purpose of the e8 scholarship is to support outstanding students pursuing advanced studies in sustainable energy development and to encourage meaningful contributions to the collective body of knowledge about this subject.

Key Dates
Applications for the Post-Doctoral programme must be received by the e8 General Secretariat by December 4, 2009. Applications for the Masters programme must be received by March 19, 2010.

• who graduates with excellent grades in the top 20% of her/his class
• who is determined to advance her/his knowledge and understanding
• who has a history of community involvement
• who is committed to sustainable energy
• who is committed to return and contribute to her/his home country

Who is eligible?

To be eligible to apply for this scholarship, students must

• plan to undertake studies at the Masters level or Post-Doctoral level in areas directly related to sustainable energy development
• be citizens of the developing countries and territories identified for OECD official development aid in the DAC List of ODA Recipients effective as of 2006 following: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Cocos(Keeling) Island, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Czechoslovakia, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Easter Island, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Gilbert & Ellice Is., Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea – North, Korea – South, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Lithuania, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Marianas, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia (Slovak Republic), Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Syria, Tahiti-Polynesia, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank & Gaza, Western Samoa, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia or Zimbabwe.

What are the levels of financial assistance and the duration of the scholarships?

Scholarships of US$ 23,000 per year for up to two years are offered for Masters level students. Scholarships of US$ 30,000 per year for up to two years are offered for Post-Doctoral students. Up to two Post-Doc and ten Masters scholarships will be awarded annually.

How can I apply?

Information and the application form can be obtained online by clicking on this link

• Masters programme Scholarship Application Form
• Masters programme Application Checklist
• Post-Doctoral Scholarship Application Form
• Post-Doctoral Scholarship Application Checklist

or 1155 Metcalfe Street, Suite 1120, Montreal, Quebec, H3B 2V6, Canada, or +1 (514) 392-8876 (tel), +1 (514) 392-8900 (fax) or by e8generalsecretariat@hydro.qc.ca

What will I need for my application?

All applicants must provide:

• Proof of citizenship. Refer to the country eligibility requirements.
• Letter of acceptance from an approved academic institution to undertake studies in sustainable energy development
• Copies of transcripts for degrees and final grades
• Curriculum Vitae
• Application Form fully completed
• Two letters of reference, one academic and one personal. You are responsible for contacting the references.

Academic

Your academic reference must be from a person who can discuss your academic and/or professional competence.

The academic letter of reference should be dated and speak to the following points:

• The reference provider’s status and relationship to you
• Your academic ranking and/or professional accomplishments
• Your interest in sustainable energy development
• Your maturity and judgement
• Your ability to communicate, both orally and in writing, and to interact productively with individuals and groups
• Your professional future, including possible impacts the scholarship may have
• Your interest and experience in applying your expertise to the issues of sustainable energy development.

Personal

Your personal reference must be dated and come from a person who can discuss other personal qualities or interests that make you especially qualified to receive the scholarship.

Applicant Statement

Masters Applicants

If you are a Masters applicant, you must submit a statement about your qualifications for the scholarship and your career goals. It should not exceed 1,000 words in length and should cover the following points:

• Why you desire the scholarship
• Your qualifications
• The studies you intend to pursue and how they relate to sustainable energy development
• How your Masters studies will affect your community and your career and ultimately, the field of sustainable energy development.
• Your commitment to return to your country

Post-Doctoral Applicants

If you are a Post-Doctoral applicant, you must submit a statement about your qualifications for the scholarship and your career goals. It should not exceed 500 words in length and should cover the following points:

• Why you desire the scholarship
• Your qualifications
• Your research interest and how it relates to sustainable energy development
• How your Post-Doctoral research will affect the field of knowledge on sustainable energy development, your community and your career
• Your commitment to return to your country

Research Plan (Post-Doctoral Applicants only)

Clearly and concisely, describe the research relating to sustainable energy development that you intend to pursue. Use a maximum of 2,000 words (excluding the Abstract). You may use additional pages for figures and references. Your statement should demonstrate your understanding of the research principles necessary to pursue your objectives. Present your plan with clear hypotheses or questions to be addressed in the research and include:

• Abstract- Principal objectives
• Background information (broader research or other activities of which the research would be a part)
• Data sources
• Methodology or approach- Expected results
• Significance or application of results to sustainable energy development

If you have not yet formulated a plan of research, your statement should include:

• Abstract
• Description of two or three research questions related to sustainable energy development and any link to your previous research
• Analysis of how you think these questions may best be answered
• Description of your methodology and data sources

How are applications judged?

