New Colombo Plan

New Colombo Plan
New Colombo Plan

The New Colombo Plan is a signature initiative of the Australian Government which aims to lift knowledge of the Indo Pacific in Australia by supporting Australian undergraduates to study and undertake internships in the region.

The New Colombo Plan involves a scholarships program for study of up to one year and internships or mentorships, and a flexible mobility grants program for both short and longer-term study, internships, mentorships, practicums and research.

In its first four years, the New Colombo Plan is supporting around 17,500 Australian undergraduate students to live, study and undertake work placements in the Indo-Pacific.

The New Colombo Plan Alumni Program supports alumni to maintain a connection to each other, the New Colombo Plan and the Indo-Pacific region as they progress in their lives and careers.

Over time the growing cohort of NCP alumni will play an increasingly important role in Australia’s relationships with our neighbours to become an influential and diverse network of Australians with direct experience in the Indo-Pacific, strong professional and personal networks across our region, and a driving force in Australia’s future prosperity and position in the region.

Alumni News

  • New Colombo Plan
  • Australia
  • Fiji

I was offered an incredible opportunity to live, study and work in Fiji with a New Colombo Plan (NCP) Scholarship through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I arrived in July 2019 and after completing my political science minor at the University of the South Pacific, I pursued an internship at Oxfam Pacific in Fiji.

  • New Colombo Plan
  • Australia
  • Fiji
  • Philippines

New Colombo Plan (NCP) scholar Jordan Ivey shares his story about what inspired him to apply for an NCP scholarship and his long-term goals.

Alumni Stories

  • New Colombo Plan
  • Japan
  • Taiwan

Unique study and internship experiences in Japan and Taiwan opened the door to outstanding opportunities in the medtech industry for 2019 New Colombo Plan scholar Jadyn D’Mello, which he says would have been unlikely without the support offered by the program.

  • New Colombo Plan
  • Cambodia
  • Indonesia
  • Viet Nam

The New Colombo Plan Mobility Program provides funding to Australian universities to support Australian undergraduate students to participate in semester-based or short-term study, internships or research in 40 host locations across the Indo-Pacific region. 

New Colombo Plan alumna Candice Skelton, from Western Sydney University, documented her experiences studying science and cultural studies at Chinese University of Hong Kong.