An Academic Panel consisting of accomplished representatives from Europe, North America and Japan will review the applications. All selections are final and all applicants will be notified.

How will I receive the funds?

Awards will be directly deposited (in US$) into the accounts of the Institution where you are enrolled and provided to you on a regular basis as long as you are making satisfactory progress toward achieving your academic or research requirements.

What are my obligations to the e8 if I am selected?

You are expected to complete your degree or your research, update e8 about your progress and publish your results. You are required to acknowledge the e8 support when publishing or making presentations on your research and results. We may ask you to present your results at an e8 function, in which case your out of pocket expenses incurred to make the presentation will be covered by the e8.

Moreinfo: http://www.e8.org/index.jsp?numPage=195

However, since the intake into government free medical faculties are very limited, a large number of students go abroad to get a Medical Degree from a foreign university.   Sri Lankan students study medicine at countries such as Russia, India, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Latvia. Some also follow medicine in developed countries such as USA, England, Australia and New Zealand where the tuition fees are relatively high.

Choosing which medical school to apply requires information on cost, quality, facilities and acceptance in Sri Lanka as a doctor. The key parameters to look at are:

1. SLMC registration

A list of recognized foreign medical schools is maintained by Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC). Check SLMC  we b site to find whether the University and course you are applying is recognized by them.

2. Cost of the course

What is the current tuition and fees? Is this expected to increase yearly? If so, at what rate? You don’t want to apply to schools that are financially out of reach for you.

Cost varies with country of education. According to the information provided to us by parents and students, the total cost for entire course in Bangladesh would be around 1-2 million rupees, in China around 5-6 million rupees, in India around 8 – 10 million rupees and in USA/  UK around 40 million. There are rough estimates only.

3. Quality of the education

As there is no quality evaluation procedure for foreign universities, clarify information with the present students and with passed out doctors who followed the same course. You can go to the web site of the university and check their facilities, curriculum, assignment procedure, reputation of the lecturers, research publications, laboratories and library facilities and hospital facilities for clinical education.
Visit web sites of the various medical schools, and earmark a school that is suitable for you.  List of medical schools (or universities with a medical school), sorted by region and country can be found here.

4. Location

Select the country of education based on the cost and the quality of the education.  Also look for living standards of the location, cost of living and the personal safety of international students, as this has been a serious issue in some places (eg. some Russian cities). Check whether the clinical sites are in a different location, how to travel, cost for traveling etc.

5. Facilities

Apart for academic facilities, look for extracurricular facilities (i.e., housing and athletic/ recreational facilities, internet accessibility). Is designated study space available? Are students required to have a laptop?

6. Duration of the course.

How many years to complete? Does this involve additional year to learn a new language. Do you have to do internship in that country? Remember that now all foreign graduates have to do one year internship in Sri Lanka after passing ERPM (Act 16) examination conducted by SLMC.

7. Medium of Instruction

It would be better to go to a course conducted in English medium, which would be useful to pass EPRM (ACT 16) examination here.

8. Local agent

There are various local agents who source students for foreign universities. We are not in a position to recommend anyone. Select an agent carefully. Do not believe in the marketing talk of the agent who is sending the students, but clarify information with other students and parents who have selected the particular medical college. Before paying check the other information with the agent.

You may wish to consult relevant embassy or education support institute in the country (such as British council, Russian cultural center) and apply directly.

9. ERPM (Act 16) examination conducted by SLMC

Although the principles of medical practice remain the same, clinical teaching and the relative emphasis on various aspects of training differ from country to country, depending on the pattern of disease prevalence and the facilities and resources available for treating them. Hence after you obtain MBBS  or an equivalent degree from a recognized foreign unveristy, you have to pass Examination for Registration to Practice Medicine (ERPM) in Sri Lanka (earlier it was called Act 16) conducted by the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC). You can download the details of this examination from SLMC web site.

10. Do you really want to do medicine?

Students study very hard in Sri Lankan to become a doctor, as it is a prestigious job. However if your Z score is not sufficient to enter government free education, then your parents have to spend lots of money and you have to study hard and spend about 5-6 years time in studying this subject. Some of you may want to consider another career by following various other higher education courses as given in following posts:

Select Universities and Courses in Sri Lankan Universities
Careers in Medical Sector
Higher Education Opportunities in the Field of Biological Sciences
Courses you can do after Advanced Level
Higher Education Choices for 18+ (after GCE AL) in Sri Lanka and aborad

Related Posts:

Local vs foreign education
Select courses
Online degrees in Sri Lanka
External degrees in Sri Lanka
Careers in Medical Sector

It includes thousands of links to courses in subjects ranging from biology to chemistry to business studies and these courses are prepared by top institutions such as MIT, Yale University and University of California.

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Free online audio and video courses from top Universities

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Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka holds National Biology Olympiad (SLBO) annually, in Collaboration with Sri Lankan Universities and Ministry of Education and students to participate in International Olympiad.  About 1800 students participated in SLBO 2008 competition, and based on the results of SLBO 2008, Udari Samarasiri and Maheshi Wijeyabandara from Vishaka Vidyalaya Colombo, Sameera Gamlath from Nalanda College Colombo and Sameera Erandaka Ariyarathna from Gampaha Bandaranayake  Vidyalaya,  will represent Sri Lanka in  International Biology Olympiad in Japan. Dr Hiran Amarasekera and Prof H G Nandadasa from University of Sri Jayewardeneprua and Prof M J S Wijeyaratne from University of Kelaniya also participate the completion as the Jury members.

The first International Olympiad was held in Eastern Europe in 1959 in Mathematics. The remaining disciplines quickly followed; Physics (1967), Chemistry (1968) and Informatics in (1989). Biology had its first Olympiad in 1990.

Some of the characteristics of the science Olympiads as compared with those for sports are that they are held annually and intended for secondary school students. The level of questions is above the standard for secondary school education in the world. The theoretical/practical questions are 5 hours long each which demands persistence and determination, as well as discipline. Gold medals are awarded not only to the top achiever but to the top 10% of participants. The Olympiad offers an opportunity for international exchange.

Various scholarship programs are available for Sri Lankan students who wish to follow courses in foreign universities. Some of the programs are listed here.

• Latest scholarship offers – Education UK – British Council – Sri Lanka
• The Presidential Scholarship Scheme - There is a Presidential Scholarship Scheme for post graduate studies – The Presidential Scholarship Scheme was revamped to grant 175 scholarships to University Lecturers, Public Sector employees and their children and other bright youth to follow academic and training courses in fields that would meet the development needs of the country.

  The Millennium Scholarship Scheme of the Presidential fund is a new scholarship scheme for G. C. E. A’Level students who excel in academic and extra curricular activities

• Sri Lanka – Canada Scholarship Foundation – This is a non-profit, volunteer organization registered in British Columbia, Canada, to help the needy students of Sri Lankan origin in their education.
• The european union’s cultural and educational co-operation – Erasmus Mundus – The European Commission offers scholarships to Sri Lankan graduate students to attend Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses in Europe.
• Scholarships by study aborad funding
• Scholarships for Sri Lankan students by University of Bedfordshire – The University offers scholarships for Sri Lankan students of high academic standing commencing their studies at the University of Bedfordshire.
• South Asia Foundation – SAF Group Scholarships in Sri Lanka
• Other scholarship programs listed in this website

If you want detials on study in Australia, check our forum post which gives web sites for information, advice, help and assistance for studying in Australia and detials on obtaining a degree there.